Meet the 10 Tech Startups in the 2025 Geekz Ventures GROWTH Pre-Accelerator

ATLANTA, Dec. 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ten promising tech-enabled startups have completed the latest Geekz Ventures GROWTH pre-accelerator program.

The startups, from a range of industries — including media, SaaS, fintech, and entertainment — were selected from a highly competitive pool of applicants across the United States. They reflect rising demand for culturally grounded innovation and scalable solutions that serve diverse populations and markets.

This second GROWTH cohort continues Geekz Ventures' mission to back overlooked and underestimated founders building early-stage tech ventures.

"This year's Geekz Ventures cohort is one of the most innovative and imaginative groups I've ever worked with," said Geekz Ventures Program Manager Brandon Wilkins. "Their ideas are bold, their execution is sharp, and they're genuinely poised to make waves in their respective markets. It's been inspiring to watch them push boundaries and build with such conviction. If the future of entrepreneurship were placed in the hands of founders like these, we'd all be in good shape."

The GROWTH pre-accelerator combines targeted mentorship, hands-on training, and equity-free grant funding. Led by respected operators and seasoned industry experts, the program offers behind-the-scenes access and insight into what it truly takes to launch and grow a startup.

"We have an outstanding cohort this year," said Geekz Ventures Executive Director Kunbi Tinuoye. "I am confident that our founders are now better equipped to navigate the entrepreneurial journey and scale their ventures."

This year's mentors include heavy hitters such as serial entrepreneur Mykolas Rambus; media executive Alex Hughes; returning mentors Kathryn O'Day, a venture partner, Derrick Williams, a strategic finance leader; and Gary Stewart, former Techstars managing director, alongside a range of other seasoned operators.

Storytelling That Wins Investor Attention

Among the standout sessions was a workshop led by Mike Lightman, founder of Hate Your Deck, who focused on the power of storytelling in pitch decks. "The best pitch decks don't explain everything — they build curiosity one slide at a time," said Lightman. "When founders treat their deck like a children's book instead of a data dump, investors actually want to meet with them."

With Geekz Ventures' deep commitment to founder well-being, returning mentor, certified executive coach and licensed therapist, Chantel Cohen led sessions on work–life integration and sustainable leadership, helping founders build companies without burning out.

"The Geekz Ventures GROWTH pre-accelerator program provides a unique opportunity for early-stage founders to receive mentorship and guidance from seasoned professionals in various industries, and I'm glad to return as a mentor to the 2025 cohort," said returning mentor Candice Washington.

Hayti founder and Geekz Ventures alum Cary Wheelous, who also worked with this year's founders, added: "This year's Geekz Ventures cohort is about tackling fundamental market gaps and economic barriers that the mainstream tech ecosystem continues to overlook. It's essential because it provides the focused capital and networks required to scale solutions built by and for the culture into powerful, high-value assets."

The 10-week program includes sessions on MVP development, customer discovery, audience growth, business operations, preparation for competitive accelerators, founder financing, and brand visibility. By the end of the program, participants are ready to thrive in an ever-changing tech landscape.

Below are the ten startups selected for the 2025 Geekz Ventures GROWTH pre-accelerator.

Troodie

Troodie is an AI-powered social commerce platform that transforms how restaurants grow and retain customers. The platform enables creators to share and monetize their recommendations, helping diners discover locally trusted spots. Founded by Taylor Davis, Troodie sits at the intersection of food culture, influencer marketing, and community-driven discovery.

Beebz

Beebz is building a video-first marketplace that changes how people find and book local businesses. Instead of scrolling through long text listings, users browse short-form videos and can book instantly, merging discovery and action in a single step. The company was founded by Habeeb Ayangbade and is designed for Gen Z and younger consumers who trust real video over static reviews and images.

Black Launch

BlackLaunch is a culture-first professional networking platform designed to strengthen connections, collaboration, and economic mobility for Black professionals, creators, and entrepreneurs. The platform offers a dedicated digital ecosystem where users can find community, exchange opportunities, and expand their networks. Led by founder Titus Colloway, BlackLaunch reflects the growing demand for spaces built around cultural identity and shared advancement.

PaintLabs

PaintLabs, publicly known as PaintCo, is reinventing fan engagement by replacing traditional, slow, labor-intensive face painting with high-precision, fast-printed body art. The company enables stadiums and sports venues to offer rapid, customizable designs that boost revenue while creating a standout fan experience. Led by SueAnn Hollowell, whose background in sports and immersive technology anchors the startup's vision, PaintCo is on a mission to modernize on-site sports art.

ConcordeApp

ConcordeApp is a B2B SaaS platform that transforms networking from an inconsistent, manual activity into a structured and data-driven growth engine. By quantifying relationship-building efforts, the platform helps companies turn connections into real, measurable business outcomes. Founded by Chaste Christopher Inegbedio, ConcordeApp draws on her enterprise operations experience to streamline how professionals develop and maintain business relationships.

Runwei

Runwei is a chat-based, multilingual, voice-enabled platform designed to democratize access to non-dilutive, non-debt capital. Through a single streamlined system, entrepreneurs can search for, apply to, and track grants, fellowships, awards, and other funding opportunities. Built by Aixa Elgazwe to remove friction from the process, Runwei is powered by a deep commitment to equitable access to capital.

CloutBank

CloutBank is creating what founder Todd Sheridan calls the world's first AI-native credit infrastructure. The platform helps digital creators build credit profiles that reflect the realities of modern online income, addressing a major gap in the traditional financial system. CloutBank's model aims to ensure creators are recognized as legitimate economic actors with access to predictable financial tools and returns.

Fanatech

Fanatech is developing an all-in-one sports engagement platform where athletes, teams, and fans connect through interactive technology. Its tools deepen fan involvement, enhance loyalty, and unlock new monetization opportunities across the sports ecosystem. Founded by Jonathan Makonnen, Fanatech sits at the intersection of sports culture and modern engagement tech.

Tykoon AI

Tykoon AI is an NIL creator-growth platform that supports emerging and often overlooked student-athletes as they build, monetize, and manage their personal brands. Using AI-powered tools, the company simplifies brand development and unlocks opportunities traditionally out of reach for underserved talent. The platform is led by founder Peter Lwuh, who is focused on helping athletes fully realize the value of their name, image, and likeness.

Budget University

Budget University is an online edtech platform delivering accredited financial literacy education to middle and high school students, homeschooling families, and underserved communities. Through its learning management system, students can access coursework on budgeting, investing, student loans, real estate, and long-term wealth building. Founder Shelby Patrice aims to equip young people with the tools they need to navigate modern financial systems with confidence.

About Geekz Ventures

Geekz Ventures is a Techstars Foundation-backed, registered 501(c)(3) non-profit virtual pre-accelerator that supports underestimated entrepreneurs who are launching early-stage tech-enabled startups. Other partners include Village Capital and Black Innovation Alliance. The program provides community, curriculum, coaching, funding, and resources designed to help founders validate their ideas, secure early customers, and prepare for follow-on funding opportunities. The accelerator is industry-agnostic, with a particular focus on media, connectivity, entertainment, and mobile technology.

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