A team of four University of Notre Dame undergraduate students won the national competition America’s Startup with their pitch for a data security company, alongside nine other teams from universities across the country.
America’s Startup is a collegiate competition created to highlight and support young entrepreneurs. It’s part of the America Innovates initiative run by America250, a Congress-created organization leading the nation’s celebration of the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.
Student teams submitted their startup ideas earlier this year, and the selected semifinalists were invited to Draper University in California for the final competition. They pitched their ideas to and networked with America’s Startup Investor Council, a group of prominent Silicon Valley business leaders and investors.
The Notre Dame team drew interdisciplinary expertise from across campus: sophomore Peter Bae, a computer science and economics major in the College of Arts & Letters; junior Kamsi Ejike, biochemistry major in the College of Science; junior Rodrigo Fernandez, finance major in the Mendoza College of Business; and sophomore Lucky Borlongan, computer science major in the College of Engineering.
“It felt great to see our hard work pay off after putting so much time and effort into this company. Beyond the funding, we are extremely grateful for the publicity and the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, influential investors, and mentors.”
The startup, KorGuard LLC, provides compliance infrastructure for organizations that use artificial intelligence tools like Gemini and ChatGPT, employing real-time scanning to ensure sensitive information is protected.
“KorGuard is built on the belief that if AI is going to serve the human good, we must fundamentally reimagine how institutions approach privacy, data security, and data loss prevention,” Ejike said. “Our vision for security in the AI adoption era is to unite ingenuity with human agency, helping users identify sensitive information in real time, recognize risk, and exercise responsible judgment.”
Other winning ideas addressed real-world issues ranging from accessible gaming to breast cancer treatment, and explored several emerging themes in the future of American business and technology. Each team will receive $25,000 in nondilutive funding for their projects, as well as mentorship and opportunities for further investment.
“When I heard our name called on stage, it was hard to contain my happiness,” Bae said. “It felt great to see our hard work pay off after putting so much time and effort into this company. Beyond the funding, we are extremely grateful for the publicity and the chance to connect with like-minded individuals, influential investors, and mentors.”
Originally published at al.nd.edu by Adah McMillan on May 20, 2026.