ACT House’s Cohort 4 Demo Day wasn’t just another pitch event; it was a gathering of trailblazers set on transforming the landscape of entrepreneurship in America. Hosted amid the Black Venture Summit, the Demo Day was a vibrant tapestry of cultural synergy and talented founders hungry to build their legacies.

Our Creative Producer, Jordan McNear, kicked off the event, stepping from behind the camera. His presence set the tone by allowing the audience to celebrate those who often operate behind the scenes yet deserve equal amounts of recognition.

Other ACT team members took the stage, including Taleya Mayberry-Smith, Head of Operations, to share the amazing growth and impact the Accelerator Founders have produced.

ACT Accelerator Impact

35 Startups Funded (66 Founders)

$2.45M Invested

$10.6M Follow-on Capital

971 Total Applications

85 Products & Services Launched

8 Patents Developed

125+ Jobs Created

Then, the pitches started.

Founder Spotlight

What truly lit up the stage were our Cohort 4 founders, representing a plethora of unique business ventures. The past 6 months have been extremely pivotal for these startups as they restructured, rebranded, and refocused to set a strong foundation that’s built to scale.

Continue below to learn about the remarkable founders and their startups. (In order of pitches).

Ballin’ — Nyla Pollard and Hans Brende

A recruitment-focused platform for student-athletes to connect with college coaches and access scholarships.

La Ruche Health — Rory Assandey and Benjamin Sasu

Utilizes future-focused technology to automate healthcare appointments and patient records.

MusicStar AI — Samuel Moreno

A platform that democratizes music creation, empowering people from all walks of life to make their own music.

Opnbx AI — George Suarez and Dylan Smith

Rethinks business communication by leveraging AI for sales email personalization.

Palmplug — Olaluwa Adesanya, Kevin Shih, and Daniella Uchendu-Oji

Creates multi-sensory wearable technologies to unlock human creative potential.

Pangia — Kemi Levi, Hannah Clark, and Nassir Mohamud

An AI-powered platform that fosters deep connections among Gen-Z based on personality types and values.

ROBOAMP — Roberto Inetti

Provides cutting-edge solutions for website performance optimization.

Sweet Fields — Chanel Fields

Elevates global standards on sweets by fusing traditional recipes with a modern twist.

Wine Not — Ashley Johnson

A non-alcoholic sparkling beverage that enriches social experiences without compromising taste.

The Role of Black Venture Summit

The event was particularly significant as it took place during the Black Venture Summit, a convening of top Black talent in venture capital. More than 70 GPs from all over the country came to experience Tulsa. Hosted by our key partner Build in Tulsa, the Summit served as a crucial backdrop, aligning perfectly with our mission to address the lack of diversity in entrepreneurship.

“Demo Day blew my mind,” said Leonard Pollard, CEO of Infinity Fundraising. “Being an entrepreneur for over 30 yrs, I’ve never seen a platform so spirited for young minority start ups!”

Odean Maye from Forefront Capital was also impressed.

“I’ve been far and wide and never had I seen a demo day quite like that,” he said.

Team Gratitude

The day concluded with a sincere presentation from the Cohort 4 founders, who gave our team a personalized gift to express their gratitude. The heartfelt gesture emphasized the tight-knit community that is Cohort 4.

As the evening rolled into a private dinner and afterparty at the Mayo Hotel, courtesy of our key partner, Build in Tulsa, the air was filled with anticipation for the bright future that lies ahead.

Each cohort continues to raise the bar, but Cohort 4 has set a new standard. We are beyond excited to see how these innovators will leverage the opportunities and connections they gained during this transformative experience.

ACT House

ACT House is the global platform for team formation and startup creation, by helping innovators find their Founder DNA, build teams, and accelerate their startups. Currently headquartered in Tulsa, OK, ACT House throughout the years has partnered with companies like Microsoft, John Deere, NexCubed, and higher ed institutions to accelerate innovation ecosystems.

ACT Accelerator

ACT Accelerator is a joint venture between ACT House and i2E. ACT Accelerator’s investment partners include: Build in Tulsa, Biolchini Family Foundation, Coretz Family Foundation, Schusterman Family Philanthropies, Swank Family Foundation, and Vast Bank.