New crowd, new context — same excitement.
You never know who’s in the room.
I’ve always understood the importance of networking, but I’ve come to appreciate in-person connections even more over the past few years. After COVID, everything moved online — and we all adapted. But when you’re back in a room full of people, something different happens.
After the LIFT Incubator Demo Day, someone from Mastercard who had been in the audience — and had used the app — reached out. They were planning an upcoming event in collaboration with the AUC Data Science Initiative and wanted to use The FundWave.
So we made it happen.
The Setup
This time, it wasn’t startups. It was students.
The event was a financial inclusion hackathon hosted at Mastercard’s Atlanta office. Students from Spelman, Morehouse, Clark Atlanta, and the AUC Data Science Initiative came together for a full day of mentorship, team building, and problem solving.
Each group tackled challenges tied to underserved communities in Atlanta — and by the end of the day, they pitched their ideas. Some groups had early designs, wireframes, even a bit of code. Everyone had decks. Everyone brought their creativity.
How They Used The FundWave
This event was more intimate than our first — fewer people, but just as powerful.
Students used The FundWave to rate each other’s ideas. They evaluated the problem being solved, the creativity of the solution, the presentation, and more. That feedback helped determine the winning teams.
And it wasn’t just for scoring — the app helped students reflect on each pitch, engage more deeply, and practice giving constructive feedback.
One Moment That Stuck With Me
There was a woman from the AUC Data Science Initiative sitting in front of me during the event. We hadn’t met yet.
At the start, she said she knew we were using an app and had a general idea of what to expect.
But as the pitches got going, she kept turning around to me like:
“Oh my God, this is so cool.”
“This is really working.”
“I didn’t think it would feel like this.”
That kind of response never gets old.
Looking Ahead
We had meaningful conversations that day — with students, with organizers, with other attendees — about where The FundWave could be useful next. Education is starting to feel like a real lane. Not just pitch competitions, but student showcases, tech challenges, hackathons, and more.
We delivered a post-event report just like we did for LIFT, and once again, the feedback was strong. The students had smart ideas about the app too — and I always love that.
So now we’ve got two events under our belt. And with each one, I’m learning that the app isn’t just about scoring. It’s about surfacing what people feel in the moment — about ideas, about impact, about potential.
And if we keep doing that right, it’ll keep opening doors.