LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute Announces J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge Finalists
April 10, 2026
Three businesses founded by LSU students and recent graduates have been selected to present in a live pitch competition for a share of $50,000 in the 15th annual J Terrell Brown Venture Challenge to be held on Tuesday, April 14, at the LSU Business Education Complex.
More than 50 teams submitted business plans for the challenge’s first round. A panel of faculty members and professionals in the region’s entrepreneurial network judged and scored all projects.
The finalists are Alo Bloom, Bloom + Bond and Smartective.
- Alo Bloom is a mentorship and empowerment program designed for children and teens with alopecia. Through events, access to mentorship and real role-model exposure, Alo Bloom creates a safe and empowering environment where young people with hair loss can thrive emotionally, socially and professionally. The founder is Kalayna Walker, a communication studies major.
- Bloom + Bond is a modern childcare platform that connects vetted nannies with high-intent families through a premium, relationship-focused matching process. Serving Austin, Texas, and select national markets, the company improves the traditional agency model with founder-led, hands-on screening, intentional matching, and ongoing support for both families and caregivers. The founder is Julia Fontana, who holds a BS Management (2024) and MBA (2025).
- Smartective is a documentation platform for field-heavy industries that uses AI to replace time-consuming, error-prone paperwork with voice-driven document completion and automated quality checks. The founders are Raedan Stephens, who is pursuing majors in biological engineering and computer science, and Nick Demas, who holds a BS Biological Engineering (2024) and an MBA (2025).
On at 6 p.m. on April 14, these finalists will deliver an investor pitch to a live audience. A panel of judges from the business community will determine how to divide $50,000 among the three winners based on the presentations and the winners' answers to follow-up questions. The maximum prize is $35,000, and the minimum is $5,000. All finalists are guaranteed a cash award.
The event is open to the public. To RSVP, visit lsu.edu/business/venture by April 13.
About Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute
The mission of the Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute is to promote and foster entrepreneurial practices through education, outreach, and research. An integral part of LSU’s E. J. Ourso College of Business, the SEI utilizes its various programs and other means to address entrepreneurial challenges and positively impact students, the regional economy, the state of Louisiana, and the nation. A generous donation by LSU alumni Emmet and the late Toni Stephenson made the continued development of the college’s entrepreneurship institute possible.