Palladin Technologies sponsors inaugural fellows at The Hatchery Summer Accelerator

By Christina Steiner July 1, 2025

This summer marks a new milestone for The Hatchery, Emory Center for Innovation, as it welcomes its first-ever sponsored venture through a partnership with Atlanta-based Palladin Technologies. The Palladin Fellowship supports The CaseBot, an AI-powered tool helping students prepare for competitive case interviews in the consulting industry. The CaseBot is also one of the 13 student ventures in The Hatchery’s Summer Accelerator.

Founded by Emory alum Brandon Ward, Palladin Technologies is a Salesforce Summit Consulting Partner and one of the fastest-growing companies in the U.S. In 2024, it ranked in the top 13% on the Inc. 5000 list and in 2025 placed third in ACG’s Georgia Fast 40.

Emory alum and founder of Palladin Technologies Brandon Ward.

Ward was recently honored with the 2025 Emory Entrepreneur Award in the B2B category, celebrating alumni who drive innovation, transform industries and leave a lasting impact.

"The decision to support a venture at The Hatchery aligns with our values at Palladin,” says Ward. “We believe in empowering the next generation of innovators. Sponsoring The CaseBot means investing in student founders solving real problems with practical, scalable technology.

“It’s incredibly exciting to see what’s being built and to support fellow Emory Eagles as they accelerate their entrepreneurial journeys and build companies that create real value, all while meeting the growing need for student tools that help secure future jobs and internships,” Ward adds.

Meet the 2024 Palladin Fellows

The CaseBot, founded by rising third-year students Raphael Nelson (Oxford College, Goizueta Business School, BBA program) and Isabel Horne (Oxford College, Emory College, BA program), builds an immersive, AI-powered experience for students preparing for consulting case interviews. Designed to replace expensive coaching programs and time-consuming peer practice, CaseBot delivers instant feedback and tailored exercises to help users master the highly competitive — but often opaque — consulting recruitment process.

“This partnership is about more than funding,” says Horne. “Brandon and the Palladin team bring mentorship, insight and the lived experience of scaling a venture. That kind of access is incredibly rare and incredibly valuable.”

The CaseBot originated at Emory’s Oxford College as part of the SideHustle 1.0 program and the product is already being tested by hundreds of users. Over the summer, the team is focused on earning revenue by launching a premium version of their product and incorporating as a business. Their vision includes voice-enabled functionality, expanded product design and a larger team of collaborators.

"SideHustle 1.0 is more than an introduction into the entrepreneurial ecosystem — it provides a foundational baseline for students with ideas and pairs it with exceptional coaching,” says Bridgette Gunnels, associate dean and director for the Center for Pathways & Purpose at Oxford. “The environment, much like The Hatchery, lives and breathes with questions, curiosity and experiential moments meant to focus students’ work towards their goal of successful project launch."

A model for future sponsorship

“This fellowship reflects exactly what we want our programming to do, which is connect students to a broader world of mentorship and support,” says Ben Garrett, director of The Hatchery. “Brandon Ward’s commitment to giving back to Emory and investing in the next generation of founders sets an incredible example for our students.”

The Palladin Fellowship marks a new chapter in The Hatchery’s growth as it looks to expand support for ventures through partnerships with mission-aligned alumni, entrepreneurs and organizations.

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Meet the 2024 Palladin Fellows

A model for future sponsorship

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