Brandywine LaunchBox hosts Road to LionCage Pitch Competition

MEDIA, Pa. — The Brandywine LaunchBox kicked off its third season of Road to LionCage — a series of pitch competitions that award prize money and guarantee the first-place winners’ entry into November’s LionCage Pitch Competition — on March 18 in the Brandywine Makerspace. The pitch competition featured six early stage entrepreneurs pitching their business ideas as well as a keynote address from Marcia O’Connor, founder and CEO of the O’Connor Group.

The winner of the Road to LionCage Pitch Competition, Nicole Rayfield, won for her startup Table Trolley, a product that helps transport folding tables with ease. Second place was awarded to Nic Esposito for his startup Circa Systems, an artificial intelligence assistant that aids in point-of-sales systems.

Tony Mattei, director of entrepreneurship and digital marketing at Penn State Brandywine, noted how LionCage has come a long way in the past two years, giving away nearly $80,000 in prize money.

“We kicked off LionCage in 2024 and had over 60 applicants and 30 contestants. We gave away $35,000 in prize money. In 2025, we had 50 applicants, 23 contestants and gave away $39,000 in prize money,” he said. “The Road to LionCage series gets the ball rolling on this larger competition, with contestants pitching from around southeastern Pennsylvania and giving winners automatic entry into the November event.”

Regional Chancellor Marilyn J. Wells gave opening remarks and mentioned what makes Penn State Brandywine unique.

“I was recently asked what made our campus so unique, and I shared that Penn State Brandywine is a village. We have extraordinary places and spaces, and we have extraordinary opportunities where people can learn, grow and thrive, and that’s exactly what we’re doing tonight,” she said. “I went on to say that our people are very passionate and have deep pride for their disciplines, fields of studies and for each other. Out of that passion and pride evokes great imagination and creativity. Our people are change makers. Everyone here tonight is a part of our community and are a part of our change makers.”

Judges for the pitch competition were O’Connor, as well as Panthini Patel, founder and CEO of GiLi Solutions, and Bonnie Ravina, founder of Full Circle: 360 Marketing.

LionCage is delivered in partnership with the Great Valley LaunchBox and the Ideas x Innovation Network.

Brandywine LaunchBox is a signature program of Invent Penn State, a commonwealth-wide initiative to spur economic development, job creation and student career success. As one of the University’s 21 innovation hubs across Pennsylvania, the Brandywine LaunchBox provides programs and resources for early stage entrepreneurs.

The next competition in the Road to LionCage series will be held on Tuesday, April 21, at Penn State Abington. The LionCage Pitch Competition is slated for Friday, Nov. 6, at Penn State Great Valley.