LaunchPad Graduating Entrepreneurs Leave Their Mark
This December 2025 the LaunchPad inducted six new Founders Circle members into its network of alumni entrepreneurs:
- Mariah Brown (Martin J. Whitman School of Management) founder of ReDorm, a non-profit dorm goods recycling company and LaunchPad Innovation Mentor;
- Matthew Brown (School of Information Studies), co-founder of Cerca, a social media platform for real connection;
- Shreyas Hosmani G'25 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), co-founder of Gathrr & Radarsoft Technologies and Blackstone Global Fellow;
- Maya McDermott (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of FitFriends training app;
- Asgede Teckie (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Style and Soul Photography; and
- Dorine Tyr G'25 (Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs), founder of the non-governmental organization, African Peace Intelligence Agency.
With the guidance of Syracuse University’s David Strachan, Director of Development, Southwest Region Advancement and External Affairs, the LaunchPad announced its inaugural Founders’ Pledge Program on Dec 4, 2025. Graduating founders unanimously made the non-binding commitment to contribute a meaningful percentage of their venture’s future wealth to the LaunchPad to assist forthcoming student entrepreneurs on their path to achieving real change.
As graduate student Dorine Tyr said, “I need to pay it forward. I want to be able to inspire others to go out of their comfort zones and do something that impacts their community and world at large. My time at the LaunchPad provided me with solid exposure to work with members of the LaunchPad community that I could not get anywhere else.”
LaunchPad Director Traci Geisler was overwhelmed with the support, “the enthusiasm of our graduating entrepreneurs to give back speaks volumes about the strength of Syracuse University’s entrepreneurial community. Their commitment reflects the collaborative spirit and innovation that thrive within the LaunchPad every day. While we will deeply miss their energy, positivity and contributions, we are excited to witness the remarkable impact they will continue to make beyond our walls.”