Graduate student wins $100,000 for medical AI innovation

Samuel Marseille, a graduate student in international development administration, captured the top prize in the inaugural Cultivate 269 pitch competition, earning a total of $100,000 for his venture, Oneshot AI, a real-time medical interpretation platform designed to eliminate language barriers in healthcare. 

Cultivate 269 launched through a partnership between Kalamazoo Forward Ventures, an investment firm founded by WMU alumni, and the University to strengthen student entrepreneurship and accelerate local innovation. This first-year competition drew 49 business plan submissions, with nine finalists advancing to the April showcase to pitch their ideas before investors, business leaders and community supporters. 

Marseille’s winning concept, Oneshot AI, is built as a fully automatic, HIPAA-compliant interpretation system capable of providing real-time translation for patients and providers. He says the technology is designed to make healthcare more accessible for individuals who face language obstacles. “This is just the beginning for me,” he says. “After healthcare, we’re going to go higher. I won’t stop until I see the world speak the same language.” 

His venture earned both the $75,000 grand prize and the $25,000 People’s Choice Award. Judge Monica Wheat, executive director and co-founder of Venture Catalysts, highlighted Oneshot AI’s existing traction, functional prototype and potential for widespread impact as key reasons for its strong performance. Marseille says the recognition felt “incredible,” adding that the
support from judges and fellow students meant even more. “I am so proud to be a Bronco.”

Bobby J. Hopewell, president and CEO of Kabundant, pledged a $25,000 share of his firm’s value to each finalist to help them launch their ventures. “We want all nine of these young entrepreneurs to stay here in our community, doing the thing they demonstrated so well on stage,” Hopewell says. 

Organizers say Cultivate 269 aims to create lasting economic impact by connecting participants with customers, capital and community resources long after the competition ends. Reflecting on his win, Marseille says, “My father always said, ‘If you can think of it, you can do it,’ and that’s what happened tonight. Right now, in Michigan and Kalamazoo, you can dare to dream big.”