Dairy Runway's Fourth Cohort Graduates Entrepreneurial Innovators with Final Pitch Event

Dairy Runway's Fourth Cohort Culminates in Virtual Pitch Event

On December 5, 2025, the fourth cohort of Dairy Runway, an innovative entrepreneurship program dedicated to advancing first-stage food innovators in the dairy sector, held its final virtual pitch session. This event marked the successful culmination of a transformative journey supported by Cornell University's Center for Regional Economic Advancement (CREA) and backed by funding from the New York State Dairy Promotion Order.

Dairy Runway serves as a vital platform for emerging entrepreneurs interested in building value-added dairy products. Over the course of this program, six participants learned through an interactive online entrepreneurship course, focused on customer discovery and product development. These aspiring business leaders assembled teams to create prototypes of dairy products, benefitting from personalized guidance from industry specialists and food technicians at Cornell.

Each team was tasked with developing an initial product prototype while receiving tailored coaching from seasoned entrepreneurs. This mentorship was essential in shaping their business models and assisting in the creation of pitch decks, preparing them for the final pitching session.

The products that emerged from this cohort were diverse, including high-protein desserts and European-style yogurts, all designed to meet the increasing demand for healthy and convenient dairy options among consumers. In the aftermath of the virtual pitch, the participants will continue refining their business concepts and prototypes while seeking further resources to enhance their innovations.

Yogini Borgaonkar, a participant in this cohort, shared her experience: "I entered Dairy Runway making small kitchen prototypes, but I lacked the technical knowledge to scale. Working with Cornell's specialists bridged the gap and taught me how to modify my formulation to fit the industrial process, without compromising on my vision. Thanks to the Dairy Runway team, I've refined my value proposition and can speak with co-packers confidently about a viable, scalable product."

Since its inception in 2023, Dairy Runway has attracted over 100 applicants with approximately two cohorts per year, each comprised of six to ten teams. Thus far, 24 teams have completed training, prototype development, and participated in pitch sessions. Numerous alumni have successfully accessed funding and additional resources through accelerator programs or grants targeted at food innovators.

For example, November saw two alumni from the program, Adrienne Bitar and Jenny Han, who co-founded Seen Nutrition, a startup committed to women's bone health with a dairy-derived calcium supplement. They earned $500,000 as Grow-NY competition winners, highlighting Dairy Runway's role as a springboard for entrepreneurial success. Bitar remarked, "The Dairy Runway program was a springboard for our success at Seen, connecting us to local producers, ingredient suppliers, and resources that allowed us to successfully prototype and test our dairy-derived calcium chew for better bone health."

Carol Fitzgerald, founder and CEO of Hazy Fudge and also a Dairy Runway graduate, has seen continued growth in her alcohol-infused fudge business after receiving a grant from the USDA's Northeast Regional Food Business Center. She noted, "From the first 20-pound test batch to thousands of units sold across dozens of locations to being selected as a finalist for the Specialty Food Association's 2026 sofi Awards, Hazy Fudge is proof that with the right education, mentorship, and commitment to local agriculture, food innovation can create lasting economic impact in New York State."

Looking ahead, CREA is already supporting a fifth cohort, with funding from the USDA's Northeast Dairy Business Innovation Center, which is set to conclude in June 2026. This ongoing program continues to build upon its successful legacy, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the dairy industry.

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SOURCE Cornell Center for Regional Economic Advancement