Arizona Tribune - Texas State CIE Awards $20,000 to Student Entrepreneurs in Inaugural Student Founders Launch Fund Pitch Event

SAN MARCOS, TEXAS / ACCESS Newswire / March 4, 2026 / The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at Texas State University awarded $20,000 in seed funding to two outstanding student entrepreneurs at the inaugural Student Founders Launch Fund pitch event on Saturday, Feb. 21. Each founder received $10,000 to accelerate the growth of their early-stage business, marking a landmark moment for student entrepreneurship at Texas State.

Backed by an initial pool of $100,000, the Student Founders Launch Fund provides early-stage capital and business growth guidance from McCoy College of Business and Texas State alumni to student-run businesses with strong revenue potential and a clear path to scale. Through partnerships with the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) and the McCoy MBA program, the fund goes beyond capital, offering mentorship, strategic coaching, and real-world expertise to founders at the earliest and most critical stage of building a company.

Saturday's pitch event was evaluated by a distinguished alumni council of investors, entrepreneurs, and business leaders with ties to McCoy College of Business and Texas State University, including Randy Haran of Penny Strategies, Jeff Cuban, Scott Barnes, and Drew and Kim Lynch.

Donavan Brown, founder of Kocerho Disaster Response, created his startup to bring innovation to the search and rescue industry, an area he identified as critically underserved by modern technology. His company is developing advanced drone-based solutions to help locate disaster survivors faster, with a focus on the life-saving "golden 72-hour window" following events such as tornadoes, hurricanes, floods, and wildfires. Brown will use the $10,000 grant to build a working drone prototype to present to search and rescue agencies, his primary target customers.

"When I walked back into the room, the investors told me it was an easy decision, they thought I was onto something. That was definitely the highlight," said Brown.

Brown envisions Kocerho serving local and national agencies within the next year, with longer-term ambitions to expand internationally, particularly to countries with smaller budgets that urgently need modern rescue technology.

NaJaiyah Virgil is the founder of Hair Supremacist, a luxury braiding brand that prioritizes the wellness of Black women through intentional client service and an elevated, community-centered experience. What began as a braiding page in high school, born from a dream and a determination to stand apart, has grown into a purposeful business empowering both clients and workers. Virgil's long-term vision includes physical storefronts that bring together clients and braiders advocating for Black women's wellbeing in one empowering space.

"To see all of that hard work pay off, and have successful entrepreneurs tell me this is going to work, I really just can't even describe how it felt," said Virgil.

Both founders will continue working with assigned mentors and participate in 30-, 60-, and 90-day check-ins with the investor council to track their progress. The CIE will also connect awardees with the SBDC and the Open Penny Founders table, a community of student entrepreneurs at Texas State, to deepen their support network.

"Over the last six months, the CIE has been dedicated to continuous mentoring and workshops with NaJaiyah and Donovan, and it all came to fruition this Saturday. The work the CIE has put into mentoring these students really showed; it was evident just how well they know their business and how effectively they were able to communicate it to the judges," said Randy Haran.

Applications for the next round of the Student Founders Launch Fund will open soon. Student entrepreneurs interested in applying are encouraged to visit www.innovation.txst.edu or stop by the CIE office on campus to learn more.

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About the CIE - Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship:

The Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at Texas State University empowers Bobcat students to launch and grow their own businesses. Through programs, competitions, mentorship, and funding initiatives like the Student Founders Launch Fund, the CIE helps student entrepreneurs build the skills, connections, and capital they need to succeed on campus and beyond.

Quinn Valentine
[email protected]

SOURCE: Texas State University

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

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