Maximilian Renieris and Jake Noonan are participating in a summer accelerator program at NJIT
July 2025 – Fresh from a second-place finish at the 2025 Annual UPitchNJ statewide collegiate startup competition, Drew University graduate Maximilian Renieris C’25 is transforming his winning pitch into a working business this summer.
Renieris is participating in the Lean Startup Summer Accelerator at the NJIT Martin Tuchman School of Management with rising Drew senior Jake Noonan C’26.
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“The NJIT accelerator has been an incredible environment for growth,” said Renieris. “Being part of a community where founders are building at every stage, from early ideas to products ready for market, has challenged us to think more critically and move more intentionally. I’m proud of what we’ve built so far and excited to keep pushing forward.”
The business idea, Apprentice Intelligence, was developed this past spring in the upper-level business course The Work of Innovation: Creating Organizations That Solve Problems. During the class, Renieris met Noonan, and the two are now teaming up to build Apprentice Intelligence in the NJIT program. The nine-week accelerator offers hands-on mentorship and education, enabling founders to take their companies from concept to market readiness.
The team is simultaneously participating in two additional programs, the TiE U global accelerator and Lovable Shipped, which uses an AI-powered platform to help founders rapidly deploy minimum viable products ahead of market launch.
“Having graduated from a vocational high school and being familiar with technical education, I immediately recognized Apprentice Intelligence as a unique opportunity to build meaningful solutions at the crossroads of business, technology, and the skilled trades,” said Noonan.
The venture also draws directly from Renieris’ professional experience as a maintenance supervisor managing affordable housing units for Conifer Realty. The mobile-first platform upskills tradespeople and connects them with property managers through an integrated digital ecosystem.
“Max Renieris and Jake Noonan are the embodiment of the kind of entrepreneurial spirit that is taking hold at Drew University recently,” said Steve Firestone, associate teaching professor of finance and chair of the Business Department. “We are seeing increasing enrollments for our business courses in entrepreneurship and innovation and are delighted that students like Max and Jake are taking the next leap forward. This is the ultimate application of a strong liberal arts education to the fast-moving business world.”
Now, with the startup accelerating across multiple tracks, Apprentice Intelligence is positioning itself for launch and hopes to reshape how the trades industry approaches workforce development in an increasingly digital economy.
Interested parties can join the waitlist for early access to Apprentice Intelligence here or contact Maximilian Renieris directly at mrenieris@drew.edu and Jake Noonan at jnoonan@drew.edu.
