On Wednesday, July 23rd, the Pennovation Accelerator held their eighth annual Pitch Day at the Pennovation Center. The concluding event for the six-week program focused on business development. In case you missed it, you can view a recording of the event, and read more about the Accelerator in our Pitch Day program.
Each of the nine cohort companies presented a 5-minute pitch to an audience filled with investors founders, and innovators from the Philadelphia ecosystem, followed by questions and feedback from a panel of judges:
Denita Henderson, Managing Director of Pennovation Works
Philip Johnston (PJ), Executive in Residence, Avea Ventures
Sushma Rajagopalan, Partner at Rittenhouse Ventures
At the conclusion of the nine pitches, the judges and Pennovation Accelerator review committee deliberated on the winners. In the meantime, the audience heard from Pennovation Accelerator 2024 Best Pitch winner, Rupesh Jeyaram, co-founder and CEO of Revise Robotics, and from the Accelerator 2024 Alumni Speaker, Logan Jones, Founder and CEO of tiȼker.
After the deliberation, two winners were announced:
Serpent Robotics was named the overall 2025 Pennovation Accelerator Winner, based on engagement throughout the program, growth over the six weeks and the final pitch. Serpent Robotics was awarded:
A cash prize of $7,000
6-month membership to the Pennovation Center for up to 4 team members
12-month complimentary membership to Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT) which includes access to Mentor Connect, a program that connects entrepreneurs with mentors for objective, unbiased advice, and guidance
Promotion at the upcoming PCIV @ Pennovation Showcase in November
Serpent Robotics is revolutionizing tree care with an advanced robotics system that eliminates the dangers of manual tree-cutting. Serpent uses the CHAMPS robotic arm from Dr. Yim’s GRASP Lab to climb trees, secure branches, and make precise cuts while keeping arborists safe on the ground. They are transforming tree care with smart automation with a safe, affordable alternative to lifts and bucket trucks. The future of tree care is here, and it’s built for safety.
Earable Intelligence won Best Pitch at the 2025 Pennovation Accelerator Pitch Day, based on scores provided by the panel of judges. Earable Inteligence's Best Pitch prize package includes:
A cash prize of $3,000
6-month membership to the Pennovation Center
Promotion at the PCIV @ Pennovation Center Showcase.
Earable Intelligence is developing an ear-based wearable medical device -- or "earable" -- to detect, and even predict, epileptic seizures. By combining their novel system-on-chip technology with state-of-the-art, ultra-low impedance recording electrodes, their device will be capable of monitoring neural activity while maintaining an inobtrusive, earphone-like form factor. The EI system will issue real-time alerts to patients, caregivers, and clinicians when seizures are detected. yielding critically-needed insight into patients’ response to treatment, allowing them to get back to their lives with confidence.
Leading up to Pitch Day, the cohort participated in six weeks of programming to develop their business strategies and cultivate their networks. With weekly workshops led by subject matter experts on Wednesday afternoons, followed by pitch practice and networking opportunities, the teams all made great strides in a short time developing their business strategies and refining their elevator pitches.
The cohort learned from a variety of speakers and mentors across the Pennovation Works network, including:
Philip Johnston (PJ), Executive in Residence, Avea Ventures, on market assessment
Tim Fortecue, Founder of 40 Watt Consulting, on branding and storytelling
Andrew "Drew" Carton, Associate Professor of Management, The Wharton School, on building and supporting a team
Kevin McMonagle, Controller & CFO, RSM, and Patricia Tang, Investor-Operator, Montauk Climate Venture Studio, on financing and milestones
A panel discussion on ‘The Ask’ portion of a pitch was led by guest speakers:
Bianca Schilling, Chief of Staff & Investor, Apprentis Ventures
Fernanda Sesto, Pre-Seed Investor, Unshackled Ventures
Josh Mastromatto, Founder and CEO at REGO, Pennovation Accelerator ’21 – Overall Winner
Sarah Beth Gleeson, Co-Founder and CTO, Baleena, Pennovation Accelerator '22 - Overall Winner
In preparation for Pitch Day, the cohort companies had the opportunity to each join a virtual pitch practice session to receive feedback and workshop their five-minute pitch. The pitch practice sessions were co-hosted by the PCI Ventures team including Yi-Yen Chen, along with Michael Peretz of Michael Peretz Consulting.
A special thank you to our newest partners, Philadelphia Alliance for Capital and Technologies (PACT), the region’s premier resource for emerging growth companies, serving as a catalyst for innovation, investment, and collaboration, for generously contributing to this year's prize package and for continuing to foster growth and innovation in the Philadelphia ecosystem.
We are tremendously grateful for everyone involved, very proud of the cohort’s progress, and cannot wait to continue to support the growth of these nine companies!
