Fordham Foundry

🚀 10 years. 150+ teams. $22,500 awarded. One incredible community!

Last Thursday, the Fordham Foundry hosted the 10th Annual Pitch Challenge, bringing together 10 final teams and 200+ attendees for our most competitive year yet.

From budding ideas to scaling ventures, this community continues to prove what student and alumni founders are capable of. 🔥

🏆 This year’s winners:
First Place: Sheila Zhang @ Focus+.
A thoughtfully designed patented pencil grip supporting children with autism, ADHD, and motor challenges to write more comfortably.

Second Place: Carl Hendrick Louis @ Santa’s Secret Workshop.
An immersive holiday experience combining live theater and professional photography into a personalized family adventure.

Third Place: Sydni Lette-Daffeh @ Read Our Lips.
A beauty brand creating vegan makeup intentionally designed for Black and Brown communities.

Social Impact & People’s Choice Award: Olga Baez, MSEd @ Kids Building Wealth.
A nonprofit empowering young students with financial literacy and entrepreneurial skills to break cycles of poverty.

Jesuit Track Award: Mona Miraftab, Aaron Brown, & Natalie Costa @ Ketsu.
A digital companion helping children confidently manage type 1 diabetes.

Special thanks to our incredible judges Veronica Daigle, Max Peara, Jack Sousa, Chris Lowney, Wendy Bolger, Tim Gamory, Leigh Anne Statuto, Fernando Montejo, & Christina Hanson for joining us!

To every founder who took the stage, thank you for showing what conviction, creativity, and ex*****on look like. Ten years in, and the momentum has never been stronger! 🚀
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🚀 The next big idea could start TONIGHT!

Join us for Fordham Foundry’s 10th Annual Pitch Challenge, where student and alumni founders take the stage and compete live to get funding!
🎤 Cast your vote for the People’s Choice Award!
🎁 Audience raffle: AirPods + 2 Claude Pro subscriptions!
📍 McShane Center, 3rd Floor
⏰ 6:15–8:45 PM

Be in the room where the next big ideas take off!

RSVP TODAY USING THE LINK IN BIO!

151 TEAMS, 8 FINALISTS, $20,000 IN PRIZES, 1 FINAL PITCH!

THURSDAY, APRIL 9TH, 6:30 - 8:45 PM
MCSHANE CAMPUS CENTER, THIRD FLOOR, FORDHAM ROSE HILL

A Decade of Ideas: 10th Annual Pitch Challenge Finals

Get ready for a night of pitches, creativity, and game-changing innovation. We’re so excited to be presenting the 2026 Pitch Challenge Finals for our 10th year in a row, supporting such an incredible community of Fordham entrepreneurs!

The finals will take place on April 10th from 6:30-9:00 PM on McShane Third Floor!

RSVP Here: https://luma.com/hcuvwe9u

Today is Fordham Giving Day!

Since 2012, the Fordham Foundry has supported students and alumni who are turning creative ideas into real ventures through mentorship, programming, and community.

This April, we’ll host our 10th Annual Pitch Challenge, bringing together talented entrepreneurs from across the Fordham community to pitch innovative ideas and build the future.

Your support helps us continue providing mentorship opportunities, experiential learning, and the resources that turn ideas into impact.

Every gift counts. Donate now at the link in our bio!
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⏰ Applications close in TWO DAYS.

YOUR IDEA. YOUR PITCH. $20,000+

The Fordham Foundry Pitch Challenge is back for its 10th year. Pitch your idea in front of judges and investors, get feedback and mentorship from industry professionals, and compete for over $20,000 in prizes.

You don’t need a perfect idea. You just need to apply!

Applications close January 25.
Click the link in our bio to apply.

Open to all Fordham students and alumni.

PIZZA THURSDAY IS BACK!

Big conversations. Bold ideas. Free pizza! 🍕

At Rose Hill, Fordham alum John Glenn Grau, CEO of InvestorCom, joins us for an open discussion on shareholder activism, corporate power, and how decisions at the top actually get made. At Lincoln Center, we’ll be talking all about Trends of 2026 and what to expect in this new year!

📍 Rose Hill – 557 E Fordham Rd, Floor #2
📍 Lincoln Center – Martino Hall 109
🕓 Thursday | 1–2 PM
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Sustainability SocialImpact GabelliSchool FordhamUniversity

Got an idea you can’t stop thinking about?
This is your sign.

The 10th Annual Fordham Foundry Pitch Challenge is officially open. Pitch your idea in front of industry professionals, get real feedback, and compete for over $20,000 in total available prizes.

Open to all Fordham students & alumni — no startup required.

🗓 Apply by January 25
🔗 Link in bio

This week we’re teaming up with the to dig into what sustainability really looks like today. 🌿

Join us for a slice 🍕 and a conversation with The Fordham Responsible Business Center as we explore how sustainability shows up across fashion, food choices, and even AI, and what responsible business truly means in a changing world.

📍 Rose Hill – 557 E Fordham Rd, Floor #2
📍 Lincoln Center – Martino Hall 109
🕓 Thursday | 1–2 PM
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SoftBank sells Nvidia…what does this mean?!

Join us this Thursday as we break down two major topics shaping the world of tech and entrepreneurship:

📍 Rose Hill – 557 E Fordham Rd, Floor #2
SoftBank’s decision to sell its entire stake in Nvidia has sparked big questions about the direction of AI investing. What drove the move? What does it signal for the market? And how might it shape the future careers of emerging founders and technologists?

📍 Lincoln Center – Martino Hall 109
The Entrepreneurial Law Clinic is hosting an in-depth session on intellectual property, startup formation, founder agreements, and the legal steps every early-stage venture should understand. Presentation first, open Q&A after.
(RH students can request Ram Van passes to attend.)

🕓 Thursday | 1–2 PM
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Buy now. Pay later. Regret forever???

Those “Pay in 4 installments” buttons make shopping feel effortless, but Buy Now, Pay Later services are quietly reshaping how we spend, save, and slip into debt.

Join us for a slice🍕and a conversation about how these services are changing consumer culture, and what that means for your financial future.

📍 Rose Hill – 557 E Fordham Rd, Floor #2
📍 Lincoln Center – Martino Hall 109
🕐 Thursday | 1–2 PM
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