But he knows what he's looking for."
Ten minutes later, the winners are announced. Some sustainable snack delivery startup takes the grand prize. Jian shrugs, and Maddy rolls her eyes so hard I think they might get stuck. We don't win the pitch day, but as we walk out into the bright October sun, the card in my hand feels heavier than any trophy. That night, we order takeout and dissect every second of the pitch. Maddy reads Elad's card aloud in a fake spy-movie voice. Jian pulls up every reference he missed. I obsess over how we can do better next time. But for now, we have a direction, a story, and a business card. For the first time, I believe we might actually be building something that matters.