Meet the FAF

ALUMNI

FORTY ACRES FOUNDERS ALUMNI

Each 20-strong Cohort of the Forty Acres Founders Pre-Accelerator Program, spends a semester rigorously establishing if a market need existed for their product or service. Some continue their projects with FAF-gained tools and funding, while others are use their entrepreneurial skillsets to develop new ideas.

Our founders have represented colleges across the university, including the McCombs School of Business, Moody College of Communication, Cockrell School of Engineering, and the College of Liberal Arts.

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Non-business
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Women
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Average

Meet the Forty Acres Founders

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Aakriti Kamal

Cura | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Winner​ | Gwen and Frank Gordon Forty Acres Founders Scholar​

Cura is an AI-powered solution designed to alleviate the immense challenges faced by family caregivers of mentally ill patients. Cura empowers caregivers to navigate the complexities of care management, ensuring both patients and their families receive the support they deserve.

Ruthvik Jonna Headshot

Ruthvik Jonna

Bloom | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist

Welcome to Bloom — an online platform for all businesses to upload relevant data/documents, track sustainability metrics, and utilize our trained artificial intelligence model, which provides context specific reports about the company’s climate performance and potential ESG recommendations.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Phillip Baek

BoBo | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​

BoBo revolutionizes roommate living, turning chore management into a fun, competitive game with a community spirit. Leveraging machine learning, it understands users habits, offering personalized suggestions and rewards, offers a lucrative advertising avenue to businesses targeting the vibrant college demographic.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Brandon Doan

E-Cap | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​ | Thomas and Libby Mathai Forty Acres Founders Scholar

The time it takes to prepare an EEG (electroencephalogram) takes longer than the actual EEG itself. Brandon’s startup is reimagining the prep-tech used for an EEG, meaning hospitals can see more patients, reduce training costs for new EEG technicians, and ultimately make more money.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Phillip Baek

BoBo | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​

BoBo revolutionizes roommate living, turning chore management into a fun, competitive game with a community spirit. Leveraging machine learning, it understands users habits, offering personalized suggestions and rewards, offers a lucrative advertising avenue to businesses targeting the vibrant college demographic.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Brandon Doan

E-Cap | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​ | Thomas and Libby Mathai Forty Acres Founders Scholar

The time it takes to prepare an EEG (electroencephalogram) takes longer than the actual EEG itself. Brandon’s startup is reimagining the prep-tech used for an EEG, meaning hospitals can see more patients, reduce training costs for new EEG technicians, and ultimately make more money.

McCombs MBA students pose for headshots on August 14, 2023. Photo by Lauren Gerson.

Robert Allen

Ed and Connie Easley Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Robert’s startup revitalizes communities by acquiring and repairing distressed homes, then relaxing leasing qualifications for tenants who would otherwise struggle to qualify for a lease due to financial hardship or lack of documentation.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Patty Chow Lomeli

Quicklook | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Elevator Pitch Competition Audience Choice

Quicklook revolutionizes code reviews with unparalleled speed and developer-centric design. Using Quicklook, software engineers can easily prioritize, visualize, and compare edits, enabling more informed decisions and clarity in the review process.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Justo Fernando Echazarreta

Arnovate | Jay Steinfeld Forty Acres Founders Scholar​

Transforming your kitchen should be a dream, not a nightmare. Arnovate makes kitchen renovations easy and affordable by simplifying the design interface and standardizing the construction process.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Arianna Fuentes

Roamora | Kim and Michael Tucci Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Roamora is dedicated to simplifying the search process of exploring a new city abroad. We aim to sift through the noise by offering travelers unique spots and hidden gems through a personalized and consolidated search experience.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Justo Fernando Echazarreta

Arnovate | Jay Steinfeld Forty Acres Founders Scholar​

Transforming your kitchen should be a dream, not a nightmare. Arnovate makes kitchen renovations easy and affordable by simplifying the design interface and standardizing the construction process.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Arianna Fuentes

Roamora | Kim and Michael Tucci Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Roamora is dedicated to simplifying the search process of exploring a new city abroad. We aim to sift through the noise by offering travelers unique spots and hidden gems through a personalized and consolidated search experience.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Monica Garza

Freedom Mind

Freedom Mind is dedicated to transforming mental health care through an innovative and effective 2-part system with multifaceted features and affordability. With a focus on people in poverty in 3rd world countries, it addresses the lack of mental health resources.

Lindsey Gasaway

Lindsey Gasaway

Healr

Healr is the future of mental health care. Unlike the current offerings, Healr’s AIpowered algorithm empowers patients to find the perfect providers for their situation with personalized matches, transparency and insurance compatibility.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Melody Geiger

Merge Conflict Studio

Merge Conflict Studio is a minority-led video game development company that focuses on centering marginalized perspectives and environmental awareness. We know games can go beyond pure entertainment and help spread motivation to fight for a more environmentally conscious society.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Mahta Ghotbiravandi

Kismeet

Kismeet is a social networking app designed to help you meet people wherever you go. Simply click the check-in option , and you will be shown others who have checked-in to the same spots as you!

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Melody Geiger

Merge Conflict Studio

Merge Conflict Studio is a minority-led video game development company that focuses on centering marginalized perspectives and environmental awareness. We know games can go beyond pure entertainment and help spread motivation to fight for a more environmentally conscious society.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Mahta Ghotbiravandi

Kismeet

Kismeet is a social networking app designed to help you meet people wherever you go. Simply click the check-in option , and you will be shown others who have checked-in to the same spots as you!

Daniel (Sehyun) Kim Headshot

Daniel (Sehyun) Kim

Active Prophylaxis | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Elevator Pitch Competition Winner

Active Prophylaxis helps patients at risk for pressure ulcers with real-time pressure mitigation via a dynamically adjustable mattress system.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Helen Liu

PawPrint

PawPrint allows organizers to connect with volunteers and track volunteers’ requirements, while allowing volunteers to record all their hours in one place, where they can be validated and sent to other places as needed. By connecting users to organizers, a network of passionate volunteers will be free to focus on what really matters.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ali Merchant

S&B Commerce

S&B Commerce partners with early stage CPG companies and creates and manages their Amazon storefronts, product listings, and marketing campaigns to help them scale faster.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ramya Nambala

Athena | Stephen Maeker Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Athena is using AI to enhance student learning, using new developments in LLM to personalize student learning.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ali Merchant

S&B Commerce

S&B Commerce partners with early stage CPG companies and creates and manages their Amazon storefronts, product listings, and marketing campaigns to help them scale faster.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ramya Nambala

Athena | Stephen Maeker Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Athena is using AI to enhance student learning, using new developments in LLM to personalize student learning.

Rohan Patel Headshot V2

Rohan Patel

Thrive Education

Thrive Education is a forward-thinking diabetes education startup, aimed at improving health and reducing healthcare costs through a patient-centric platform. We empower diabetic patients through education while also allowing for their physician to monitor their progress and take any necessary steps.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Nicole Sakaue

U

The startup U aims to connect study abroad and international student with other students in a similar concept as a “dating app”. The subscription to the app would be in a freemium model, and the app would provide also support for language learning connection.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Adrian Storey

Positive Pulse | Brian Cruver Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Sudden cardiac arrest has been a significant issue for athletes recently. Heart testing for athletes is vital to ensure the safety of each individual. We aim to design a device which will provide vital results for each athletes to promote healthy lifestyles, athletic ability, and test heart life.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Adrian Storey

Positive Pulse | Brian Cruver Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Sudden cardiac arrest has been a significant issue for athletes recently. Heart testing for athletes is vital to ensure the safety of each individual. We aim to design a device which will provide vital results for each athletes to promote healthy lifestyles, athletic ability, and test heart life.

Not pictured: Trevor Brown, Mateo Delaguila (2022 Bank of America Scholar), Neha Donthineni, Brianda Fernandez (2021 Bank of America Scholar), Lance Ellis, Evan Fisher, Ahmed Hashmi, Boram Lee (2023 Thomas and Libby Mathai Forty Acres Founders Scholar), Daniel Munoz, Destiny Rawls, Tanay Rishi, Aradhana Sridaran, and Cheyenne Valdez.

Meet the Founders

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Aakriti Kamal

Cura | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Winner​ | Gwen and Frank Gordon Forty Acres Founders Scholar​

Cura is an AI-powered solution designed to alleviate the immense challenges faced by family caregivers of mentally ill patients. Cura empowers caregivers to navigate the complexities of care management, ensuring both patients and their families receive the support they deserve.

Ruthvik Jonna Headshot

Ruthvik Jonna

Bloom | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist

Welcome to Bloom — an online platform for all businesses to upload relevant data/documents, track sustainability metrics, and utilize our trained artificial intelligence model, which provides context specific reports about the company’s climate performance and potential ESG recommendations.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Phillip Baek

BoBo | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​

BoBo revolutionizes roommate living, turning chore management into a fun, competitive game with a community spirit. Leveraging machine learning, it understands users habits, offering personalized suggestions and rewards, offers a lucrative advertising avenue to businesses targeting the vibrant college demographic.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Brandon Doan

E-Cap | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​ | Thomas and Libby Mathai Forty Acres Founders Scholar

The time it takes to prepare an EEG (electroencephalogram) takes longer than the actual EEG itself. Brandon’s startup is reimagining the prep-tech used for an EEG, meaning hospitals can see more patients, reduce training costs for new EEG technicians, and ultimately make more money.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Phillip Baek

BoBo | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​

BoBo revolutionizes roommate living, turning chore management into a fun, competitive game with a community spirit. Leveraging machine learning, it understands users habits, offering personalized suggestions and rewards, offers a lucrative advertising avenue to businesses targeting the vibrant college demographic.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Brandon Doan

E-Cap | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Pitch Competition Finalist​ | Thomas and Libby Mathai Forty Acres Founders Scholar

The time it takes to prepare an EEG (electroencephalogram) takes longer than the actual EEG itself. Brandon’s startup is reimagining the prep-tech used for an EEG, meaning hospitals can see more patients, reduce training costs for new EEG technicians, and ultimately make more money.

McCombs MBA students pose for headshots on August 14, 2023. Photo by Lauren Gerson.

Robert Allen

Ed and Connie Easley Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Robert’s startup revitalizes communities by acquiring and repairing distressed homes, then relaxing leasing qualifications for tenants who would otherwise struggle to qualify for a lease due to financial hardship or lack of documentation.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Patty Chow Lomeli

Quicklook | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Elevator Pitch Competition Audience Choice

Quicklook revolutionizes code reviews with unparalleled speed and developer-centric design. Using Quicklook, software engineers can easily prioritize, visualize, and compare edits, enabling more informed decisions and clarity in the review process.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Justo Fernando Echazarreta

Arnovate | Jay Steinfeld Forty Acres Founders Scholar​

Transforming your kitchen should be a dream, not a nightmare. Arnovate makes kitchen renovations easy and affordable by simplifying the design interface and standardizing the construction process.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Arianna Fuentes

Roamora | Kim and Michael Tucci Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Roamora is dedicated to simplifying the search process of exploring a new city abroad. We aim to sift through the noise by offering travelers unique spots and hidden gems through a personalized and consolidated search experience.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Justo Fernando Echazarreta

Arnovate | Jay Steinfeld Forty Acres Founders Scholar​

Transforming your kitchen should be a dream, not a nightmare. Arnovate makes kitchen renovations easy and affordable by simplifying the design interface and standardizing the construction process.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Arianna Fuentes

Roamora | Kim and Michael Tucci Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Roamora is dedicated to simplifying the search process of exploring a new city abroad. We aim to sift through the noise by offering travelers unique spots and hidden gems through a personalized and consolidated search experience.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Monica Garza

Freedom Mind

Freedom Mind is dedicated to transforming mental health care through an innovative and effective 2-part system with multifaceted features and affordability. With a focus on people in poverty in 3rd world countries, it addresses the lack of mental health resources.

Lindsey Gasaway

Lindsey Gasaway

Healr

Healr is the future of mental health care. Unlike the current offerings, Healr’s AIpowered algorithm empowers patients to find the perfect providers for their situation with personalized matches, transparency and insurance compatibility.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Melody Geiger

Merge Conflict Studio

Merge Conflict Studio is a minority-led video game development company that focuses on centering marginalized perspectives and environmental awareness. We know games can go beyond pure entertainment and help spread motivation to fight for a more environmentally conscious society.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Mahta Ghotbiravandi

Kismeet

Kismeet is a social networking app designed to help you meet people wherever you go. Simply click the check-in option , and you will be shown others who have checked-in to the same spots as you!

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Melody Geiger

Merge Conflict Studio

Merge Conflict Studio is a minority-led video game development company that focuses on centering marginalized perspectives and environmental awareness. We know games can go beyond pure entertainment and help spread motivation to fight for a more environmentally conscious society.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Mahta Ghotbiravandi

Kismeet

Kismeet is a social networking app designed to help you meet people wherever you go. Simply click the check-in option , and you will be shown others who have checked-in to the same spots as you!

Daniel (Sehyun) Kim Headshot

Daniel (Sehyun) Kim

Active Prophylaxis | 2024 Forty Acres Founders Elevator Pitch Competition Winner

Active Prophylaxis helps patients at risk for pressure ulcers with real-time pressure mitigation via a dynamically adjustable mattress system.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Helen Liu

PawPrint

PawPrint allows organizers to connect with volunteers and track volunteers’ requirements, while allowing volunteers to record all their hours in one place, where they can be validated and sent to other places as needed. By connecting users to organizers, a network of passionate volunteers will be free to focus on what really matters.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ali Merchant

S&B Commerce

S&B Commerce partners with early stage CPG companies and creates and manages their Amazon storefronts, product listings, and marketing campaigns to help them scale faster.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ramya Nambala

Athena | Stephen Maeker Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Athena is using AI to enhance student learning, using new developments in LLM to personalize student learning.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ali Merchant

S&B Commerce

S&B Commerce partners with early stage CPG companies and creates and manages their Amazon storefronts, product listings, and marketing campaigns to help them scale faster.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Ramya Nambala

Athena | Stephen Maeker Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Athena is using AI to enhance student learning, using new developments in LLM to personalize student learning.

Rohan Patel Headshot V2

Rohan Patel

Thrive Education

Thrive Education is a forward-thinking diabetes education startup, aimed at improving health and reducing healthcare costs through a patient-centric platform. We empower diabetic patients through education while also allowing for their physician to monitor their progress and take any necessary steps.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Nicole Sakaue

U

The startup U aims to connect study abroad and international student with other students in a similar concept as a “dating app”. The subscription to the app would be in a freemium model, and the app would provide also support for language learning connection.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Adrian Storey

Positive Pulse | Brian Cruver Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Sudden cardiac arrest has been a significant issue for athletes recently. Heart testing for athletes is vital to ensure the safety of each individual. We aim to design a device which will provide vital results for each athletes to promote healthy lifestyles, athletic ability, and test heart life.

Portraits by Bob Daemmrich  
(512) 469-9700

Adrian Storey

Positive Pulse | Brian Cruver Forty Acres Founders Scholar

Sudden cardiac arrest has been a significant issue for athletes recently. Heart testing for athletes is vital to ensure the safety of each individual. We aim to design a device which will provide vital results for each athletes to promote healthy lifestyles, athletic ability, and test heart life.