News & Event Info

Entrepreneurs and founders from across the region are invited to apply for a chance to pitch live at the Musikfest Café on August 4, 2026, for a share of more than $20,000 in prizes.

Fresh off their win at StartUp Lehigh Valley, AcQumen Medical has achieved another major milestone, securing the grand prize at the Minnesota Cup, the country's largest statewide startup competition. The company continues to build on the momentum and messaging honed during their time with SULV. AcQumen's CEO, Dori Jones, credits the preparation for StartUp Lehigh Valley for helping her craft the concise and impactful message: "stickers on the skin - no needles, no catheters." This

StartUp Lehigh Valley brought the spirit of innovation to Musikfest this year! 🚀 Six dynamic startups pitched live to a panel of judges, with over $26K in prizes awarded. Top honors went to AcQumen Medical’s UltraTrac ($20K), with additional awards for Lectra ($3K), Hydron Desalination ($2K), Sylf (Audience Choice), and KiposTech (Ventures Lab support).

StartUp Lehigh Valley, presented by Lehigh University, is back with six standout startups ready to take the spotlight at its sixth annual pitch competition. Set for Tuesday, August 5, 2025, at Musikfest Café in South Bethlehem, the event unfolds during the region’s iconic Musikfest and will be broadcast live on 69 WFMZ TV.

This past fall, Awad took first place in the 2024 StartUp Lehigh Valley Pitch Competition, earning a nearly $25,000 prize. “I didn’t go in expecting to win,” he says. “There were so many strong tech competitors. I just wanted to have fun with it and share what I’ve been working on.”

Musikfest and Lehigh University Team Up for StartUp Showdown on August 5, 2025.