The Nisbet Venture Fund is an annual business development program and pitch competition presented by the Hurt Hub at Davidson College. Learn more about the ventures competing in the 2026 program below, and watch them compete in the live pitch competition that happened on April 21st!
Incubation Track
Seeking to help individuals with patellar tracking disorder, ALIGN Stabilization created the ALIGN knee sleeve, a patellar tracking knee sleeve different from any other sleeve currently on the market.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Incubation Track
Aqualux is a floating autonomous pool robot that continuously monitors water chemistry and precisely dispenses chemicals in real time. By creating a closed-loop system that measures and corrects imbalances automatically, Aqualux transforms pool care from weekly manual intervention into intelligent, continuous optimization.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Incubation Track
CaryMadeThose is a shoe customization venture that specializes in transforming factory-produced shoes and cleats into identity-driven, design-centric products.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Incubation Track
Dunya is a travel-matching platform designed specifically for women and gender minorities who want to explore the world but don’t feel safe traveling alone.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Incubation Track
Leap Water is a still canned lemon water company using the freshest lemons sourced from Italy paired with delicious spring water from Asheville, North Carolina.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Incubation Track
Youniform is a mobile application designed to eliminate the confusion and last-minute hassle of game-day attire for football teams. By providing a centralized, visual platform for coaches and players to select and preview their on-field apparel—including jerseys, sleeves, gloves, and other accessories—Youniform ensures every player is perfectly synchronized before they even step onto the field.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Acceleration Track
CaseMock is an AI-powered interview simulator that lets candidates practice realistic job interviews on demand.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Acceleration Track
Dermalytixs is a rapid, low-cost diagnostic test strip designed for the early detection of Pseudomonas aeruginosa infections.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Acceleration Track
Mello designs mindful experiences for kids and the adults who guide them. We create meditations to fit windows of time teachers and families already have: morning meetings, transitions between classes, post-recess resets, drive to school, pre-test grounding, and bedtime wind-down.
Founder
NVF Mentor
Acceleration Track
Sarah Todd Style encapsulates the essence of easy dressing, confidence, and femininity. The business revolutionizes fashion by being a mainstream clothing brand designed for easy dressing with style in mind.
Founder
NVF Mentor
