Founded in 2014 by Dr. Tom Miller, the was designed to bridge the gap between graduation and full-time entrepreneurship. Many students face a tough choice after earning their degrees: take a traditional job or commit to their startup. The Fellowship ensures that promising entrepreneurs don’t have to choose between financial stability and their business dreams by bridging the gap between graduation and startup growth. 

This year’s cohort represents — from education and fashion to smart home technology and outdoor gear.

Austin is a computer engineering and economics graduate, as well as a native of Iron Station, NC. As the founder of (formerly TutorSmith), he has led the development a that leverages AI-driven curriculum generation to help middle and high school students master foundational skills. It adapts to every student’s needs and provides gameplay to keep learning engaging and match students where they are at. Over the past three years he has bootstrapped the company to deliver over 350 tutoring sessions and is now preparing Asobo for classroom pilots.

At NC State, Austin has immersed himself in the entrepreneurial ecosystem, pitching at Wolf Den, the VenturePack Challenge and Triangle Tweener Madness. He was a part of the 2023 Andrews Launch Accelerator cohort. With the Miller Fellowship, he aims to accelerate Asobo’s rollout in schools and shape the future of personalized educational tools.

Batoul graduated from the Poole College of Management with a bachelors in business administration with a concentration in IT. She is the founder of , a dedicated to delivering high-quality, meaningful clothing . Driven by values of kindness and authenticity, Batoul aims to scale Karam into a global fashion brand recognized for its cultural authenticity, timeless designs and uncompromising quality.

Receiving the Miller Fellowship will allow Batoul to make this vision a reality. She hopes to use the resources provided to strengthen the Karam’s business model, expand the product line and elevate their marketing strategies. In addition, Batoul is working to refine her supply chain, enhance inventory management and improve Karam’s current e-commerce platform to support larger demand.

Braden, a business administration with a concentration in entrepreneurship graduate , co-founded with his brother, Trevor. Their mission is bring consistency, speed and quality to restaurant kitchens through — starting with EasySear, an automated grill system designed to streamline high-volume protein cooking. Born from firsthand experience working every role in their father’s restaurant, the brothers are solving the labor, consistency and cost challenges they have experienced first hand.

As someone who is passionate about building companies that solve real-world problems, Braden is excited to be a part of the Miller Fellowship. The Fellowship will allow him to focus fully on IronPlate post-graduation through mentorship and resources. He hopes to use this time to launch real pilot tests, refine their minimum viable product and lay the foundation to scale the business.

Matthew is a mechanical engineering graduate who has always been drawn to product design and entrepreneurship. After working on side hustles, he took his interest to the next level by joining the Engineering Entrepreneurs Program. In this program, he co-founded, , a that uses facial recognition, voice authentication and a . With Sesame, the team aims to help users securely and conveniently enter their homes.

Through the Miller Fellowship, Matthew is excited to take this idea from a prototype to reality. With goals to improve the reliability of the hardware, optimize user experience and build awareness of the product, he is excited to utilize the mentors and resources in the program.

Marko graduated with a degree in business administration — concentration marketing and a minor in Spanish. He is the founded of during his time at NC State. Nature’s Throne is a startup focused on solving overlooked problems in the outdoor space through simple and functional design. The first product is a . After viral success on social media and $20,000 in funding, the product has a 450+ waitlist. After participating in nearly every entrepreneurship event at NC State, he is excited to be a part of the Miller Fellowship. During this time, Marko hopes to finalize product development, grow online presence and prepare for a crowdfunding launch,bringing Nature’s Throne to outdoor enthusiasts everywhere.

Outside of work with Nature’s Throne, Marko is a local real estate agent. From e-commerce and car washes in high school, to reality and Nature’s throne now, Marko has a passion for being creative and bringing ideas to life.

Andrew, an industrial engineering graduate that is reshaping manufacturing with — an designed to . With a mission to empower creators and makers, 3Bolt AI makes hardware manufacturing more accessible and easily scalable.

Andrew is refining 3Bolt’s technology and business strategy through the Miller Fellowship, aiming to streamline 3D printing for makers and manufacturers alike. He is passionate about driving innovation at the intersection of design, automation and manufacturing.

Through mentorship, funding and strategic guidance, the to build venture-scale businesses, launch meaningful solutions and transform industries. Fellows gain critical entrepreneurial skills, access to valuable resources and a supportive community that helps them navigate the challenges of early-stage business growth.

For aspiring entrepreneurs at NC State, the program serves as a launchpad for innovation, proving that with the right support, big ideas can become a reality.

Learn more about NC State Innovation and Entrepreneurship’s Miller Fellowship program here.

This post was originally published in Entrepreneurship News.