WEPAN Announces Pitch Showcase Winners

WASHINGTON, DC (October 21, 2025) – Congratulations to the winners of the 2025 Synergiiize Pitch Showcase!

Synergiiize is a multi-part initiative focused on cultivating thriving STEM innovation ecosystems and is led by the Empowered STEM Entrepreneurship Collective, a partnership effort among the Women in Engineering ProActive Network (WEPAN), Graduate Fellowships for STEM Diversity (GFSD), AISES: Advancing Indigenous People in STEM, and the American Association of Colleges and Universities (AAC&U).  Funded by Stage One and Stage Two prizes from the Small Business Administration’s 2024 Growth Accelerator Fund Competition and Qualcomm, the Synergiiize Innovator Program is an eight-month entrepreneurship professional development program that centers the needs of undercapitalized innovators. 

“WEPAN is thrilled to partner with GFSD, AISES, and AAC&U to support innovators in STEM who are working to change the world, yet have encountered barriers to the critical resources and knowledge they need,” said Heather Metcalf, Ph.D., Managing Director of Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship at WEPAN. “Together, over the past year we have served more than 500 innovators and it has been an honor to be part of each one of their journeys.”

The Synergiiize Innovator Program works in tandem with the Synergiiize Gatebreaker Program, which activates decision makers like investors, entrepreneurship support organizations, grantmakers, and intellectual property and technology transfer professionals as gatebreakers rather than gatekeepers, and the Synergiiize Summit, a two-day event that brings innovators and gatebreakers together to drive change across the innovation ecosystem.

“For too long, innovation has been gatekept by systems that overlook brilliance outside traditional networks,” said Rochelle L. Williams, Ph.D., Executive Director of GFSD and Past President of WEPAN. “Synergiiize is Gatebreaking in action—where we dismantle barriers, reimagine opportunity, and ensure that the future of STEM innovation reflects the full spectrum of talent shaping our world."

“By expanding who gets to innovate and how those innovations are valued and legitimized, Synergiiize is not only filling voids in STEM entrepreneurial ecosystems, but we are also reimagining what it means for STEM innovators to discover, lead, and have access to platforms where they can improve the quality of life for themselves and all of humankind,” said Kelly Mack, Ph.D., Vice President of Undergraduate STEM Education and Executive Director of Project Kaleidoscope at AAC&U.

“Our valued partnership with WEPAN through the Empowered STEM Entrepreneurship Collective has truly enriched and deepened the programmatic experience we are able to provide STEM professionals,” said Maddie Habeck, M.S., Career Support Program Officer at AISES. “By working collaboratively through the Synergiiize Innovator Program, AISES is proud to help create pathways where Indigenous innovators can confidently develop, pitch, and advance their entrepreneurial visions. Together with WEPAN and our collective partners, we are building inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems that center community-driven leadership, amplify underrepresented voices, and ensure that innovation not only rises, but thrives.”

The 2025 cohort of the Synergiiize Innovator Program culminated in a Pitch Showcase where eight program participants pitched their ventures: Rene Canady, Equity Systems Biodesign Consulting; Jui Chaugule, Ph.D., ProViZigen; Yasmin Escobedo Lozoya, Ph.D., AntoZero, LLC; Wanda Eugene, Ph.D., KidzHack; Jamie Huber Ward, Ph.D., Root & Bloom eLearning Solutions; Nikki Lewis, Ph.D., The STEM Synergy Center; Karyn Onyeneho, Ph.D., Color of Genes^Ⓡ; and Mohammed Sleiman, PowerIQ. Program mentors Alexis Peña, Ph.D., Co-Founder of Good Fibes; Shaunté Kinch, CEO & Founder of Empact Global; and Shayai Lucero, Matriarch of Earth and Sky Floral, and event attendees selected the winning pitches from this year’s showcase.

Rene Canady won the Community Impact Award, honoring an entrepreneur for creating a positive impact on the customers and communities they serve through innovation and entrepreneurship. Canady is CEO and Founder of Equity Systems Biodesign Consulting, a software and research consulting company that helps medtech companies develop medical devices that meet the needs of all patients.

“It’s been incredible participating in the Synergiiize Innovator Program,” said Canady. “I was over a year in business, and hadn’t really found the level of community I needed to move through product development confidently. WEPAN shattered the silo I was stuck in and supported me with both invaluable connections and rigorous training. I am so grateful for my mentors, my cohort, and the love the Synergiiize team put into our development the past eight months. Now, I can continue making an impact in a way that sustains my values, my business, and revolutionizes the way we design medical technology. 

Jui Chaugule, Ph.D. won the Core Concept Award, honoring an entrepreneur who makes a highly compelling case about the viability of their venture. Chaugule is Head of Research for ProViZigen, a biotherapeutics company that created a new, minimally invasive biotherapy for treating osteoarthritis and reducing the need for major surgeries, including joint replacement and office visits.  

“As someone who values proactive change, I was drawn to WEPAN’s mission of creating systemic impact through research, advocacy, and community-building,” said Chaugule. “Through Synergiiize, I connected with a network of passionate professionals who share a vision for a more inclusive engineering culture. These interactions not only broadened my perspective but also empowered me to take actionable steps within my own sphere—whether through mentoring, policy advocacy, or inclusive program design.”

Wanda Eugene, Ph.D. won the Making Traction Award honoring an entrepreneur who demonstrates strong, early evidence of traction among their customers and communities and in the market. Eugene is the Co-Founder and CEO of KidzHack LLC, creator of VIBES, a behavioral health tech platform that leverages data to support the communication and understanding of students’ emotional landscapes. 

“My participation in the Synergiiize Innovator Program gave me the structure, mentorship, and community I needed to sharpen my commercialization strategy and accelerate VIBES’ market entry,” said Eugene. “My team and I value the program’s focus on empowering undercapitalized innovators and connecting us with mentors who understand both the challenges and the opportunities in scaling impact-driven technology. The program helped me refine our growth model, deepen our partnerships in education, and position VIBES for sustainable expansion.”

Nikki Lewis, Ph.D. won the People’s Choice Award, honoring an entrepreneur who delivered the pitch that generated the most enthusiasm among attendees. Lewis is Founder of The STEM Synergy Center, a culturally-grounded wellness and leadership company that provides professional renewal residencies, professional development institutes, and individualized coaching for STEM faculty and administrators to mitigate burnout and support values-aligned leadership success.

“I joined the Synergiiize Innovator Program because, after participating in other business programs, I wanted something that went beyond information,” said Lewis. “Synergiiize stood out with its STEM focus and its comprehensive, hands-on approach that made entrepreneurship feel both strategic and authentic. Participating in the program expanded my capacity to create measurable impact through clearer messaging, practical strategies, and collaborative partnerships that will increase the reach and sustainability of my work.”

Additional entrepreneurs completing the 2025 Synergize Innovator Program include Alissa Baker, Ph.D., Tohi Consultation and Tohi Farm; Adam Camerer, The Pollibot Company; Erika Garcia Silva, University of Salamanca; Isla Xi Han, Ph.D., Morphex; Macy Halim, Tufts University; Mae Hey, Ph.D., Chef Mae Hey Presents; Anna Kazatskaya, Ph.D., AntoZero, LLC; Qualla Ketchum, Ph.D., Matriarch’s Path Coaching; Bridget Kimsey, Bridget Kimsey; Desiree Louis, Yinta Yew Consulting; Angélica Lozano-Romines, Gaming is Rezilience; Akeemi Martinez, Indigi Bean Creative; Akilah Martinez, Glittering World Girl; Jin Kim Montclare, Ph.D., ProViZigen; Megan Morin, Ph.D., MoreIn STEM Education Solutions, LLC; tylee nez, BY, FOR, WITHIN: COMMUNITY; Zubenma Obiegue, Detechtico; JessiAnne “Griffin” Rooms, N. ERA; Roma Shah, Finance Media Collective; Vera Valakh, Ph.D., AntoZero, LLC; and Tasha Zephirin, Purdue University and NAMEPA, Inc.

“It has been a privilege to be a part of this community of entrepreneurs who are solving some of today’s most pressing problems,” said Erin Kelley, Founder and Principal Consultant at Hexalign and consultant for the Empowered STEM Entrepreneurship Collective. “What really impressed me about this group is their enthusiasm for supporting each other’s ventures. This community is an incredible example of what collaboration can create.” 

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About WEPAN:

WEPAN is a non-profit educational organization founded in 1990. It is the nation’s first network dedicated to advancing sustainable, systems-level changes that allow ALL in engineering to thrive. To learn more, visit www.wepan.org.