Celebrating Veteran Innovation: Winners of the 5th Annual VetsinTech Tech Startup Competition

In a remarkable celebration of innovation and entrepreneurship, VetsinTech recently held its fifth annual Tech Startup Pitch Competition, where the brightest veteran-led startups took center stage. This national nonprofit is committed to empowering U.S. veterans through technology-focused initiatives, and this event is just one of the ways it demonstrates that support.

The Grand Winner: Quivly AI

The event, held virtually on August 12, 2025, crowned Quivly AI as the grand prize winner, earning a cash award of $25,000. Quivly AI is revolutionizing the B2B market with its AI platform tailored specifically for post-sales teams. Their intelligent agents are designed to help companies enhance customer success and retention, which is increasingly vital in today's competitive landscape. With high-profile clients including Redis and Upflex, Quivly AI showcases significant validation in the rapidly evolving AI sector.

Chandrika Maheshwari, the CEO and Co-Founder of Quivly, expressed her gratitude, stating, "We are honored to be chosen from such an incredible group of veteran and military spouse entrepreneurs. This win affirms Quivly's mission to close a critical gap in the B2B market by providing post-sales teams with AI-powered workflows that enable real-time, revenue-driving actions. Our platform is purpose-built to enhance customer retention and satisfaction, driving growth from within, rather than solely attracting new customers."

Runner-Ups Making Waves

The second place in the competition went to Deepinvent.AI, which received a prize of $10,000. Deepinvent is making strides with its AI-driven invention engine that can rapidly turn ideas into intellectual property across various industries, including semiconductor technology, aerospace, and automotive.

Finishing in third place, Entropy Robotics was awarded $5,000. This specialized robotics company focuses on offering scalable, compliant edge machine learning solutions for small robots and autonomous systems, pushing the boundaries of what's possible in tech-driven automation.

Criteria and Judging

The competition aimed to highlight startups founded by veterans or military spouses, emphasizing tech solutions in sectors like cybersecurity, AI, fintech, and enterprise SaaS. An integral part of the judging criteria was the companies' commitment to volunteerism and positive community impact. A distinguished panel of industry experts, investors, and tech executives were responsible for selecting the winners based on these principles.

Rhett Jeppson, Executive Director at J.P. Morgan Commercial Banking, shared, "The VetsinTech Startup Competition confirms our belief that supporting veteran entrepreneurs leads to the development of purpose-driven business leaders. We congratulate all participants and winners for their outstanding achievements and look forward to their continued contributions to the economy and their respective industries."

A Shift in Veteran Entrepreneurship

Notably, veteran founders now comprise 8% of new businesses in 2023, a significant increase from 5% in 2022. This trend indicates that veterans are launching startups at a rate exceeding their proportion in the U.S. adult population, showcasing the entrepreneurial spirit that resides within the veteran community.

Founded in San Francisco and with over 115,000 members across 25 chapters, VetsinTech continues to facilitate connections between veterans and the national technology ecosystem. Their commitment to transforming military experience into opportunities in tech, education, and employment remains unwavering.

Conclusion

The fifth annual VetsinTech Tech Startup Pitch Competition underscored the vitality and potential of veteran-led startups. By spotlighting innovators who are not only driven but also deeply committed to making a positive impact, VetsinTech is ensuring that the future of entrepreneurship remains bright for veterans and their families. For more information about VetsinTech and its programs, visit www.vetsintech.co.