Demo Day 2025: Celebrating a Decade of Student Innovation at The Basement

“I love watching these remarkable student teams engage with attendees—sharing the inspiration behind their creations, the impact they hope to make, and of course, that infectious energy that fills the room,” said Jacques Chirazi, Director of The Basement. 

Unlike past years, this Demo Day coincided with another notable moment in The Basement’s history, one that was met with cake. 

The Basement’s Ten-Year Journey

This year marks a significant milestone for The Basement, which celebrates its tenth anniversary since its founding in 2015. The commemorations began earlier this year with an event highlighting the full breadth of what The Basement has grown to offer.

What was initially going to be called Thirty-Two Degrees North— an homage to its first location in the Mandeville basement, once traversed by the historic Pacific Coast Highway—the space now resides adjacent to the Central Campus Trolley Station. After forming well over 400 teams and 50 companies over the last ten years, The Basement’s extensive network of entrepreneurs and innovators is a testament to the impact it has had on the campus and regional innovation ecosystem. 

Watch and learn more about the history of The Basement. 

“Looking back, it’s remarkable to see how far we’ve come,” added Chirazi. “Ten years ago, the innovation and entrepreneurship infrastructure available to students was quite limited, particularly in terms of direct support and access to dedicated innovation spaces. Today, we celebrate all we’ve accomplished and look ahead with excitement at what’s to come.”

“When I think of what draws me to the Basement, it’s the energy of the students,” said Jeffery Belk, one of the founders of The Basement. “It's the passion of the Basement staff supporting the students and the mission, and watching the incredible cycle each year – going from nervous students at the beginning of the year, to true entrepreneurs at the end. It's always exciting to see!”

German Flores, ’20, a former Blackstone LaunchPad participant and panelist at the 10-Year Anniversary Founder Fireside, reflected on the role The Basement played in his journey. While serving as host of the 2025 Demo Day pitch competition, he shared:

“When I joined The Basement, I still hadn’t found a community to call my own, so the Basement became my family,” said Flores. “The Basement was a crucial part in feeling like I was part of something at UC San Diego… that was also advancing my career. It made me always want to give back to student founders.”

This spirit of community, mentorship, and transformation is what fuels The Basement year after year. With each cohort, new ideas take root, skills sharpen, and confidence builds—laying the groundwork for moments, like Demo Day, when students step into the spotlight to share how far they’ve come. 

Demo Day: Showtime for Student Innovators

This year, twenty-one student teams showed off their creations at The Basement during the largest Demo Day in history, with over 430 attendees. While teams shared their journey, some for the first time, the event became a space for meaningful dialogue, inspiration, and the kind of real-time feedback that helps these founders strengthen their ideas.

Attendees met AnxieTee, founded by Maya Chalissery and Matthew Fagen as a part of MAE 154: Product Design and Entrepreneurship, a project which they continued to pursue as Blackstone LaunchPad participants. The pair introduced their vision for helping young adults (ages 18-30) with managing moderate to severe anxiety with a discreet, wearable solution that offers real-time relief through its sensory features.

“This idea is deeply personal for us. We hope AnxieTee empowers users to manage their physical symptoms of anxiety without needing to step away, draw attention, or rely solely on medication,” Maya explained of her startup. “We want them to feel more in control, confident, and able to participate in everyday activities — whether that’s taking an exam, commuting to work, or attending a social event — without anxiety getting in the way.”

Innovation extended beyond ground-up entrepreneurship: one i4X team, in collaboration with TESIAC, showcased a solution to improve campus mobility through autonomous transit. They developed a mobile transit planning document aimed at enhancing student safety during nighttime commutes. 

Watch this Demo Day 2025 recap.

Pitch Competition 

To round out the day, five Blackstone LaunchPad teams pitched their startups to a packed room and judges panel, which included members of the UC San Diego innovation ecosystem: 

• Andy White, Startup Operations, Keshif Ventures
• Diana Barbiani, Growth Strategist, The Rep Academy
• Andrew Schafer, Investor and Entrepreneur-in-Residence, UC San Diego
• Briana Weisinger, Assistant Regional Director, San Diego & Imperial SBDC Network

Prizes totaled over $65,000 and were awarded to the top three pitches as well as the audience choice pick, with first place proudly sponsored by Pillsbury Law.

Each finalist elaborated upon their purpose for founding the startup and explained how their ideas will address a unique problem. Among the more than 20 teams participating in the Blackstone LaunchPad program, five had the opportunity to pitch at Demo Day: 

• Axonara Biosciences is developing methods for genetic testing at the point of care in brain diseases. 
• BCI Buddy is creating more hands-on neuroscience and engineering education for kids through playful, neurotechnology-based activities.
• Bioverify Labs is improving ways to validate sustainability claims for eco-friendly plastics through environmental testing and certification.
• Nocturnal Neuro is creating a wearable electroencephalogram (EEG) headband to diagnose bipolar disorder and depression earlier. 
• UniWise is an AI-powered Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that reduces administrative burden in outpatient care and improves efficiency.

The student startup winners of the Demo Day pitch competition 2025 were:

First Place: UniWise

Founder: Tristin Esfandiari

Second Place: Nocturnal Neuro

Founder: Ishika Agarwal

Third Place: BCI Buddy

Founder: Cassia Rizq

Audience Choice Award: Hungie

Founder: Kamaal Walker

Following their wins, each team shared their respective plans for the awarded capital to advance their startups to the next stage of their entrepreneurial journey.

As first place winner Tristin Esfandiari explained, “This [win] means we’re heading in the right direction – that [we] are solving the right problems, and that people believe in us.” He plans to utilize AI to decrease clinical administrative spending, previously thought of as a herculean task."

Hear from First Place Winner Tristan Esfandiari as he shares what inspired the creation of UniWise and what’s next on the horizon.

“Demo Day gives our students exposure not just on campus, but across the greater San Diego innovation ecosystem— a chance for them to truly shine and flourish,” concluded Christine Liou, Assistant Director of the Basement. “Showcasing what students have accomplished over the year, especially for students who came here with just an idea, is how we inspire others to see the value of their ideas. That's the real power of innovation at UC San Diego.” 

We’ll see you next year for another round of pitches and celebration! Save the Date – Demo Day returns on May 21, 2026. 

Want to see plenty more pictures from this event? Check out the full gallery for Demo Day 2025.

Learn more about what you can do with your big ideas at The Basement.
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