VerEstate: Champions Through A New Take on an Old Industry
Title insurance isn’t often the first thing that comes to mind when you think of disruptive innovation. But for the founders of VerEstate - Camden Dempsey, Alec Hyde, and Nicholas Soza - that’s precisely what made it an opportunity. They saw an industry still stuck in paper-heavy, manual workflows and imagined what it could become with the power of AI. VerEstate emerged as a digital title insurance agency focused on simplifying the real estate transaction process, aiming to create a faster and more efficient experience.
The idea came to life at CU Boulder, rooted from the undergraduate course New Venture Creation. Camden and Nico discovered a large opportunity, by simplifying title insurance rather than complicating it. They saw the inefficiencies and began building a solution that integrated technology in a way the industry hadn’t seen. Alec entered the picture later, joining the duo through the highly selective graduate-level accelerator course, New Venture Launch.
Designed to prepare students for CU’s flagship entrepreneurial competition (New Venture Challenge), this course functions as a launchpad for student ventures. Each team is challenged to take an idea and transform it into a compelling business, building toward a high-stakes pitch in a series of competitive rounds. Through this process, teams go from early-stage concepts to fully-fledged startups.
VerEstate thrived in this environment. What began as a classroom concept quickly evolved into a high-potential startup. Their preparation and hard work resulted in an impressive showing at the New Venture Challenge finals, securing the title and the monetary grand prize. New Venture Challenge is the largest startup competition in Boulder, drawing hundreds of student entrepreneurs, mentors, and industry judges each year. Winning it is no small feat, and for VerEstate, it marked the beginning of a much larger journey.
Three Paths, One Vision
VerEstate’s strength lies in its diversity. Each founder brings a unique background and perspective to the table, which has driven their success. Camden, a student-athlete majoring in finance and marketing, balances business strategy with leadership drawn from years of football. Nico, originally from Chile, combines a background in economics with a strong foundation in operations and data analytics. Alec, a former neuroscientist and software engineer, contributes technical experience and insight from a decade of professional experience.
Rather than clashing, their differences have fueled better decisions and stronger collaboration. Their professional and personal synergy has allowed them to approach challenges with shared accountability.
“We complement each other’s weaknesses well. Which I think is a huge thing in business... to be able to find a team where you have people who are really strong at what you're not strong at.”
The team dynamic is built around thoughtful decision-making, where each voice is considered. This shows their mutual respect for each other, along with chemistry that has shaped the way they work, not just as co-founders, but as colleagues who genuinely enjoy building something together.
Outside of strategy sessions and team meetings, they’ve built a personal connection. Whether it’s stepping up to carry the load while one team member travels or simply carving out time to decompress, they’ve developed a bond that allows them to show up for each other in meaningful ways. As VerEstate grows, they shape a culture that values both results and relationships.
From the Classroom to the Main Stage
VerEstate’s path to the New Venture Challenge stage was anything but accidental. The journey began with structured coursework but quickly turned into an all-in commitment to building a company. After their success in New Venture Creation, Camden and Nico were encouraged to apply for New Venture Launch, a course that runs more like a startup accelerator rather than a classroom. Admission is competitive, and the workload is intense, but for students looking to take their ideas to the next level, it’s one of the most valuable experiences CU has to offer.
In this course, teams pitch nearly every week. They're given feedback by experienced professors, venture capitalists, and entrepreneurs who don’t sugarcoat criticism. Each presentation becomes a pressure test, and each critique pushes the team to improve. VerEstate embraced this challenge. Through their success, they signed several letters of intent with real estate partners. While those agreements remain non-binding until VerEstate is a registered insurance company, they serve as strong signals of market demand.
“It all started with a small idea at Leeds and all of a sudden we’re talking with the second largest mortgage broker in the state.”
The class also helped them build momentum through community. They connected with mentors and other entrepreneurs who contributed helpful advice for their company. As New Venture Challenge approached, they practiced tirelessly, and by the time they took the stage at the final round, they weren’t just students presenting an idea, they were founders presenting a company ready to launch.
Winning the New Venture Challenge wasn’t just a moment of recognition; it was validation. It proved that their months of work and late nights had paid off. Now, the spotlight shifts to what's next for them: refining and preparing for market entry.
Just the Beginning
While VerEstate is still early in its journey, the foundation they’ve built is strong. They're now focused on bringing their vision to life by building out the infrastructure and meeting the milestones needed to begin offering their services. The goal is to begin operations within the next year, and the team is putting everything in place to make that happen.
They remain deeply aware that their progress was made possible by a broader network of support. From faculty and mentors to classmates and Boulder’s entrepreneurial community, they’ve leaned on a village of people willing to offer wisdom and encouragement. That’s something they hope future students understand: success starts with showing up, asking for help, and doing the work.
“There’s no perfect time to start… the only thing that’s going to get you anywhere closer... is to start and just start taking steps one step at a time.”
What began as a class project is now a full-on startup on the rise. With the grit of student-athletes, the insight of industry professionals, and the drive of passionate builders, VerEstate is rewriting what title insurance can be, and they’re doing it together.