The Couri Hatchery Introduces 2026–27 Team of Student Entrepreneurs and Mentors

Some students arrive at Syracuse University with a business already underway. Others walk into Whitman’s Couri Hatchery with nothing more than an idea and the courage to ask, "What if?" Both belong here. Located in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, the Couri Hatchery Student Business Incubator brings together students and alumni from across Syracuse University to test ideas, build businesses, find mentors and learn from one another. This fall, the Hatchery welcomed its 2026–27 team of entrepreneurs-in-residence, fellows and entrepreneurship ambassadors.

A Fall of Big Opportunities

Students the Couri Hatchery are already pitching ideas and learning directly from some of the best in the business. At Demo Day with Micron Ventures, six student- and alumni-led startups took the stage, with MedicFlow co-founder Bruno Arriola Flores ’28 (ECS) taking first place. The event featured Andrew Byrnes, director of AI venture capital at Micron Ventures, in a fireside chat moderated by student founder Eric Boutros ’27 MBA, L’27. Weeks later, Spin Master co-founder and Paw Patrol co-creator Ronnen Harary brought his international NEN tour to Whitman. More than 20 students won $500 to develop their ideas and compete nationally for $25,000, followed by a fireside chat moderated by student founder Gabi Josefson ’28.

Behind these opportunities is a team of student entrepreneurs and mentors helping their peers turn ideas into businesses.

Whitman’s Couri Hatchery 2026-2027 Team

The students leading the Hatchery this year bring different backgrounds, industries and experiences. Some have launched products and generated sales. Others have built communities, secured funding or helped fellow founders navigate the challenges of starting something new.

Back row from left: Olivia Rose Deleon, Noah James Nasser, Will Lewandowski, Indaria Jones
Front row: Trey Augliano, Yasmin Madmoune, Tahirah Abdul-Qadir

Entrepreneurs-in-Residence

Tahirah Abdul-Qadir ’26, ’28 MBA is an international martial arts champion, speaker and founder of FLAG Empowerment LLC, an organization dedicated to building confidence and empowering women and girls through mental, physical and emotional well-being. With more than 17 years of experience in martial arts, her leadership and advocacy have earned national recognition, including the Congressional Gold Medal and selection as a Vital Voices Visionary Fellow.

Trey Augliano ’27, a marketing and entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises major, is the founder of Utopia Beauty, a science-driven beauty retailer focused on transparency and consumer trust. An Orange Innovation Scholar at Syracuse University Libraires, Augliano brings experience in product commercialization, retail and branding while helping other student founders navigate the process of bringing products to market.

Couri Hatchery Fellows

Noah James Nasser ’28 MBA, L’28 is a startup advisor and brings an interest in venture capital, artificial intelligence, biotechnology and business law. Through his experience with Syracuse University’s Innovation Law Center and an internship with Upstate Medical University, he supports founders as they explore funding, intellectual property and the legal questions that come with building a company.

Will Lewandowski ’27, an entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises major, inaugural participant in Whitman’s Orange Business Angel Network and 2027 Class Marshal, is the former founder of Clique Sports. Now focused on real estate, Lewandowski brings his entrepreneurial experience to the Hatchery, helping students explore real estate, business development and investment opportunities.

Yasmin Madmoune ’27 MBA is the founder of Yas Apothecary, a North African-inspired wellness and body care brand already generating sales and reaching retail shelves. A first-generation Moroccan and Jamaican entrepreneur, she brings years of business-building experience and firsthand knowledge of what it takes to turn a product into a growing brand.

Entrepreneurship Ambassadors

Nas Monrose ’27, a real estate and entrepreneurship and emerging enterprises major, founded Checkup University, a basketball tournament bringing students together through competition and community. Drawing on his experience in housing and real estate development, Monrose is also leading a finance and entrepreneurship conversation series to help students strengthen their financial knowledge.

Olivia Rose Deleon ’27, a Maxwell School student studying international relations, environment, sustainability and policy, brings a passion for leadership and social impact. A Mary Ann Shaw Center leadership intern, she supports Hatchery programming and serves as a peer mentor to students pursuing ideas that can make a difference.

Learning From People Who Have Built Businesses

The Hatchery’s student leaders work alongside faculty and experienced entrepreneurs who understand that building a business takes more than a good idea.

John Torrens G’93, professor of entrepreneurial practice and interim department chair of Whitman’s Department of Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises, is a three-time Inc. 5000 entrepreneur and co-founder of Sprout Therapy Group. He helps student founders think through the challenges of launching and scaling their ventures.

John Torrens coaching students in the Couri Hatchery

Changmin Shi, assistant professor of mechanical and aerospace engineering at the College of Engineering and Computer Science, joins the Hatchery as a faculty entrepreneur-in-residence. Shi is the founder of Watt Inc., a company developing advanced lithium-sulfur battery technology. With multiple patents, more than 30 peer-reviewed publications and over $600,000 in competitive research funding, he brings experience translating scientific research into commercial innovation.

Indaria Jones, program manager of the Couri Hatchery, leads the incubator’s programming, partnerships and student support. An entrepreneur who founded a Syracuse-based coworking and business incubator in 2016, later acquired in 2023, Jones has helped founders secure more than $128 million in funding. She works with students at every stage, from their first conversation about an idea to building businesses and pursuing investment.

Additional mentorship comes from Whitman’s entrepreneurship faculty and accomplished alumni, including members of the ’CUSE50 community.

Building on a Foundation

This year’s team follows student entrepreneurs who have already shown what can happen when ideas are given room to grow.

Laurenne Yomi Mvete ’25, ’26 M.S., founder of Founders Without Borders, built a platform connecting student entrepreneurs across borders. Her work earned $14k in funding and recognition through the Whitman Dean’s Sustainability Challenge and Panasci Business Plan Competition.

Laurenne Yomi Mvete and Olivia Simons pitching during the 2025 Dean's Sustainability Challenge

Ava Lubkemann ’27 (ECS), founder of Revamped, developed a mobile upcycling business that turns discarded textiles into new opportunities. She has secured more than $35,000 in funding while championing sustainable fashion and helping fellow students pursue their own ventures.

The Best Is Still Ahead

Whitman will continue bringing founders and industry leaders into direct conversation with students, with upcoming opportunities including the Orange Tank Pitch Competition on Nov. 6, ’CUSE Student Summit and Pitch on Nov. 12, the ’CUSE Venture Accelerator beginning Jan. 29, 2027 and the annual Panasci Business Plan Competition on April 2, 2027.

But some of the most important moments at the Hatchery don’t happen on a stage. Whitman’s Couri Hatchery is open to students across campus in Suite 116 in the Whitman School of Management. Meet the team, explore upcoming programs or simply talk through an idea.