12 Finalists Named for Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Regional Startup World Cup
Top Venture Will Represent Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs at Global Finale for $1 Million Prize
Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs (HAE) is proud to announce the 12 startup finalists selected to compete in the Harvard Regional Startup World Cup, taking place on September 12 , 2025, at the Martin Conference Center at Harvard Medical School. The winner of the Regional will go on to represent our community at the Startup World Cup Global Finale in San Francisco, where a $1 million investment prize is at stake.
The finalists were selected from a highly competitive pool of more than 120 applicants from 20 countries. Over several rounds of judging, including live pitch sessions, the ventures were evaluated on innovation, scalability, market traction, and founder strength. Each finalist is founded or co-founded by a Harvard alum and reflects the university’s deep commitment to global impact and entrepreneurial excellence.
The 12 Finalist Startups Are:
4M Therapeutics Inc Founded by Pablo Lapuerta, MD (Harvard College ’84; Harvard Medical School ’89) and Stephen Haggarty (Harvard College ‘03), 4M Therapeutics is a biotech company developing first-in-class precision medicine to improve mental health.
Autonomo Technologies Founded by James Sutherland (Harvard Business School ’13), Autonomo is an AI Agent for physical retail stores helping retailers double profits and double shopper satisfaction.
BrandRank.AI Founded by Pete Blackshaw (Harvard Business School ’95), BrandRank.AI is a SaaS platform helping marketers improve visibility, manage vulnerability, and optimize content readiness across AI Answer Engines.
Cuepilot.AI Founded by Adithya Narayanan (Harvard Kennedy School ’18), Cuepilot is an AI copilot that automates admin, streamlines communication and delivers real‑time learning insights for early years educators.
Delfi Founded by Daniel Ahn (Harvard Graduate School of Arts and Sciences ‘08), Delfi is an AI-native financial platform that empowers users to make the most informed financial decisions and connects them with the best solutions available from supplier inventory.
Juniver Founded by Emilie Faure (Harvard College ’03), Juniver is an AI-powered health platform delivering personalized eating disorder care.
NeuronSpike Technologies Founded by Dovran Amanov (Harvard John A. Paulson School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences ’21), NeuronSpike builds neuromorphic chips that bring brain-level efficiency to edge AI applications.
Nilus Founded by Ady Beitler (Harvard Law School. ’08), Nilus operates a tech-enabled logistics network that aggregates collective demand and rescues surplus food to reduce food prices on underserved communities.
Soteri Skin Founded by Lama Mansour (Harvard Business School ’06) and Dr. Rafal Pielak ( Harvard Medical School, '11), Soteri Skin is developing a clinically proven, science-backed cream that targets the root causes of eczema and delivers long-term relief.
TagHive Founded by Pankaj Agarwal (Harvard Business School ’12), TagHive offers smart classroom solutions that have already improved learning outcomes in over 10,000 classrooms globally.
Target Arm Founded by Jeff McChesney, (Harvard Kennedy School ’93), Target Arm is pioneering autonomous drone operations from moving vehicles with a proprietary launch-and- recovery system designed for integration across commercial and defense applications.
YeneHealth Founded by Kidist Tesfaye (Harvard Graduate School of Education ’19), YeneHealth is an integrated women’s health ecosystem, offering on‑demand telehealth and online pharmacy services, while supplying pharmacies with affordable, essential medicines.
“These finalists are tackling some of the world’s most urgent problems - from mental health and women’s healthcare to food insecurity, AI innovation, and educational equity. We’re seeing breakthroughs that range from the deeply personal to the systemically scalable - including tools with the potential to improve everyday life on a global scale. These founders embody the kind of entrepreneurial leadership that defines Harvard at its best - bold, brilliant, and committed to building solutions that matter.”
The winner of the Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Regional Startup World Cup will go on to represent our community on the global stage at the Startup World Cup Grand Finale, hosted by Pegasus Tech Ventures, where they will compete for a $1 million investment prize. This opportunity offers not only international visibility but also access to a powerful network of global investors, industry leaders, and potential strategic partners.
Event Details
Harvard Alumni Entrepreneurs Startup World Cup Regional
September 12, 2025
Martin Conference Center, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA
Purchase tickets - Early bird tickets available through August 15
For more information email: startupworldcup@harvardae.org
www.harvardae.org/startupworldcup