The Return of Babson’s ePitch

Overview of the ballroom during Torq's presentation at ePitch
Listen

The first thing about the inaugural ePitch that caught the attention of Joanna Geisinger Devin MBA’17 was the prize money: $100,000.

The other thing was the “Shark Tank” vibe and how one of the show’s former contestants, Jamie Siminoff ’99, H’21, was a judge. “I thought it was really cool,” she said. “I’m a big fan of ‘Shark Tank,’ so having him there was super fun.”

Joanna Geisinger Devin MBA’17
Joanna Geisinger Devin MBA’17

A pitch competition veteran, Geisinger Devin was a product of the Summer Venture Program and won the graduate track of the 2017 B.E.T.A. Challenge. So, she thought it’d be natural to enter ePitch and pitch her company, Torq Interface, a platform that connects hospitals and medical device representatives to streamline surgical scheduling.

“I can talk about Torq in my sleep,” she said, “so I figured I’d throw my hat in the ring. Plus, the $100,000 is great.”

Geisinger Devin’s pitch at the inaugural ePitch, held during the College’s Centennial celebration in 2019, sparked a “Shark Tank”-like feeding frenzy among the investor-judges and ultimately netted her the grand prize of $100,000 as the first winner of ePitch.

Now, more than two years later, ePitch is back.

ePitch Re-emerges

Launched to celebrate the start of Babson’s second century, ePitch is the College’s most exciting pitch competition and is organized by eTower and The Arthur M. Black Center for Entrepreneurship. Now, ePitch returns for its second iteration April 19 during eMerge Americas, the first and largest tech conference in Miami.

Siminoff, the famed founder and chief inventor of Ring, also returns to ePitch as head judge. The “Shark Tank” contestant-turned-shark will lead a panel of investors, who will hear pitches from the three finalists:

The three finalists will be competing for the grand prize of $100,000 (with the potential for more) and the title of ePitch champion. The honor and impact of winning ePitch is something only Geisinger Devin knows.

In a 15-minute flurry at the first ePitch, Geisinger Devin received upward of $170,000 in investment offers, including $25,000 from Siminoff. Ultimately, she declined the offers, because the company was not raising capital at the time. “I think if we were, it would have been different,” she said, “but it was definitely flattering.”

But, Torq Interface did walk away with the $100,000 prize money.

A line of dignitaries pose with an oversized check for $100,000
Joanna Geisinger Devin MBA’17 (second from right) poses with the $100,000 check after winning the inaugural ePitch in 2019.

Beyond ePitch

At the time Torq won ePitch, Geisinger Devin’s company was pre-revenue, finalizing a contract with a big orthopedic company, and mostly limited to New England. Now, Torq is generating revenue, maintains several key partnerships, and is operating in more than 100 facilities in 32 states.

“We’ve grown tremendously,” Geisinger Devin said.

The ePitch money primarily helped the company through a pivotal period, covering about three months of operating expenses, as well as some important security upgrades. Since then, Torq has maintained its growth trajectory, especially through the pandemic when hospitals were desperate for efficient and cost-effective digital solutions.


“Babson gave me the freedom to focus on the company. My MBA allowed me to learn more about things I had never been exposed to. I look back on my Babson experiences, and I’m so grateful for it.”
Joanna Geisinger Devin MBA’17, co-founder and CEO of Torq Interface

Torq’s ability to connect hospitals and device companies to streamline surgical procedures helped solve a growing problem. “I think device companies realized they had no insight into what was happening,” Geisinger Devin said. “The fluctuation and the demand was crazy because of COVID, and so they reached out to us to cope with that.”

Geisinger Devin, who conceived of her company during her time as a medical devices representative, says reps tell her all the time that they couldn’t live without Torq. “It’d be hard to go back to being blind to what’s happening and going into surgery without knowing if it’s canceled or delayed,” she said. “Now, they can just look at their phone and see if it’s on time or if they don’t need to bother going in. The schedule is more volatile than ever.”

Enduring Impact

Joanna Geisinger Devin MBA’17 (right) talks to President Stephen Spinelli Jr. MBA’92, PhD (left) and Tim Chae ’13.

It has been 2½ years since Geisinger Devin won ePitch, but the impact of the experience endures.

“I thought it was an amazing experience, obviously,” she said. “Every time you pitch, you get better and better. And, you just learn to handle pressure a little bit more, which is always important.”

Geisinger Devin also credits her time at Babson as a whole for helping develop her venture.

“Babson gave me the freedom to focus on the company,” she said, noting her independent research projects, her professors, and her classmates. “My MBA allowed me to learn more about things I had never been exposed to. I look back on my Babson experiences, and I’m so grateful for it.”

Posted in Community

More from Community »

Latest Stories

Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis applauds while sitting at a table during a BCERC dinner
Honoring Andrew ‘Zach’ Zacharakis for 20 Years as BCERC Director As the 45th annual entrepreneurship research conference returns to Babson’s campus, BCERC pays tribute to Professor Andrew “Zach” Zacharakis for two decades of service. Zacharakis shares reflections of BCERC and its impact.
By
Eric Beato
Editor / Writer
Eric Beato
Eric Beato is the Editor of Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. A native of Chicago and a graduate of the University of Missouri School of Journalism, Eric has worked as an editor and writer at newspapers across the country, including the Chicago Sun-Times and Boston Herald. Eric joined Babson College in 2019 after working as the communications director for a private educational travel company and as the managing editor of six regional sports publications.
June 16, 2025

Posted in Community, Entrepreneurial Leadership

Public safety dog surrounded by students.
It’s All in the Name: Hero the Dog Brings Safety and Smiles to Babson Trained by the state police, Babson’s newest Public Safety dog comes with unique skills to boost campus safety and community engagement.
By
Hillary Chabot
Writer
Hillary Chabot
Hillary Chabot is a writer for Babson Thought & Action and Babson Magazine. An award-winning journalist, she is known for her insightful reporting and dedication to detailed storytelling. With a career spanning over two decades, she has covered a wide range of topics, from presidential campaigns and government policy to neighborhood issues and investigative series. As a reporter for The Boston Herald, Hillary earned a reputation for tenacity and integrity. Her work at Babson College fuels her passions—to learn something new every day and conduct thoughtful, empathic interviews. She’s thrilled to be at Babson College, where students, faculty, staff members and classes provide compelling copy daily.
June 12, 2025

Posted in Community

Runners pose for a photo on a rainy day at Babson
The 10K for Babson: A Rainy Run and a New Fundraising Record  Those running and walking in the 10K for Babson faced soggy conditions, but the annual event raised the most money in its history for the Melissa Shaak Student Emergency Fund.
By
John Crawford
Senior Journalist
John Crawford
A writer for Babson Thought & Action and the Babson Magazine, John Crawford has been telling the College’s entrepreneurial story for more than 15 years. Assignments for Babson have taken him from Rwanda to El Salvador, from the sweet-smelling factory of a Pennsylvania candy maker, to the stately Atlanta headquarters of an NFL owner, to the bustling office of a New York City fashion designer. Beyond his work for Babson, he has written articles and essays for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Notre Dame Magazine, The Good Men Project, and other publications. He can be found on Twitter, @crawfordwriter, where he tweets about climate change.
June 11, 2025

Posted in Community