Encore CO2 and LSU Team Capture Top Honors at Inaugural Nexus Technology Cup
By Jordan Arceneaux – June 23, 2025
BATON ROUGE — At last week’s inaugural Nexus Technology Cup, Baton Rouge innovators Encore CO2 and the Louisiana State University (LSU) student team FarmSmarter.AI claimed top honors in their respective competition categories, highlighting the region’s burgeoning technology ecosystem.
Encore CO2 Dominates Open Track, Wins Most Innovative Award
Encore CO2, founded by entrepreneurs Jordan Losavio, William McGehee, and John Flake, secured first place in the open track of the competition. In addition to taking the top spot, the company earned the Most Innovative Award, together bringing in $45,000 in prize money.
The Baton Rouge-based company is at the forefront of advancing a circular carbon economy, turning captured carbon dioxide emissions into valuable consumer products, including pharmaceuticals. A key aspect of their innovation focuses on supporting zero-emission polymer manufacturing by utilizing clean energy sources. One of their flagship projects involves repurposing CO2 emissions from a local brewery to produce what is billed as the world’s first hard seltzer made from CO2. Encore CO2’s promising technology and business model have attracted significant funding, including a $275,000 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from the National Science Foundation. Earlier this year, in February, the company also received $200,000 from the Future Use of Energy in Louisiana (FUEL) Proof-of-Concept Fund.
Other notable competitors in the open track included:
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Unknown Cyber: A Lafayette-based team of University of Louisiana at Lafayette professors Arun Lakhotia, James Hess, Lee Hubbard, Chris Thibodeaux, and Evan Vamperine. Their AI-driven platform offers genomic threat detection tools aimed at securing software supply chains and critical infrastructure with real-time, automated defense capabilities.
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MilestoneMate: Founded by New Orleans entrepreneur Shay Claiborne, this digital platform supports early childhood development by enabling parents and professionals to track growth milestones, deliver personalized recommendations, and facilitate early intervention via a user-friendly centralized experience.
The open track finalists were selected from over 80 applicants, with 11 teams making it to the final competition round.
LSU’s FarmSmarter.AI Wins College Track
In the college track, LSU’s FarmSmarter.AI team captured first place and a $15,000 prize. The group developed an AI-powered farming assistant designed to aid agricultural producers by identifying plant species, diagnosing crop issues, and empowering data-driven decision-making.
The team members—Grant Muslow, Colin Raby, Julius Pallotta, and Cole Lacomb—received mentorship from Fahimeh Abbasi of LSU’s Stephenson Department of Entrepreneurship and Information Systems.
Additional top finishers in the college track included:
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APNE: Led by Mehrasa Amiri with advising from LSU faculty Mahmood Jasim, this platform uses artificial intelligence combined with human review to detect bias and misinformation within news media.
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Dristi: Developed by Unika Bista and Divya Shah from the University of Louisiana at Monroe, under the guidance of Prasanthi Sreekumari, this mobile application leverages AI to provide real-time scene descriptions for visually impaired users, enhancing accessibility and independence.
High School Innovators Also Recognized
Two high school teams were invited to showcase their innovations and were awarded $2,500 each.
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Hexlio, created by Benjamin Namikas of Baton Rouge High School and advised by Lai Cao, is a productivity app that combines task management with distraction elimination tools to help users maintain focus.
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Poseidon, designed by West Monroe High School students Ren Hopkins, Aiden Bass, and Brady Afeman, is a fully custom-built robot engineered independently with faculty support from Alison and Zachary Lovelady.
The Nexus Technology Cup’s inaugural event underscores the vibrant innovation landscape within Louisiana and the vital role of academic institutions and startups in driving technological advancements in diverse fields, from environmental sustainability and cybersecurity to agriculture and accessibility.
For more information and updates on future competitions, visit the Baton Rouge Business Report online.
Contact: Jordan Arceneaux, Baton Rouge Business Report
Email: [contact information]
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