Finalists Announced for 2026 Round Rock Startup Day Pitch Competition

The Round Rock Chamber has announced the six finalists that will compete in the 2026 Round Rock Startup Day Pitch Competition, highlighting a group of innovative founders shaping the future of local entrepreneurship.

Excitement is building ahead of the competition on Thursday, May 7, at Embassy Suites by Hilton Round Rock. As a featured event of the Round Rock Startup Day, the pitch competition will bring together entrepreneurs, investors, and community members to celebrate the ideas and energy driving Round Rock’s growing startup ecosystem.

This year’s six finalists who will take the stage:

EcoPulse
Jenny Yu, CEO & Founder
EcoPulse is an Austin-based AI company helping manufacturers identify and reduce critical chemical risks in their supply chains, including PFAS (“forever chemicals”). Its patent-pending PFAS AI platform brings scale and precision to exposure analysis, risk mitigation, and compliance readiness.

Faida Foods
Christian Lola, CEO/Founder
Faida Foods is bringing African Heritage pantry staples mainstream: starting with a clean-label habanero-based sauce and building toward a full platform of sauces, snacks, seasonings, and ready-to-eat meals.

Imagine Devices Inc.
Iman Salafian, PhD, PMP, President & CEO
Imagine Devices Inc. is a medical device company developing Trinity Tube, a multifunctional feeding tube that provides enteral feeding and internal vital signs and respiratory pressure monitoring in a single device. Trinity Tube is designed to improve respiratory care, protect fragile skin, and enable effective skin-to-skin care and parent–infant bonding.

Longhorn Life Sciences
Miles Massidda, Ph.D., Co-Founder & CEO
Longhorn Life Sciences develops iDetect, a wearable wound sensor that flags surgical infections before visible symptoms with >98% accuracy, keeping patients out of the hospital. iDetect can save surgical practices $3.5M+ annually while transforming post-op monitoring from reactive to proactive care.

Pulsar Industries
Thomas Becker, Co-Founder
Pulsar Industries is a renewable energy consulting, engineering, and manufacturing company redefining how industries power their operations. Co-founded by Thomas Becker and Maritza Vera, Pulsar develops advanced battery-powered energy systems that replace diesel generators in demanding field environments. Its flagship product, PulseTrek, delivers reliable, clean power to oil and gas operations — where uptime isn’t optional and failure isn’t an excuse.

TillerXR
Lizzy Bustamante, Co-Founder
TillerXR makes it easy to turn real-world spaces into interactive, navigable digital experiences. Using 360° imagery and automation, businesses can quickly capture, map, and share their properties without complex tools or manual work.

These six startups represent the diversity of innovation and entrepreneurship in Round Rock and the surrounding area. Each finalist will have the opportunity to pitch their business to a panel of esteemed judges for a chance at a grand prize of $10,000 to seed their startup.

The Round Rock Startup Day Pitch Competition is a testament to the vibrant startup ecosystem flourishing in Round Rock, fostering innovation, collaboration, and economic development.

Click here for for more information about Startup Day + Week activities and to register to attend. All events are FREE but require registration.