Uprise Energy Wins MIT FutureMakers Finals

We went to New York to compete. We came back with something bigger than a trophy.

On October 22, Uprise Energy won first place at the MIT FutureMakers Finals, taking the top spot among eight companies that advanced from a field of more than 550 startups across global semi-finals. The competition brought together AI security platforms working with BMW and NVIDIA, autonomous drone networks with millions in secured orders, sleep tech companies partnered with Harvard Medical School, and biomaterial innovators redefining tissue regeneration. These weren't early-stage ideas—they were companies with real traction, real customers, and real technology solving hard problems.

Competing against that caliber of company and earning the judges' confidence means something. But what we gained from the event goes far beyond the recognition.

How We Got Here

Our journey to the Finals began with an invitation from Amazon, who saw an alignment between our portable wind turbine technology and their work in clean energy. They connected us to the FutureMakers competition with just days' notice before the Climate & Energy semi-final. We built an entirely new pitch, competed via Zoom against serious companies across the vertical, and placed first—earning our spot among the eight finalists heading to New York.

FutureMakers is the official launch event for TwentySix Ventures, MIT's first student-run venture capital fund. The organizers assembled institutional backing, marquee VCs, and a rigorous evaluation process to identify companies they believe are building the future across seven industry verticals. The competition was designed not just to find winners, but to connect emerging companies with the resources, guidance, and networks they need to scale.

That's exactly what happened.

What the Event Really Delivered

The Finals brought together founders, investors, MIT scholars, students, alumni, and industry professionals in a single room—the kind of concentrated access that would typically take months or years of individual outreach to assemble. We weren't just pitching on stage. We were having conversations with people who understand the markets we're entering, the challenges we're solving, and the capital required to scale renewable energy infrastructure.

The guidance we received from attendees was invaluable. MIT's community showed us what's possible when you have access to a network with genuine reach—connections that can open doors we've been working to access for years. Alumni and institutional relationships within the MIT ecosystem create pathways that would be nearly impossible to develop independently, and the conversations we had during the event made it clear that this network is something we can continue to build on.

We're actively working on multiple projects and investment opportunities that grew directly from those discussions. The event didn't just validate our technology—it created momentum we're now working to capitalize on.

The Competition We Faced

We want to acknowledge the strength of the companies we competed against. WeWard, which took second place, has built a gamified fitness platform that's inspired millions of users to increase their daily activity while contributing to charitable causes. BioChange, in third place, is pioneering 3D biomaterial technology for tissue regeneration with clinical trials and hospital partnerships across Europe and Israel. The other finalists—Xaia, FLYZ Robotics, SOND, C2A Security, and Verifex.ai—are all solving meaningful problems with real technology and real traction.

Being selected as the winner among companies like these is an honor, and we're grateful to have been included in this group. The quality of the competition only reinforces the value of the validation we received from MIT and the judges who evaluated our work.

What Comes Next

This win is not an endpoint. It's a catalyst.

The relationships we've begun to build with the MIT community, the investors we've met, and the guidance we've received are all things we're working to develop further. The MIT network has a reach that extends far beyond what most emerging companies can access on their own, and we're eager to explore where these connections lead.

We're open to conversations with strategic partners, investors, and organizations that recognize the role portable renewable energy will play in reducing dependence on diesel generators across defense, disaster response, and off-grid applications. The technology is proven. The market need is clear. What we're building now is the infrastructure—both operational and relational—to deliver at scale.

If you're working in spaces where our technology could make an impact, or if you're part of networks that can help accelerate what we're building, we'd welcome the conversation. The doors that opened in New York are ones we intend to walk through.

Gratitude and Forward Momentum

We're grateful to TwentySix Ventures, the MIT community, Amazon, and everyone who made FutureMakers possible. The event delivered exactly what it promised—exposure, guidance, and access to people who can help us scale.

Winning first place validates years of R&D, field demonstrations, and the vision we've held for portable wind energy since we started this company. But the real measure of success won't be the trophy on the shelf. It will be the partnerships we form, the capital we raise, and the impact we create as we bring this technology to the markets that need it most.

We're just getting started.