Speed School Grad Student Wins National Technology Entrepreneurship Abie Award

By Michael Phillips

Meagan Turner in an electrical and computer engineering lab

Meagan Turner, a graduate student in the Electrical & Computer Engineering department, has been named the recipient of the Technology Entrepreneurship Abie Award. The accolade recognizes women technologists who create innovative ventures that expand access and opportunity. Turner, the CEO and Founder of RoadPitch, will receive the award and $15,000 in prize funding at this year’s Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing in Chicago, Illinois.

The Grace Hopper Celebration is the world’s largest gathering of women in technology, drawing more than 30,000 attendees from across the globe. The event celebrates the contributions of women technologists and provides a platform for leaders in the field to share their work, ideas, and innovations.

“Receiving the Technology Entrepreneurship Abie Award means being recognized for building technology with purpose,” said Turner. “It’s incredibly meaningful to be honored for a company I founded during undergrad, especially at a Women in Technology conference. My academic and professional work both center on creating tech that expands access and opportunity.”

Turner founded RoadPitch, a multi-city road tour designed to connect Black tech founders with investors as an extension of her commitment to equity and representation in the tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem. For her, these are values that were strengthened through her engineering education at UofL.

“For the Speed School community, this award highlights how our engineering education empowers students to turn ideas into ventures that drive equity, innovation, and real-world change,” Turner said.

Turner accepted the award on stage at the Grace Hopper Celebration in October, where she also participated in several panels to discuss her work and experience as a founder. Her recognition also comes from a motivation that she developed in her studies.

“I’ve been advocating for a stronger bridge between the College of Business and Speed School for four years,” she said. “And I hope this recognition amplifies that message and brings national attention to the incredible tech founders emerging from Speed School.”