Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania hosted Venture Idol 2026 on Jueves, Mayo 7, at Ben Franklin TechVentures in Bethlehem, PA, bringing together entrepreneurs, investors, business leaders, and community partners for an evening celebrating innovation and emerging technology companies.
The highlight of the evening was the Venture Idol live pitch competition, where four emerging companies presented innovative solutions across industries including insect control technology, artificial intelligence, water recovery, and strategic planning software.
PITCH COMPETITION WINNERS
Following live pitches and audience voting, Mosqitter was awarded the $20,000 Venture Idol Grand Prize. The winning presentation was delivered by Anastasiia Romanova, CEO & Co-Founder, whose company is developing innovative chemical-free mosquito control technology designed to address growing public health and environmental concerns.
The $5,000 Judges’ Choice Award was presented to Hydron Desalination, accepted by Sachin Nair, Co-Founder & CEO, in recognition of the company’s innovative approach to water recovery and desalination technology.
The 2026 Venture Idol competitors included:
- Mosqitter presented by Anastasiia Romanova, CEO & Co-Founder
- Infuse AI Tech Corp. (Agent23.ai) presented by Munish Munagala, CEO & Co-Founder
- Hydron Desal presented by Sachin Nair, Founder & Co-CEO
- StratSimple presented by Mike Burns, CEO & Co-Founder
The evening opened with welcoming remarks from Angelo Valletta, President and CEO of Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Northeastern Pennsylvania, and Wayne Barz, Chief Innovation Officer and Chief Operating Officer, who also served as emcee for the event. Following the presentations, attendees participated in audience voting while judges completed deliberations before winners were announced later in the evening during a dessert reception
This year’s panel of judges included:
- Aston Pierce, Director, GO PA Fund, Ben Franklin Technology Partners of Southeastern Pennsylvania
- Sushma Rajagopalan, Partner, Rittenhouse Ventures
- Elizabeth D. Sigety, Esq., Partner, Fox Rothschild LLP
2026 INNOVATION AWARD RECIPIENTS
Ben Franklin Northeast recognized several individuals and organizations for their contributions to innovation, entrepreneurship, manufacturing, and regional collaboration through its annual Innovation Awards. Award introductions were presented by Krista Ortwein, Director of Corporate Social Responsibility at Olympus Corporation of the Americas.
- Frederick J. Beste III Partnership Award: Jan S. Heller
Presented by Megan Beste of Taggart Associates, daughter of Frederick J. Beste III. - Manufacturing Achievement Award: EAM-Mosca Corp.
Presented by Ken Okrepkie, Regional Manager, Pocono Northeast; accepted by John D’Ottavio, Executive Vice President and COO of EAM-Mosca Corp. - R. Chadwick Paul, Jr. Entrepreneurial Achievement Award: Mussel Polymers, Inc.
Presented by Kimberly Valuntas, Portfolio Manager, TechVentures; accepted by George Boyajian, CEO of Mussel Polymers.
Ben Franklin Northeast extends sincere appreciation to this year’s judges, sponsors, attendees, and partners whose support made Venture Idol 2026 possible.
OUR GENEROUS SPONSORS
Title Sponsor
Presenting Sponsors
Venture Idol continues to showcase the strength of Northeastern Pennsylvania’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and the importance of collaboration among startups, investors, universities, corporate partners, and community leaders working together to advance innovation and economic growth throughout the region.
Want to get on our Save The Date list for next year? Email events@nep.benfranklin.org to be included.