Title:Alumni bring Georgetown’s spirit of innovation to life in Puerto Rico

On a sunny afternoon in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Georgetown alumni came together to celebrate the ideas, ambition, and purpose that define the Hoya entrepreneurial spirit.

The Georgetown Entrepreneurship Alliance and Georgetown Angel Investor Network hosted the 9th Alumni Pitch Competition on April 18, 2026, at the Condado Vanderbilt Hotel during John Carroll Weekend Puerto Rico. The annual competition brought together over 100 alumni, investors, and friends for a Shark Tank style event featuring companies created and led by Georgetown alumni.

Celebrating alumni entrepreneurs

Isabel Sheinman (C’13), Maka Media
What if children’s media was measured not just by clicks and views, but by what it contributes to a child’s development? Maka Media is building an AI-powered system to evaluate the developmental quality of children’s content.

Jessica Boccardo (G’06) and Andrés Satizábal, NextMinder
What if companies could understand how people might respond before a product, price, or message reaches the market? NextMinder uses AI-powered synthetic populations to simulate real consumer behavior before launch.

Bradford Crist (SFS’12), ChargeMate
What if EV charging networks could fix problems before they frustrate drivers? ChargeMate uses AI to diagnose and resolve failures across EV charging networks in real time.

Together, their pitches reflected the underpinning of Georgetown’s unique brand of entrepreneurship: that companies can align purpose and profit to advance the common good.

Sheinman, founder of Maka Media, was named the winner of this year’s competition and received a $100,000 pooled investment prize from members of the Georgetown Angel Investor Network. All finalists will also have the opportunity to present to GAIN’s broader network of more than 150 investors.

The Hoya spirit of giving back

The competition was guided by a panel of esteemed alumni judges who brought thoughtful questions to the competition, helping each finalist show not only what they were building, but why it mattered.

The competition was judged by Heather Galloway (SFS’98), Devon George (B’01), Russell Inman (B’95, SCS’97, Parent’27), Maureen McIvor (C’91, Parent’22, ’26, ’28), and Matthew Rizzo (C’97). Peter Mellen (C’89, MBA’98, Parent’26, ’28), President of the Georgetown Entrepreneurship Alliance, emceed the event. Julia Farr (C’88, Parent’19, ’21, ’24), Executive Director of the Georgetown University Alumni Association, opened the program with welcoming remarks.

Continuing a Georgetown tradition

Now in its ninth year, the Alumni Pitch Competition continues to remind us that innovation begins with people brave enough to believe that what they are building can make life better for others. In Puerto Rico, that Georgetown spirit was on full display. Thank you to the generous sponsors and vendors who helped make this year’s Alumni Pitch Competition possible!

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