Invent Penn State LaunchBoxes at Brandywine and Great Valley and the Ideas x Innovation Network (i2n), an initiative of the Chester County Economic Development Council (CCEDC), hosted the 2025 LionCage Pitch Competition on Friday, Nov. 14, at the Conference Center at Penn State Great Valley.
The one-day event showcased entrepreneurs from across southeastern Pennsylvania who are transforming their industries and society through innovation. More than 150 business, civic, academic, and startup leaders cheered on 23 entrepreneurs who competed for nine awards and a total of $35,000.
The day began with an opening keynote from Michael DiPiano, managing general partner at NewSpring Capital, followed by a fireside chat featuring PA Deputy Secretary for Technology & Entrepreneurism Jen Gilburg, who interviewed serial tech entrepreneur and founder of The Mission Capitalist Club, Michael Carter.
“The vast majority of startups fail. The grit that you have, the passion that you have, have to be there in abundance and you have to find teammates that can join you with that,” said DiPiano. “So make sure you raise enough capital, make sure you have really great people, and make sure you have a lot of grit.”
“It excites me to see who is in this room. It’s not just the entrepreneurs, it’s the community members, venture, nonprofits, all here to support entrepreneurship and innovation in Chester County and the greater Philadelphia region,” said Gilburg.
The 2025 LionCage Award Winners are:
- Best of Show ($10,000): NoPlex, a company that empowers individuals struggling with ADHD and anxiety to thrive in a neurotypical world. Founded in 2023 and developed with the help of ADHD coaches and clinicians, NoPlex is the first and only app that encourages users to stop striving for “productivity” and, instead, employs a more sustainable approach to handling day-to-day tasks and routines, which they call “chaos management.”
- Product Market Fit ($5,000): NoPlex
- Most Innovative ($5,000): Airalux, a smart, handheld incentive spirometer designed to prevent post-operative lung complications for in-hospital and at-home use.
- Technology-Focused ($5,000): BleedIO Tech, a deep tech company developing commercial applications on a new, open, decentralized wireless standard, BLE Mesh to solve the annual $50 billion unplanned downtime problem for commercial IoT users.
- Chester County United Way Social Impact ($5,000): Prize, Inc., which has developed the Prize app, designed to be a personalized growth platform for veterans. It begins by performing a comprehensive assessment of the user’s current needs, both psychological and circumstantial, helping them develop a clear personal vision or “prize.” The app helps a veteran construct a clear path to that vision, defined by actionable milestones.
- Rising Entrepreneur ($2,000): Solvis, a business that utilizes AI and machine learning technology to create a more seamless waste runoff management process for construction companies.
- The i2 Award ($1,000): MyNextory, a B2B SaaS career advisory and development platform powered by AI, designed to democratize professional growth.
- LaunchBox Recognition Award ($1,000): MORE, an app that connects young, ambitious individuals locally through real, human connections. It’s a swipe-based platform built around intent, not titles. Helping users find collaborators, co-founders, and friends who truly get it.
- Audience Choice Award ($1,000): Script Masterminds, a hands-on, beginner-friendly board game that teaches fundamental programming concepts and ignites the passion of programming by making it into an interactive and strategic gaming exercise.
The winning companies were selected by a panel of five judges, including representatives from Fairmount Partners and Ben Franklin Technology Partners.
Building on the success of last year’s inaugural LionCage, this year’s event was the culmination of a series of six smaller pitch competitions: The Road to LionCage. The winner from each of these pitch sessions earned an automatic entry into the main event. LionCage 2025 was made possible thanks to the following sponsors: Chester County United Way, Layer 8 Security, TD Bank, MVM Associates, Fox Rothschild, OneDigital, Freckled Strawberry, Epic Foods, Vanguard, and Kauders Foundation.
The event was proud to have the support of the following partners: Greencastle Consulting, Downingtown STEM Academy, The Discovery Labs, Comcast NBCUniversal LIFT Labs, Wistar Institute, Montgomery County Commerce Department, Greater Reading Chamber Alliance, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce, Chester County Chamber of Business & Industry, and Bucks County Department of Workforce and Economic Development.
Learn more about the competition and 2025 winners at LionCage.
