Online game development company Beyond Bounds Studios won first place in the 2025 Volusia Innovation Pitch Competition and Innovation Challenge at the Ocean Center on March 27.
Beyond Bounds founders Lucas Cohen and Paul Moody took home the top prize of $10,000 after describing their success in developing Tangohost, a custom server, game hosting, and management solution; and Titanborn, the first fully voice-activated and animated mass multiplayer online role-built game using the Vanilla Minecraft platform. They will also receive one year of space and mentoring at the Volusia Business Incubator to help grow their venture.
“This was an amazing opportunity, and the prize money will help us skyrocket our company,” Cohen told the panel of five judges and spectators. “We’re going to be able to pivot here being part of the Volusia Business Incubator, and I am grateful to be part of this event.”
Taking second place and a $5,000 prize was Mr. Market, developer and distributor of an engaging table-top family game that teaches financial principles to children as young as seven.
Those attending the event cast their vote for the People’s Choice Award of $2,000, which was presented to Bee Well Therapeutics, manufacturer and distributor of a beeswax-infused topical therapy system that enhances the effectiveness of over-the-counter and prescription creams, ointments, and lotions.
“The Volusia Innovation Challenge embodies our strong belief in Volusia County’s thriving community of innovators and entrepreneurs,” said Brian Rademacher, chair of the Volusia Innovation Challenge Organizing Team. “With the support of Volusia Business Resources, we are ready and eager to help them flourish in our region. Events like this will go a long way in promoting and growing our innovation ecosystem throughout Volusia.”
The Volusia Innovation Challenge is an annual business pitch competition launched in 2014 to encourage and assist inventors from Volusia County’s colleges and universities. Today, the challenge has been expanded to include creators and aspiring entrepreneurs from across the county who are ready to launch or grow their business venture. The challenge is a program of Volusia Business Resources, a countywide partnership dedicated to connecting businesses with helpful online resources at any stage of their enterprise’s growth.
