VetsinTech Announces Winners of Annual Tech Startup Pitch Contest

Hardshell Named Grand Prize Winner in National Veteran-Led Startup Event

SAN FRANCISCO, Aug. 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- VetsinTech, the leading national nonprofit dedicated to supporting U.S. veterans through tech-based programs and opportunities in education, employment and entrepreneurship, today announced the winners of its sixth annual Startup Pitch Contest. The event, hosted by VetsinTech with presenting sponsor J.P. Morgan, showcased five early-stage startups founded by veterans.

From a competitive field of semi-finalists, Hardshell was named the grand prize winner and awarded $25,000 during a live, in-person pitch event held at Andreessen Horowitz's San Francisco office on August 20, 2026.

Hardshell, co-founded by Hunter Moore and Andrew Schoka, is an AI data security company that helps enterprises safely use sensitive and proprietary data with AI systems while keeping that data within their own environments. Its platform identifies and tests for data-exposure vulnerabilities, monitors how AI systems retrieve and use enterprise data, and applies protections designed to prevent leakage or unauthorized extraction without compromising AI performance.

"Winning the VetsinTech Startup Pitch Competition is meaningful validation of the problem we're solving and the company we're building," said Andrew Schoka, Co-Founder and CEO of Hardshell. "As enterprises move quickly to adopt AI, protecting the sensitive data that powers those systems has become mission-critical. We're grateful to VetsinTech and J.P. Morgan for backing veteran entrepreneurs and giving companies like ours the opportunity to turn ambitious ideas into businesses with real-world impact."

The second place winner, Bandelier Technologies, was awarded the $10,000 prize. Bandelier Technologies is a New Mexico-based deep-tech company commercializing quantum sensing, imaging and networking technologies originating from U.S. national laboratories. Its technology is designed to deliver advanced detection, precision navigation and more resilient communications for defense, national security and commercial applications, particularly in complex or contested environments where conventional sensing systems can fall short.

Third place went to Hyperios Technologies, which was awarded $5,000. Hyperios Technologies is a defense and space technology company developing physics-aware AI and distributed sensor-fusion software for space domain awareness and missile warning. Its cloud-native platform combines data from existing, disparate sensor networks to provide earlier detection and more confident characterization of threats, including rocket launches, ballistic missiles and spacecraft re-entry events—without requiring additional sensor hardware.

Each participating startup was required to be founded by a U.S. military veteran offer a tech solution with applications in cybersecurity, AI, space, fintech or enterprise SaaS and more. A focus on volunteerism and positive community impact was also a judging criteria. Winners were selected by a panel of industry experts, investors and tech executives.

Veteran-owned businesses comprise about 5.3%–5.4% of U.S. businesses, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. 

"Every year our founders raise the bar, and this year's winners are no exception. What struck me was the range of problems these veteran entrepreneurs are taking on, and the discipline they bring to solving them. We're proud to give their work a national stage. And we're most grateful to J.P. Morgan for standing with this community, year after year," said Katherine Webster, Founder and CEO of VetsinTech.

About VetsInTech
Based in San Francisco with more than 125,000 veterans and 28 chapters across the country, VetsinTech is the leading national non-profit devoted 100% to springboarding veterans into tech careers. VetsinTech harnesses the national technology ecosystem to help veterans returning from active military duty pursue new technology careers by applying their exceptional training, skills, and experience. Comprising technology industry leaders and former service members, VetsinTech is the only non-profit supporting veterans and military spouses through tech-based education, employment, and entrepreneurship programs. Learn more at www.vetsintech.co.

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SOURCE VetsinTech