Bobcats thrive at Techstars Startup Weekend Dayton

A group of Ohio University Entrepreneurship students participated in Techstars Startup Weekend Dayton, a creative and collaborative three-day event that occurred March 25-27, 2025. The Techstars Startup Weekend provided them an opportunity to pitch, create business models, prototype and design in a team environment.

The students collaborated with peers, professionals and industry experts to bring innovative concepts to life. Their experiences highlight the power of teamwork, networking and rapid business development.

The students were dispersed into three different teams, each having an innovative project that addressed a unique challenge:

Tasked:An app that connects college students to exchange quick tasks like running errands, academic support or household chores for a small fee.

Dry Guy:A soil moisture meter that is attached to a smart device that can track your plant's growth, water and sunlight intake and alert users when watering is needed.

On The Go:A brewing/heating thermos combining the functionalities of a Keurig and an Ember in one travel mug.

The weekend was full of learning and growth from the Ohio University students who attended.

Parwinder Singh, a member of Team Tasked, was surprised by the diversity of participants spanning from high school students to professionals in their 60s. “I learned a lot about how to work as a team especially when we all were from different professional backgrounds, different cities and even different countries.”

This was echoed by Divyessh Maheshwariwho also worked on Tasked. Both found that exposure to different perspectives enhanced their understanding of teamwork and problem-solving.

Hannah Wiederholdand Sara Viseholman, both from DryGuy, were initially nervous but ultimately appreciated how much could be accomplished in a short time. Their experience reinforced the importance of stepping out of one’s comfort zone.

Viseholman wrote, “What surprised me most about the event is how much we were able to get done in the span of 56 hours. We had such an amazing team of people including engineers, designers, marketing experts and plant biologists!”

Lily Johnstonfound that her coursework at Ohio University helped her confidently tackle the business model analysis portion of the event. “Krystal Geyer, Liz Pahl and Paul Benedict really set all of us up for success.”

Anabel Hernandezwas reassured by how well her coursework had prepared her. Her and Johnston both emphasized how mentorship from Ohio University faculty really set them apart from the others.

Beyond the business concepts and pitch development, students walked away with valuable lessons about entrepreneurship, collaboration and problem-solving. Many cited an increase in confidence, an appreciation for teamwork and a newfound belief in their personal abilities.

There were nine Ohio University students in attendance and all nine placed in the top three projects! The results were: Team On The Go in third place, Team Tasked in second and Team Dry Guy in first!

With Ohio University students securing the top three placements at the event, their success at Techstars Startup Weekend Dayton reflects the university’s strong entrepreneurial culture and the dedication of its students and faculty.