“What everyone built here,” announced Ted Leonsis during the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize “Bark Tank” Pitch Competition at Georgetown University’s McDonough School of Business, “is really remarkable.”
His praise spotlighted the eight student teams who pitched their startup ideas to expert judges on January 22nd as part of the annual “Bark Tank” Pitch Competition. The eight teams won a total of $150,000 in prizes.
The annual “Bark Tank” Pitch Competition awards entrepreneurs with “dollars to get…started” and to launch ventures that will positively impact society. Each of the teams was determined to create a positive impact with their ideas and—as Leonsis added in his address to the crowd—drive the “entrepreneurial spirit” of the nation. He noted the growth of entrepreneurship at Georgetown McDonough and subsequently “encouraged the audience to continue to…empower future innovators to make a positive difference in the world.”
This year, the Leonsis family raised the prizes to $150,000; last year, they guaranteed the longevity of the Bark Tank Pitch prizes with a $5 million gift. The prize is inspired by Leonsis’s own entrepreneurial journey and the role that Georgetown McDonough played during it; since its launch, it has aided the growth of many Georgetown alumni’s ventures.
This Year’s Prize Winners
First prize of $30,000: Hilda, an AI recruiting assistant that dramatically reduces costs and increases speed and efficiency during recruitment processes for home care providers. Hilda is led by Andres Brillembourg (SFS’17, MBA ’24). The Bark Tank additionally named Hilda “Top Dog.”
Second prize of $25,000: tied between Gateway and Provision Surgical. The former saves time and cost for employers by transforming “complex onboarding and training into organized, inspiring micro-learning,” and is led by Hanh Linh Ho (MBA ’24). The latter improves surgical accuracy by offering “intraoperative surgical navigation using machine-learning-powered augmented reality (AR) technology.” It is led by Joyce Wang (M’25).
Third prize of $20,000: tied between Nyxara and Serenity Robotic Lawncare. Nyxara, led by Gulmohar Ahluwalia (MBA ’24) and Ian Akisoglu, makes remote connection and fast downloads possible via “high-speed, secure optical communication systems.” Serenity Robotic Lawncare simplifies customer processes, improves service quality, and reduces pollution in the lawncare industry through AI and robotic lawn mowers.
Fourth prize of $10,000: tied between Ocuclips and Hydro-Con. Ocuclips is an eyewear accessory that alleviates discomfort while wearing headgear, and is led by Mohil Gupta (MBA’26). Hydro-Con simplifies bulk sales of water for municipalities, and is led by Shane Connolly (MBA’26) and Con Aldridge (MBA’26).
Finally, fifth prize of $5,000: Clarif, which is led by Vasco de Castelbajac (SFS’25) and Ryan Abdallah (B’25) and “facilitates the commodity trading compliance process, streamlining regulation through AI.” Leonsis is the founder, chairman, principal, and CEO of Monumental Sports & Entertainment. He supports the Leonsis Family Entrepreneurship Prize alongside his wife, Lynn, his son, Zach, and his daughter, Elle.
You can read more about Georgetown Entrepreneurship and the Leonsis Family Prize on their website, and watch a livestream of the competition here.
