Our Cohort

Cena is a modular mise en place container system made from glass and food-safe copolyester that lets home cooks prep, store, cook, serve, and clean up using the same vessels — no switching dishes, no counter clutter. The system saves an estimated 30 minutes per cook and is designed as a durable, long-term replacement for disposable or mismatched containers.

Founded by Minakshi, GlobalBelonging is a community platform helping immigrant women on dependent visas (H-4, L-2, F-2, J-2) rebuild their identity, confidence, and sense of belonging in the United States. Through live small-group sessions, peer circles, and structured cohort programs, it moves women from isolation to clarity — with a freemium model, $19.99/month premium membership, and B2B corporate relocation partnerships on the roadmap.

Founded by SJSU Data Science student Lena Munad, MoneyHubb is an AI-powered personal finance assistant for iOS and web that intervenes before the spending decision happens — not after. Users scan receipts, track a live pantry inventory, compare prices against Kroger and Amazon in real time, and chat with an AI financial coach that knows their full financial context. Already live on the App Store with 100+ receipts scanned in beta.

Pier 5411 is an indie cozy shipbuilding game for PC where players receive weekly challenges, sail to gather parts, build and customize their ship, and share it in a community showcase. Led by CEO Endlessette Osborn with a team of 22 contributors, the game targets the $973M cozy indie gaming market and is 60% through development with a planned Q1 2027 launch on Steam at $14.99.

Built by SJSU CS students Thilak Shekhar Shriyan and Arnav Dewan, Pointiv is a context-aware AI productivity layer for desktop that eliminates the 3–4 hours professionals lose daily to app-switching. Select text, grab a screenshot, or use clipboard content, press a shortcut, and a smart popup instantly executes the right workflow — all without leaving the current window. Local-first, extensible, and AI-optional, with a freemium subscription starting at $8/month.

Founded by Meera Vyas, Saha is a compatibility-first roommate matching platform for students that replaces informal channels like WhatsApp groups with structured lifestyle profiling and algorithmic matching. Students complete detailed profiles covering sleep schedules, cleanliness, noise tolerance, and deal-breakers, then receive matched suggestions with plain-language explanations — all within a student-verified environment. Currently piloting with university campuses.

Founded by SJSU CS and Linguistics student Shivangi Dua, Spark&Nudge is a career articulation platform for first-generation college students who graduate with strong technical skills but lack the professional vocabulary to communicate them. The platform combines hands-on workshops, an AI career coaching chatbot (CUE), and a Career Intelligence System that tracks student signals over time — with workshops already delivered at SFSU and a presentation at SJSU's Research Week Innovation Showcase.

Founded by Roman, Rivernova is an AI-driven school-matching and consultation platform for international students that replaces commission-based education consultants — who charge $5,000–$10,000 and recommend schools based on kickbacks — with a flat $90, conflict-free service. Rivernova offers school matching, application assistance, and essay review, targeting underserved markets in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and Africa, with an MVP already live at rivernova.vercel.app.

Vertigo Nation is a community-driven live music company operating curated electronic music events in San Jose, with over 15 events hosted, average attendance of 400–700, and gross revenue of $6,000–$10,500 per event. The company integrates curated niche programming (house, deep house, Afro house, lounge), a standardized event playbook, and a collective of 50+ vetted DJs, photographers, and creatives — with a long-term vision to replicate this model in other emerging secondary markets.