Demo Day Spotlight: Felix Eller and Hit The Town
For those who like to travel, you may often find yourself spending hours internet searching places to go and things to do in anticipation of your next trip – Googling “best local restaurants in (fill in the blank) city,” scrolling Yelp reviews, and trying to find unique hole-in-the-wall spots that haven’t yet gone viral on […]
What Happens Between Sessions: How Bird AI Is Reimagining Mental Health Support
There is a question I have carried with me throughout almost ten years of clinical practice as a therapist: what happens to a person between sessions? A client leaves the office having made progress, feeling heard, maybe a little lighter. And then life continues. The anxiety comes back at 2am. The hard conversation happens on […]
Celebrate Leonardo da Vinci’s 574th Birthday
VCU da Vinci Center Hosts Interactive Arts & Crafts Event for Leonardo da Vinci’s Birthday Richmond, VA – The VCU da Vinci Center at Virginia Commonwealth University is hosting a creative and engaging event on Wednesday, April 15th, inviting students to take a break, get creative, and connect with others. Inspired by the innovative spirit […]
Demo Day Spotlight: Spencer Strebe and Clear Ballot
Spencer Strebe is a VCUarts student known for bold ideas and a creative spark that shows up every time he steps into the Shift Retail Lab. As a two time Shelfie alumnus, Spencer has built a reputation for bringing fresh and unexpected concepts to life. This year at Demo Day, he introduced a venture that […]
Demo Day Spotlight: Natalia Rooks and Tati Tortillas
Tati Tortillas not only taste good – it does good. VCU School of Business student, Natalia Rooks, started the idea for Tati Tortillas with one simple mission: to bring delicious, authentic tortillas to the United States. Natalia first joined the Shelfie program in the Spring of 2025 to start testing her idea, “I lived abroad […]
Demo Day Spotlight: Kendall Liverpool and The Ballad of a Senior Hawkeye
Kendall Liverpool is a VCUarts student whose creativity shines not only through visual work but also through storytelling. At this year’s Demo Day, he introduced The Ballad of a Senior Hawkeye, a novel crafted by a rising author with a clear voice and a strong sense of character. His project brings readers into the world […]
Demo Day Spotlight: Justin Samson and RADLabs (DeepRunAI Labs)
Justin Samson is a VCU College of Humanities and Sciences student with a growing passion for cybersecurity and a commitment to building tools that keep people and systems safe. At Demo Day last fall, he introduced RADLabs DeepRunAI Labs, a venture focused on creating AI driven protection for modern cybersecurity challenges. Justin’s concept centers on […]
Demo Day Spotlight: Gabby Reed-Carlock and Giddi
Gabby Reed-Carlock originally developed the idea for her app, Giddi, as part of a first-year VCU Brandcenter course taught by KT Schaeffer. The assignment was to address a need or pain point that they noticed, and develop a product or service to solve that problem. Gabby and her group addressed the question that, on average, […]
Demo Day Spotlight: Alex Croce and High G Brain Strain Platform
Alex Croce is a VCU College of Engineering student with a passion for tackling problems that others rarely think about. At this year’s Demo Day, he introduced the High G Brain Strain Platform, a venture designed to support people who regularly experience high g force in flight, training, and specialized environments. The platform aims to […]
Demo Day Spotlight: Frances Odoi and CoCoGin LLC
Frances Odoi is a VCU alum, a Shelfie Program alum, and a valued community member whose passion for fresh, natural ingredients led her to create CoCoGin, a juice and beverage brand centered on clean flavors and nourishing blends. At this year’s Demo Day, Frances introduced CoCoGin with a clear mission to offer drinks that taste […]
