This past June, an inspiring and ambitious cohort of emerging founders convened at the 2025 WBENC National Conference in New Orleans, Louisiana, as members of the WBENC Collegiate Accelerator (CA), an entrepreneurial program designed to support and strengthen early-stage startup founders. While in New Orleans, they made new connections, gained valuable mentorship and guidance from experienced professionals, showcased their ventures on the expo floor, and competed in the 2025 Collegiate Accelerator Pitch Competition. Read on to learn more about the top three founders who placed in the CA pitch competition, the inspiration behind their innovative solutions, and what’s ahead for the future of their ventures!
Tanvi Gadamsetti, BRCE
BRCĒ is a proprietary material-tech startup developing an ecosystem of performance & safety gear to support athletes, and tactical and industrial use-cases. Built and developed in-house with utility-patented polymer composites that are fire-resistant, stronger than steel, and remarkably lightweight, BRCĒ’s flagship product includes the world’s first shoelaces that never come untied due to activity, weather, or fray, providing data-backed ankle stability and sport-specific advantages trusted by the world’s most recognizable professional leagues and teams. Through strategic collaborations with Under Armour, Dewalt Tools & Enda Athletic, and mentorship from senior-executive veterans at Nike, Stanley Black & Decker, & Liquid Death, BRCĒ is revolutionizing athletic gear with global impact.
Contact: tanvi@brceshop.com
Kanna Ecklund, ASAICHI
ASAICHI is on a mission to revolutionize the floral industry by eliminating toxic, microplastic-filled floral foam and replacing it with a biodegradable, non-toxic alternative. Traditional foam poses serious health risks and contributes to plastic pollution in waterways and soil, harming both people and the planet. ASAICHI’s solution is designed to provide florists with the same functionality while prioritizing safety and sustainability. Through ongoing research, prototyping, and collaboration with industry experts, ASAICHI is creating a high-performance product that supports florists’ health, floral artistry, and environmental responsibility.
Contact: kanna@asaichifloral.com
Dr. Hamidah Brown, Spearhead of All Logistics
Spearhead of All Logistics was founded with a mission to provide safe, reliable, and compassionate non-emergency medical transportation for individuals with mobility challenges, and/or those experiencing behavioral health crises. Spearhead of All Logistics offers specialized transport services, including wheelchair-accessible and airport transfer solutions, ensuring that every passenger reaches their destination with dignity and care. Spearhead is the first and only U.S.-based transport company aligned with internationally recognized mental health transport protocols. Their vision is to revolutionize medical and mobility transportation by setting a new standard of excellence, reliability, and customer-focused service.
Contact: info@spearheadtransport.com
What inspired you to start your venture, and what are you most proud of accomplishing within your entrepreneurial journey thus far?
Tanvi, BRCĒ: I started BRCĒ out of both personal pain and purpose. As a lifelong athlete, I dealt with repeat injuries from preventable equipment failures, and it frustrated me that something as small as a shoelace or brace could sideline someone’s career. Losing my father early on also pushed me to become the provider for my family, which gave me deep resilience and a drive to build something bigger than myself. What began as a simple idea to create shoelaces that never come undone evolved into a patented material-tech company creating an ecosystem of advanced fabrics, braces, and recovery gear that truly protect athletes and workers. I’m most proud that in less than two years, BRCĒ has gone from an idea in a classroom to being recognized as the #1 student startup in Michigan. We’ve secured a utility patent, signed multi-year contracts, and partnered with global leaders. But beyond the numbers, I’m proud that we’re changing the conversation—showing that overlooked details like laces, fabrics, and fit can define whether someone stays safe or suffers a career-ending injury.
Kanna, ASAICHI: I grew up in a family of florists and when my grandfather, who worked with floral foam for decades, was diagnosed with cancer, I saw how harmful these materials could be. That personal connection inspired me to create ASAICHI, a safer, sustainable alternative to traditional foam. I’m proud that ASAICHI has moved from an idea to a working prototype that florists are already testing in real-world settings. Seeing professionals use and believe in our product is an incredible milestone.
Hamidah, Spearhead of All Logistics: My inspiration in founding Spearhead of All Logistics comes from personal experience, as my sister lives with schizophrenia and has too often been jailed instead of cared for during a crisis. My co-founder, Patrick Almond, used to transport his paraplegic grandmother in a pickup truck due to a lack of accessible transportation options. Those moments of pain and frustration fueled our determination to build a solution that ensures the elderly, disabled, or those in crisis are transported with dignity, compassion, and safety. Combining Patrick’s extensive logistics expertise as a disabled veteran and my medical background as an active-duty service member, we established a company dedicated to bridging the gap in accessible transportation. I am most proud that in just over a year, we’ve built a fully compliant and sustainable non-emergency medical transportation business in Texas, secured partnerships with healthcare providers and an assisted living facility, and placed in the top three of the WBENC CA Pitch Competition. While these milestones demonstrate growth, what makes me proudest are the moments when clients share that we made them feel safe, respected, and cared for, because that validates our mission at its core.
In what ways has the WBENC Collegiate Accelerator influenced your approach to entrepreneurship and innovation?
Tanvi, BRCĒ: One key lesson was to think not just about building a great product, but building a great ecosystem around it—distribution, partnerships, IP, and community. Another was the importance of storytelling: investors and customers need to connect to why you’re building, not just what. And from my cohort peers, I learned the value of vulnerability—we were all honest about the highs and lows, which gave me strength to face my own challenges with more openness. The Collegiate Accelerator gave me perspective beyond the walls of my campus; being surrounded by women founders from across the country showed me that the struggles I was facing weren’t unique—and that there’s a powerful community committed to lifting each other up. The workshops sharpened my thinking around commercialization strategy and scaling, while access to WBENC’s network opened doors to suppliers, mentors, and potential customers I wouldn’t have met otherwise.
Kanna, ASAICHI: I learned the value of clarity—whether in pitching, product development, or partnerships. My mentors reminded me that the simplest, most direct solutions are often the most powerful. The Collegiate Accelerator gave me a network of inspiring women founders and mentors who pushed me to think bigger and refine my strategy. It also helped me embrace storytelling as a powerful tool for innovation and impact.
Hamidah, Spearhead of All Logistics: The WBENC Collegiate Accelerator provided me with a powerful framework to refine my messaging, expand my financial and branding knowledge, and connect with mentors and peers who challenged me to think more ambitiously. It showed me that my story is a unique differentiator that can inspire partners and investors to join our mission. The program gave me the confidence to expand into trauma-informed mental health transport and pursue growth opportunities with clarity and courage. Finally, from my peers, I learned that entrepreneurship is about building a community of support, collaboration, and shared growth. Since completing the WBENC Collegiate Accelerator, I have continued to build momentum by completing the Women’s Business Enterprise Alliance EDGE program and will begin training with the Veteran Institute for Procurement (VIP) START program in Potomac, MD. Each of these experiences strengthens my capacity as an entrepreneur and positions Spearhead of All Logistics for long-term growth and impact.
How did you prepare for the CA Pitch Competition, and what key elements made your pitch stand out?
Tanvi, BRCĒ: I prepared by grounding every slide in both data and story. I wanted the judges to see not just our traction and patented technology, but the human problem we’re solving. I practiced relentlessly, sought feedback from mentors, and made sure our pitch conveyed both urgency and opportunity. What made us stand out was the combination of technical depth—8× stronger than steel composites, multi-million-dollar signed contracts—with a deeply personal founder story that explained why this work matters to me.
Kanna, ASAICHI: I prepared by practicing dozens of times, focusing on personal storytelling and tying it directly to the problem we’re solving. I think what stood out was combining emotional impact with a clear vision of how ASAICHI can transform the floral industry.
Hamidah, Spearhead of All Logistics: One of the most valuable lessons I learned was that clarity and storytelling are just as essential as strategy. My mentors helped me refine how to present a complex, service-based business model in a way that resonates with any audience. From Bhavin Patel, Director of Supplier Diversity & Economic Inclusion and my corporate mentor, I learned the importance of speaking with confidence and conviction. From my WBE mentor, Dr. Nazeera Dawood, CEO of Vendorship, I gained insight into scaling with the right capabilities and infrastructure. Lastly, Barbara Smith, President of Journey Steel, Inc., emphasized the importance of capturing attention by leading with authenticity and storytelling.
Where do you see yourself and your venture one year from today, and how can readers support your journey?
Tanvi, BRCĒ: One year from now, I see BRCĒ expanding into recovery and medical markets while scaling our partnerships with major footwear and industrial brands. Personally, I see myself continuing to grow as both a leader and innovator—bringing more women into material-tech and sports innovation. Readers can support by sharing our story, connecting us with partners in sports, medical, and industrial gear, and most importantly, believing in the power of student-founded companies to change the world.
Kanna, ASAICHI: In a year, I see ASAICHI expanding beyond pilot programs into wider florist adoption, with measurable impact on reducing toxic foam waste. Readers can support this journey by connecting us not only with florists, event designers, and sustainability advocates, but also with companies that could become strong partners, whether manufacturers, suppliers, or strategic collaborators who share the vision of building a healthier floral industry together.
Hamidah, Spearhead of All Logistics: One year from today, I see Spearhead of All Logistics operating a larger trauma-informed fleet, piloting our non-police mental health transport program in San Antonio, and securing state or municipal contracts to expand across Texas. We will also be growing our workforce, with a focus on hiring veterans and underserved community members. Readers can support our journey by making introductions to healthcare systems, insurance providers, and municipalities that are ready to rethink transportation as part of the healthcare ecosystem. Every partnership helps us move closer to transforming access to care for the people who need it most.
Congratulations to all of the talented and dedicated entrepreneurs comprising the 2025 Collegiate Accelerator cohort!
WBENC is proud to engage, empower, and inspire the next generation of business owners through the support of WBENC Corporate Members.
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