Part showcase, part hangout, Pitch Palooza proves that you don’t need a business plan to start thinking like an entrepreneur.
On a warm, mid-September evening in the Fall 2025 semester, the Office of Entrepreneurship welcomed Lehigh students to the inaugural first of many Pitch Palooza! night of entrepreneurial exploration.
Aan informal, community-building event, Pitch Palooza! brought together students from across Lehigh’s entrepreneurship programs to share their latest ideas and ventures. With pizza, conversation, and plenty of energy in the room, the night offered both a stage for student innovators and a space for meaningful connections.
“The vibe is informal, like an entrepreneurial meetup event … Attendees will see two to four student pitches, but just as importantly, they’ll have time for conversations and networking with each other.”
- Michelle Julet, Director of the Baker Institute
Throughout the evening, students shared updates on their nascent ventures, giving the audience a glimpse into the exciting innovations taking shape on campus.
Beyond the individual pitches and presentations, Pitch Palooza! represents a broader vision for Lehigh’s entrepreneurial community. According to Michelle Julet, director of the Baker Institute, the idea for the event stemmed from a conversation with a graduate student who was looking for a more accessible and low-pressure way to engage with entrepreneurship at Lehigh.
The goal was to create a welcoming space where students could not only pitch their ventures but also build relationships across disciplines. “The vibe is informal, like an entrepreneurial meetup event,” Julet explained. “Attendees will see two to four student pitches, but just as importantly, they’ll have time for conversations and networking with each other.”
For students just beginning to explore entrepreneurship, the event offers more than inspiration, it provides tangible entry points. “Students don’t need to have a project or even want to start one,” Julet emphasized. “Many are simply curious about innovation or want to develop an entrepreneurial mindset. Everyone is welcome.”
The evening sparked fresh ideas, fostered new connections, and offered exposure to Lehigh’s growing innovation ecosystem. Julet hopes the event will continue to strengthen the entrepreneurial fabric on campus by introducing students to the many programs, classes, and communities available to them.
More than just a pitch night, Pitch Palooza! is an open invitation to share, to learn, and to become part of a thriving culture of innovation. 💡
📷 Photos by Sara Eleissawy ’26.
Pitch Palooza! Pitcher Profiles
Jr. Perez ’27 has a new Vision for Robotics
Jr. Perez ’27’s ABV Dynamics trains robots to learn visually instead of through language.
Jr. Perez ’27, a Mechanical Engineering and Product Design major in the IDEAS program, shared his work on a robotics-native AI startup called ABV Dynamics. Drawing on research in physics, robotics, and AI, as well as experience at a San Francisco startup, he is developing foundational models that train robots using 3D-scanned and visual data rather than language. His goal is to create robots that are both self-learning and capable of predicting movements in dynamic environments. By combining technical execution, product design, and entrepreneurial strategy, ABV Dynamics is working toward minimum viable products that could reshape the way robotics and AI intersect.
Jennifer Maxwell ’26G Reimagines Period Care, with Purpose
Jennifer Maxwell ’26G presents Ciatta, a sustainable, socially driven menstrual‑care startup.
Jennifer Maxwell ’26G a student in the Technical Entrepreneurship masters at Lehigh, presented her venture, Ciatta, a sustainable menstrual-care brand named in honor of her mother. Frustrated by the lack of comfortable, transparent, and eco-friendly period products on the market, she set out to design alternatives made with certified organic cotton and free from harmful additives. Beyond the product itself, Ciatta carries a social mission: through partnerships with organizations like BLOOM, the company enables customers to donate menstrual products to communities in need. For Maxwell, Ciatta is about more than just innovation in personal care; it's about dignity, sustainability, and creating lasting social impact.
What's NEXT for Martin Almeida ’26
Martin Almeida ’25 pitched NEXT, a fintech opening investing to everyone.
Martin Almedia ’26, a senior double majoring in Finance and Supply Chain Management, introduced his venture, NEXT (New Equity Exchange Technology), a platform designed to democratize access to consistent, low-risk returns. NEXT combines the stability of investment funds with the accessibility of fintech, offering users a USD digital wallet and debit card for seamless reinvestment and spending. Inspired by his family’s entrepreneurial background and his professional experiences abroad, Almeida sees NEXT as a way to open up financial opportunities for everyday investors.
Note: This article was prepared with the assistance of AI editing tools and has been reviewed by our human team for accuracy and clarity.