Written By Leela Najafi, Venture Partner at Courtyard Ventures
UC Berkeley’s Renowned Lean Launchpad Pitch Night Draws a Packed Audience – Listening to Their Colleagues Pitch Ground-Breaking Solutions to the Problems of Today & Tomorrow
Last night, Berkeley’s graduate students kicked off the campus’s world-renowned Lean Launchpad course with Pitch Night for the highly selective course training the startups of tomorrow on the Lean Startup methodology – pitching 19 startup ideas across industries, services, and technologies.
Countless students, primarily from the Berkeley Haas School of Business along with Master’s of Engineering students, stood in a wall-to-wall packed, energized room while pitching the opportunity to join their dynamic teams, seeking support in engineering, design, business, and other needs, as they aim to create solutions to address the problems of today and tomorrow.
A diverse group of students pitched disruptive solutions to tackle issues such as long-term escalating global energy demands, mental health treatment accessibility, and global access to markets in the United States for the beauty and apparel industries.
One founder, Isa D’Elia, shared her experience as a former Amazon employee of over four years who faced five company restructurings that often stifled employee promotion cycles – an issue she espoused as a cross-industry experience. She is building a technology solution to tackle the pain points that employees, like her, have experienced.
“We are creating GoalBridge AI, a platform to guide both managers and direct reports through the uncertainty of company growth, while helping them continue to grow in their careers. Professional goals can sometimes take a backseat when there’s corporate chaos. Our mission is simple: Use technology to nurture talent and ensure organizations are investing in their most valuable asset—their people,” said Isa D’Elia.
Natalie Tussy and Joe Wilson, both Haas Full-Time MBA Class of 2026, shared a market-correcting climate solution to residential building sustainability – pitching a metric system for buyers and renters to use while comparing homes and apartments based on climate impact.
“We are introducing Green House Score, a sustainability rating system for residential properties. You can think about it like a walk score on Zillow, but for sustainable components of a home and community,” said Natalie.
“We want to bring transparency to buyers and renters to contribute to their housing decision not just on energy impacts, but also including water conservation, waste disposal, and fire mitigation efforts.”
And Matt Tsai, another first-year MBA student, pitched his end-to-end solution connecting small brands with top designers and vetted suppliers in Asia, aiming to tackle the challenges facing small brands while disrupting an ever-growing market.
“The apparel and footwear industry's supply chain remains notoriously opaque, leaving small brands struggling to find the right products at the right quality and price. Our platform is designed to create a hassle-free environment, allowing brand owners to focus on their creative vision while we streamline sourcing, logistics, and product development,” said Matt.
“By simplifying these processes, we empower small brands to thrive without being bogged down by operational complexities.”
Berkeley’s Lean Launchpad course has spun out eye-catching Bay Area startups that have gone on to raise millions of dollars from top venture capital firms, including Haas Alum Jon Sebastiani’s KRAVE Jerky which was acquired by Hershey’s for $240 million in 2015 and later sold back to Sebastiani’s Sonoma Brands.
It's worth noting that the primary goal of the Lean LaunchPad course is not to launch top-performing companies but to teach a methodology for building startups. As Steve Blank, the creator of the course, once said: "I'm not running an incubator. I'm teaching a methodology. I honestly don't care if they stick with their ideas but whether the education will stick with them for the rest of their lives."
The application cycle for the Lean LaunchPad course closes on October 24th, with startup ideas undergoing a rigorous vetting process before acceptance into the program which will officially take place in Spring 2025.
Courtyard Ventures is a Haas MBA student-run venture firm that invests in the most innovative startups at UC Berkeley, the top-ranked school for venture-backed startups in the country.
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