Startups & Founders

Meet the startups and founders incubating their ideas in
The Garage's programs.

Resident Startups

Winter 2025 Cohort

Albatross Design

Albatross Design is making an ortholinear mechanical keyboard that aims to bring ergonomic keyboards to a wider consumer market.
Founded by Andrew Yuan, Weinberg/ McCormick '28.

AlleRNA

AlleRNA is a biotech venture developing mRNA-based vaccines to eliminate pet allergies starting with cats, enhancing human-pet relationships and advancing veterinary care
Founded by Robert Song, Kellogg/McCormick '25.

Alpime Health

Alpime Health offers reliable, secure, and efficient state-of-the-art digital health solutions with hospital-centered analysis.
Co-founded by Tahira Grewal, McCormick '26; Isaac Meite, McCormick '26; and Sophia Pi, McCormick '26.

Appetize

Appetize is a smart dining app that simplifies group food decisions and deal matching by compiling everyone’s preferences, finding nearby spots, and enabling seamless planning—all within iMessage.
Founded by Kaival Shah, McCormick '28.

ApplyRight

ApplyRight is making college admissions more accessible by using AI to deliver high-quality essay feedback.
Founded by Valentin de la Pena, McCormick '25.

Brugge

Brugge is an AI agent for local government back-office tasks
Founded by Matt LeMay, Kellogg '26.

Circa

Circa is a vertical social network for the sleep community.
Founded by Andrew Hou, Weinberg '26.

Coeur

Coeur is a non-alcoholic beverage company seeking to introduce new drinking experiences with adaptogenic spins on everyone’s favorite cocktails.
Founded by Bryden Behrens, Weinberg '25.

Cogssay

Cogssay is an AI driven evaluation, feedback, and brainstorming system for college admission essays.
Founded by Yash Agrawal, TGS/McCormick '25.

Consigliere

Consigliere helps content creators make sure their videos get the most attention possible before they post, making their analytics truly actionable.
Founded by Richard Wu, Weinberg '25.

Cool Trays

Cool Trays makes microwave-safe bowls/trays with handles to ensure safety for people with developmental disabilities or mobility issues when taking foods in and out of a microwave - based on a DTC project.
Founded by Benjamin Runde, McCormick '28.

CrowdListening (by Cogno)

CrowdListening transforms large-scale social conversations into actionable insights via multi-modal ai content understanding.
Founded by Terry Chen, Weinberg '26.

Digital Karen

Digital Karen is a consumer-facing returns management platform and AI agent designed to streamline the post-purchase journey for online shoppers across retailers by offering flexible return options and AI-enabled customer support.
Founded by Robbie Shapiro, Kellogg '25.

DR1

DR1 is an autonomous drone capable of food delivery.
Founded by William McGarry, McCormick '26.

Embrace

Embrace combines AI-driven audio and tactile sensations with a seamless software-hardware system to create an instantly immersive personalized mental space/ sanctuary designed for immediate stress relief and emotional growth.
Founded by Founded by Eileen Wu, TGS/Weinberg '25 and Zoe Li, TGS/Weinberg '25.

Fable Mason Studios

Fable Mason Studios is a production group that optimizes and streamlines our various departments, talent, and resources to develop multimedia creative projects and ads for student organizations and local businesses.
Founded by Zach Braffman, SoC/McCormick '26.

Glucolyzer

Glucolyzer is a biotech startup reimagining diabetes monitoring.
Founded by Edward Seo, Weinberg '25.

HaptE

HaptE is building low-cost sensing gloves for data collection.
Co-founded by Victoria Israel, McCormick '26 & Trevor Abbott, McCormick '26.

InLine

InLine develop affordable, AI-powered occupancy sensors and analytics solutions for recreation facilities, providing real-time visibility into space usage to optimize operations, reduce costs, and enhance user experience.
Founded by Angel Mendoza, McCormick '26.

InstaEnglish

InstaEnglish is a personal English-speaking coach in your pocket, which offers a clear, quantified path to conversational fluency with a tailored proprietary curriculum.
Founded by Yutaro Nishiyama, Kellogg & McCormick '25; Evan Lai, Kellogg & McCormick '25; Yutaka Kawabata, Kellogg & McCormick '25.

JumpStart Heart

JumpStart Heart is a compact, low-cost, single-use automated external defibrillator (AED) charged by a car battery and stored in a glovebox that can save the life of an individual experiencing cardiac arrest.
Founded by Annika Holliday, SESP '25.

LiftUp

LiftUp fosters community engagement and purpose by helping high school and college students with service requirements find personalized volunteer opportunities that align with their interests and skills.
Founded by Nina Kronengold, Weinberg '25.

Litterbox LLC

Litterbox LLC: WHERE WILDCATS STORE THEIR SH*T, Summer storage made for Northwestern students — by Northwestern students.
Led by Matthew Lee, McCormick '25; Irene Cheon, SoC '25; Kelvin Wong, Medill '26; Joseph Shim, McCormick '26.

Locago

Locago is a marketplace connecting users with local brick-and-mortar businesses.
Founded by Rachel Vadhan, Kellogg/McCormick '25.

Locket Cyber Clinic

Locket Cyber Clinic certifies students to protect your business from cyber threats through pro-bono security audits.
Co-founder by Kris Yun, SESP/Weinberg '27 & Theo Maurino, Weinberg '26.

MuddBites

MuddBites is a student-run venture launching a vending machine at Northwestern University’s Mudd Library to offer Asian snacks and instant noodles, catering to students seeking diverse, late-night meal options.
Co-founded by Vincent Yang, Weinberg '26; Jessica Sun, SESP '26; Hailee Kim, Weinberg '26.

NewVox

NewVox is a startup that aims to use an artificial intelligence model (specifically through NLP) to convert the broken speech of those with Broca's Aphasia to proper speech to enhance their day-to-day communications.
Co-founded by Adithya Sathyamurthy, Weinberg '27 & Nicholas Bruha, Weinberg '27.

OptiFlow

OptiFlow is unlocking human productivity through AI-agent applications.
Founded by James Carlin, Weinberg '25.

Palettable

Palettable makes personalized recommendations to emerging artists on distribution channels so they can continue to tell their stories.
Founded by Diana Kattan, Kellogg '25.

Sensify Inc

PATH is an AI-powered health management app that integrates a personalized fitness program designed by experts seamlessly into your schedule
Founded by Yali Koch, Weinberg '27.

POMwear

POMwear or that Part Of the Month-wear is an innovative wearable health technology designed to empower women by providing targeted pain relief and support for menstrual health management.
Founded by Brittany Ransom, TGS/McCormick '25.

Praxis

Praxis is a social practice platform that drives musician growth through practice tracking and community engagement, serving millions of musicians who want to track, improve, and share their musical journey.
Founded by Aryan Avadhanam, McCormick/Bienen '27.

Prevail Nutrition

Prevail Nutrition is apersonalized nutrition service that analyzes important health indicators to provide tailored dietary recommendations, including customized meal plans and supplement suggestions.
Founded by Ryan Kang, Weinberg '27.

Project MED

Project MED promotes health equity by focusing on educating and preparing high school students for careers in healthcare, particularly in underserved communities.
Led by Lily Walters, Weinberg/Bienen '26.

Quarkle

Quarkle is an expert AI Manuscript Editor
Founded by Samarth Makhija, Kellogg '26.

ReCat

ReCat is an app (and game!) that helps couples build stronger relationships by encouraging expressions of gratitude and healthy communication.
Founded by Ashley Guo, SESP '26.

RecruitBridge

RecruitBridge is an AI Agent based recruiting platform for remote employees.
Founded by Pedro Nieto Rocha, Weinberg '27.

Roombee

Roombee is a mobile app with tools to help first-time dorm roommates adjust to cohabitation.
Founded by Alison Bai, Weinberg '26.

Rora

Rora is a mist that provides instant relief from external vaginal dryness due to menopause.
Co-founded by Neha Mehta, Kellogg '25 & Catherine Malloy, Kellogg '25.

Sail

Sail is the student’s one-stop shop for efficient academic planning, degree progress tracking, and internship application assistance.
Founded by Jonathan Bell, McCormick '26.

ScaleUp

ScaleUp is an early-stage startup with the mission of eliminating 100% of fish waste
Co-founded by Sam Rappin, Weinberg '25 & William Kosann, Weinberg '26.

Sensify

Sensify is revolutionizing recycling by deploying advanced sensor technology that accurately identifies materials and guides proper disposal.
Founded by Shane Deng, McCormick '27.

Shothawk

Shothawk is creating an active threat responding unit that subdues an active assailant using nonlethals and helps bridge the gap between when an incident occurs to when safety officials arrive onscene.
Founded by Ohm Vyas, TGS '25.

Simpli-Sci

Simpli-Sci is a research publication that works to break down barriers that prevent some from understanding scientific discovery and ongoing studies in STEM fields, by using a non-traditional approach to present research.
Co-founded by Zoey Hall, Weinberg '25 & Shreya Ruia, Weinberg '27.

SocialLens

SocialLens creates a device that seamlessly captures unposed, authentic moments in social settings, preserving the natural flow of events while complementing the significance of directed photos.
Founded by Damien Koh, McCormick '25.

SPLIT Rideshare

SPLIT Rideshare matches students traveling to and from the airport at the same time.
Co-founded by Grayson Donnelly, McCormick '25 & John Hileman, McCormick/Weinberg '26.

Square One

Square One is a 501c3 nonprofit with a mission to promote children’s health and wellness through an equitable and accessible health curriculum based on principles of problem-based learning.
Led by Kavin Vandayar, Weinberg '27.

Stella's Imagination

Stella's Imagination: Producer of handmade stuffed plushie business that ships worldwide since 2015 on Etsy.
Founded by Anastasia Jimenez, Weinberg '26.

Tego

Tego is revolutionizing safety and accessibility with its game-changing magnetic wall outlet technology.
Led by Keith Weissman, Feinberg '25.

VoxWrap

VoxWrap produces heated neck-wear for singers and performers amid the winter cold.
Founded by Sophia Bogdanovitch, Bienen '27.

WizLab

WizLab empowers teachers to create personalized learning experiences that help every student thrive.
Founded by Katia Shek, SESP '26.

WristBuddy

WristBuddy is a wearable teaching tool that alerts both parents and children when they get too far away from each other, giving parents peace of mind while exploring public spaces with their kids.
Founded by Sindhu Sreedhar, Kellogg '25.

Yap

Yap creates immersive language learning experiences without leaving your home.
Founded by Spencer Hong, TGS '25.

Propel Participants

Fall 2024 Cohort

Azka Rehan, Kellogg '25

Diana Kattan, Kellogg '25

Lydia Tallarini, Weinberg '25

Maanvi Sarwadi, McCormick '27

Medini Chopra, McCormick/TGS '25

Nina Kronengold, Weinberg '25

Mikayla Goldsmith, Weinberg '25

Wei Sun, McCormick '25


Jumpstart Startups

Summer 2024 Cohort

Consigliere: The first platform where video content creators can receive real data-driven, content-aware feedback on how to write, edit, and prepare their videos for Youtube and Tiktok to maximize viewer retention.

Team led by program participants Richard Wu, Weinberg '25; Ron Vincent Macam, DePaul '26.

ApplyRight: A first of its kind virtual writing advisor helping people craft their best original work.

Team led by program participants Valentin de la Pena, McCormick '25; Jiho Kwak, McCormick & TGS '24; Carl Wilson, McCormick & Weinberg '27; Aiden Lee, McCormick '27; Aryan Avadhanam, McCormick & Bienen '27; Claudia Chang, Weinberg '26; Zachary Troller, MIT '27.

rora: A consumer products company that makes a moisturizing mist for menopausal vaginal dryness that provides quick and on-the-go relief in a mess-free and user-friendly form factor.

Team led by program participants Neha Mehta, Kellogg '25; Catherine Malloy, Kellogg '25; Greta Cunningham, Medill & Weinberg '27; Meredith Bacine, McCormick '27.

HaptE: Building low cost sensing gloves for data collection.

Team led by program participants Victoria Israel, McCormick '26; Trevor Abbott, McCormick '26.

Inner Work: An interactive journaling app that allows students to check up on their mental wellbeing and connect to the right campus resources.

Team led by program participants Hao Dang, McCormick & TGS '25; lan Song, Weinberg '27; Zehao Peng, McCormick & TGS '24.

InstaEnglish: Bringing voice to non-native English speakers and helping them regain confidence to explore the world.

Team led by program participants Yutaro Nishiyama, Kellogg & McCormick '25; Evan Lai, Kellogg & McCormick '25; Yutaka Kawabata, Kellogg & McCormick '25, Hiko Hirano, UChicago '25; Henry Park, Weinberg '27.

KosiSonic: Hearing made easier.

Team led by program participants Abhijit Roy, SoC & TGS '25; Sebnem Dundar, SoC & TGS '25; Emre Ersahin, McCormick & Weinberg '27.

Locago [Low-CAH-go]: A marketplace for shopping local, independently owned stores and boutiques. After a single integration with a retail Point-of-Sale, we hope to showcase to consumers inventory from local stores near them, solving the digital discovery gap with shopping small.

Team led by program participants Rachel Vadhan, Kellogg '25; Liam Powers, Weinberg & Bienen '26; Michelle Hwang, Weinberg '26.

WeAreNesian: A marketing agency for Pacific Islander small businesses.

Team led by program participants Dean Uata, Weinberg '26; Sam Biggs, Medill '25; Lula Blas Fox, Weinberg '26; Fauzan Aryaputra, Weinberg '26.

Sanooke: Toys you won't be embarrassed to play with at work.

Team led by program participants Tyler Hummer, TGS '27; Darya Daneshmand, McCormick '25; Katelyn Suh, McCormick '27; Noah Klinkner, Central Westosha '28; Prasanna Bansode, TGS '24.

Swarm: Innovative solutions to insect repellent.

Team led by program participants
Ali Lee, Weinberg '25; Evan Ehlman, Loyola Academy '25; Gio Cacciato, Weinberg '27; Dalia Diab, McCormick '26; Jonathan Lee, Weinberg '27.

WizLab: An interactive lecture platform that empowers educators with live feedback and students with real-time engagement for better learning outcomes.

Team led by program participants Katia Shek, Weinberg '26; Adrian Ngan, University of Michigan '26.