Entrepreneurship@DU BASE Campers get ready to refine and grow their innovations at summer incubator
A frustrating diagnostic process. Outdated aviation software. Recovery from injury and illness. Craving the party without the buzz. Missing cultural representation in fashion. A simple hydration discovery halfway across the world.
These personal experiences inspired six new ventures selected for Entrepreneurship@DU’s 2026 BASE Camp summer accelerator program cohort. Over five intense weeks, the following eight University of Denver students and alumni will work alongside mentors, industry experts and fellow founders to refine their business models, test assumptions and prepare for growth.
Sean Mahoney
Sebastian Scalera
Northstar | Sebastian Scalera (MA 2026) and Sean Mahoney (MA 2024) are drawing on their DU education in sport and performance psychology and personal experiences navigating autoimmune disease and spinal cord injury to build a mental performance training and coaching practice. The team has a podcast and is preparing to scale its approach to mental fitness through an app currently in beta testing and scheduled for public launch this summer.
Their goal: Expand access to world-class mental performance training to all aspirational individuals
Juliana Ramirez
Kira Frey
Second-year undergraduate students Kira Frey and Juliana Ramirez are working to make ADHD, autism spectrum disorder and other developmental screenings faster and more accessible to families. They both experienced yearslong waitlists for neurodivergence testing, followed by expensive evaluations not covered by insurance. Their team won the 4impact Challenge in March 2026 and is continuing to develop its wearable EEG headset, AI-powered analysis and multilingual app through BASE Camp.
Their goal: Build the neurodivergence screening solution they wish existed when they were kids.
Summit Milone
Full-time Denver MBA student Summit Milone is taking on the fast-growing non-alcoholic beverage market, but not from a sobriety or wellness angle. Frustrated by the poor taste and limited alcohol-free beverage options at bars, events and clubs, she’s building a premium mocktail brand that’s focused on the social experience, based on her belief that many people who don’t drink alcohol still crave the ritual of enjoying a craft cocktail with friends. She is launching her retro nightlife-inspired brand with Lycheetini and Berry Hibiscus Margarita mocktails—developed with the help of a food scientist at CSU Spur.
Her goal: Bring palatable non-alcoholic beverage options to bars and nightclubs for those who want to be social without suffering the negative effects of alcohol consumption.
Noah Berman
Fourth-year applied computing student Noah Berman is also an airline pilot, software engineer and entrepreneur. He’s helped aircraft owners manage maintenance and operational logistics through his business at Centennial Airport. Frustrated by outdated aviation software, he built his own solution, then realized the technology represented a larger business opportunity. Now, he’s pivoting away from direct service and toward scaling his software to bring AI-powered predictive maintenance features, real-time monitoring and improved scheduling capabilities to fellow aviation professionals, helping operators improve both efficiency and safety.
His goal: Modernize aircraft management software capabilities with improved safety and efficiency tools for aviators.
Chance Nardone
Air Force veteran and third-year marketing and entrepreneurship student Chance Nardone is developing an electrolyte-forward hydration beverage based on three simple ingredients—coconut water, lemon juice and sea salt. Inspired by the popularity of coconut water throughout southeast Asia, Nardone is working through product development, branding and a strategy to bring his natural sports drink alternative to market.
His goal: Develop a globally inspired simple, healthy, natural hydration beverage for U.S. consumers.
Saylessa Nepal
Kanchiko
Health informatics and management alumna Saylesa Nepal (MS 2025) is relaunching a fashion brand she created to help find balance between her Nepali heritage and life in Western cultures. Her clothing line, which has been featured at Denver Fashion Week, blends traditional Nepali textiles and design elements with modern fashion trends. The brand is not just about the clothing—it’s about identity.
Her goal: Reclaim cultural identity through ethically sourced and artisan-made fashion.
BASE Camp runs July 24-Aug. 27 and culminates in a final pitch competition. Learn more about the program at daniels.du.edu/entrepreneurship/base-camp and stay tuned for more stories about the startup ventures’ journeys through BASE Camp 2026.