WPI Alum Nicolas Gronda Wins First Place at The Venture Forum 5-Minute Pitch Competition with His Startup Croi

We are thrilled to announce that Nicolas Gronda, founder of Croi, has won first place at the prestigious The Venture Forum 5-Minute Pitch Competition! Nick’s journey is a testament to the power of dedication, innovation, and the supportive ecosystem at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI).

Croi, the startup Nick has passionately developed over the past two years, is revolutionizing how high school students and their families approach the college decision-making process. With a mission to empower students and families to navigate college decisions with confidence, Croi provides innovative tools and resources that demystify the application and selection process, making higher education more accessible and informed for everyone.

Nick, who graduated from WPI this May with a degree in Management Engineering, has been passionately building Croi for the past two years. Last summer, he participated in the Goat Impact Summer Accelerator (GISA) at WPI, where he sharpened his skills in product development, business modeling, customer discovery, and pitching. His hard work earned him second place at the WPI Demo Day in September, and now, this recent victory further solidifies his position as a rising star in student entrepreneurship.

Zachary Dutton, Executive Director of The Venture Forum, praised Nick during the winner announcement, saying, “The top prize goes to Nick and Croi, and it’s clear the work he has put into the business and the milestones he has achieved in such a short period of time.”

Croi’s success is a reflection of the incredible support and resources offered by the WPI i3Lab, where Nick and his team now operate daily from the incubation space at 50 Prescott St. "I am very grateful to WPI and the i3Lab team for their help, mentorship, resources, and office space,” said Nick. “They have gone above and beyond to connect me with opportunities for non-dilutive funding.”

Professor Rosanna Garcia, the Beswick Endowed Chair of Entrepreneurship at WPI, attended the event with her team and WPI students. She expressed pride in Nick’s achievements, stating, “It’s wonderful to see such a transformation from when Nick started his journey to where he is now. His success makes us proud of our work and the impact we have on student entrepreneurship.”

Ardian Preci, Director of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Programs at the WPI i3Lab, emphasized the importance of the night for Worcester’s entrepreneurial community. “Tonight was a great entrepreneurship event in Worcester and a wonderful highlight of the entrepreneurial ecosystem growing and taking shape. The fact that one of our student startups won first place is a rewarding reflection of our daily efforts to nurture entrepreneurial mindsets among WPI students.”

Congratulations to Nick and the Croi team on this remarkable achievement!