Aggie engineers take on South by Southwest
Texas A&M’s Akshaj Kumar and Valerie McNeill leveraged their college experiences and entrepreneurship skills to pitch their startup to investors at the Austin-based conference on March 13-14.
Akshaj Kumar and Valerie McNeill pitched their company at SXSW 2026.
Two students from the Texas A&M University College of Engineering took their startup to one of the largest stages in Texas: South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin. Akshaj Kumar, an NSF Graduate Fellow and master’s student in aerospace engineering, and Valerie McNeill, a senior industrial distribution student, came together to pitch Arrow Analytics — a startup aimed at developing an AI-powered sizing system for carry-on baggage.
As a frequent flyer, Kumar has experienced the many inconveniences of air travel. While stuck in an 8-hour layover, he wondered why these issues had not been solved, which led him to ask, “Why can’t I solve them?” As an aerospace engineer with a personal drive for entrepreneurship, Kumar quickly realized this was the perfect niche to apply his interests and skills.
The resulting startup, Arrow Analytics, set out with the goal of creating an automated carry-on baggage sizing technology. After a successful pilot through the Gerald R. Ford International Airport Ford Launchpad for Innovative Technologies and Entrepreneurship (FLITE) program, Arrow Analytics signed a production contract in 2025 with the airport to make Kumar’s ideas a physical reality.
Valerie McNeill, who already knew Kumar through the Meloy Program, joined a year into the startup’s existence as chief commercial officer. McNeill, a 2023-24 Meloy Fellow, brought years of experience to the company as a multi-time startup co-founder and pitch competition finalist.
Preparing to persuade
The selection process was lengthy, and Kumar spent two months writing and editing their application. While many startups try to oversell their product, Kumar completed their application with the mindset of delivering the truth to judges.
As founder, he knew that McNeill would be the perfect person to pitch Arrow Analytics.
“I couldn’t have picked anyone else,” Kumar said. “Early on, Val said that her dream was to pitch at SXSW. If you have someone motivated innately for a project, let them do it, because they will do it the best.”
McNeill was confident with five pitches at Texas A&M under her belt, but she did not take the preparation process lightly.
“This has been the biggest opportunity of my life and means so much to me,” she said. “I invested in the skills and Texas A&M provided the opportunities. Being able to do all of this before graduation has been really special.”
Valerie McNeill (far right) pitching to judges on stage at SXSW.
Academic support
Like many entrepreneurs within the College of Engineering, Kumar and McNeill credit the Meloy Program as a foundational part of their respective journeys. Kumar recalled pitching his idea to program professor Chris Curran, who has been involved in the process since day one.
“Usually, when I gave him an idea, he would tell me to go back to the drawing board,” Kumar said. “But for this one, Professor Curran said that it had real potential and to go for it.”
McNeill echoed Kumar’s sentiment as someone who considered Curran her teacher despite never officially taking one of his classes.
“The Meloy Program professors offer constructive feedback and are generous with their time,” McNeill said. “They are personally invested in the development of entrepreneurs at this school.”
Pitching at SXSW
During the competition, Kumar and McNeill met founders and investors from across the world who shared insights into their companies and the future of technology. Although the pressure was high, McNeill’s months of preparation and the friendly competitors helped her as she pitched.
“I found the atmosphere among the competitors to be very supportive,” she said. “This was my first time presenting on an international stage, so I tried to channel that excitement to manage my stage fright.”
While they did not win the competition, spending time with thought leaders in entrepreneurship and technology proved beneficial.
“Technology is advancing at an astounding rate,” McNeill said. “AI is revolutionizing how founders build, and creating in the digital world has never been more accessible.”
Future entrepreneurship
As Kumar and McNeill continue as young professionals, they encourage their fellow classmates and future Aggies to start their own entrepreneurial journey. McNeill noted that many students she speaks to are waiting for the perfect idea but encourages them to do otherwise.
“Just start. There’s no better time to try entrepreneurship than as a student at Texas A&M,” McNeill said. “Be proactive, and don’t be afraid to do something no one else is doing. Just go for it.”
Kumar agreed and encouraged students to find their area of passion while acknowledging the realities of entrepreneurship.
“Entrepreneurship is really hard,” Kumar said. “But if you have even a tiny spark within you that keeps pulling you toward it, you should go for it. Challenging yourself to try your best every single day, whether it be an email, a line of code or an entire pitch, is all that it takes.”
