Davidson Alums Shine at Chicago Start Up Competition

 

Odysseas Koufos '25 and Christos Koumpotis '23 competed in the 2026 New Venture Challenge at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, one of the most prestigious startup competitions in the world. Out of hundreds of applicants, Unloket was selected as a finalist, and the team walked away with $25,000 in funding.

 

But the prize is just part of the story. Through the competition, Unloket refined its business model, sharpened its go-to-market strategy, brought on globally influential advisors in hospitality, and launched its product across dozens of hotels around the world. And with 18 properties set to go live globally very soon, that traction is only accelerating.

 

Unloket is an AI concierge platform rooted in a simple but powerful idea: philoxenia, a Greek word meaning "treating every stranger as an honored guest." The platform helps independent hotels and short-term rental operators deliver that kind of care instantly, personally, and around the clock.

 

Both Odysseas and Christos are Nisbet Venture Fund alumni, and watching them take that momentum from Davidson all the way to Chicago has been something special. We are so proud of everything they have built and cannot wait to see what comes next.

 

Congratulations, Odysseas and Christos. The Wildcat community is behind you.