By Zain Hussain

The Edge team hosted Nest Fest on April 23, 2026, in the Presentation Hall at Austin Community College’s Highland Campus. The event was a student startup showcase featuring business ideas and pitches presented by students. There was a wide variety of business concepts on display, and I was also one of the presenters pitching my own idea.

The Edge team is powered by the Entrepreneurship & Innovation Academy and focuses on giving students mentorship and skills to grow their ideas into startups. Its work centers on entrepreneurship education, workforce development, startup events and activities, and startup connections. The first Nest Fest was held during the fall 2025 semester at Riverside Campus.

This semester’s Nest Fest featured nine contestants, each with a unique idea. My presentation focused on a digital marketing agency called Allcaps Digital. The event gave me the opportunity to use my public speaking skills to communicate with the audience. Judges were highly interactive with many presenters, asking questions and learning more about their pitches.

The competition also recognized first-, second- and third-place winners, who received cash prizes. Each winner stood out because of the originality of their concept and its potential impact on their target audience. One lesson from Nest Fest was that it was not just a competition, but also a platform for innovators and creative minds to connect. The event also highlighted the importance of learning how to pitch and communicate creative ideas effectively.