Tweener Madness Championship! ZW vs InviteJet: Who Takes Home the $25K Tweener Fund Investment?

Who will be crowned champion of Tweener Madness and take home the $25K investment from the Triangle Tweener Fund?The championship features two radically different approaches to innovation: ZW (Robert Fu) – An AI-powered platform helping manufacturers optimize production and R&D in complex industries. InviteJet (Brian Watson & Paul Davis) – A calendar-based marketing solution helping brands reach customers at exactly the right time.ZW (Robert Fu)Platform suite includes ZAI, ZMAP, and ZFastQ—each targeting different needs in manufacturing and R&D.Combines deep manufacturing experience with proprietary AI to handle data-heavy optimization challenges.Focused on proof-of-concept engagements with industrial clients, including those looking to reduce energy use or improve yield.Emphasizes speed over patents—lean team, bootstrapped hustle, and decades of industry know-how.Looking to build out sales and marketing strategy with targeted funding.InviteJet (Brian Watson & Paul Davis)Pioneering “calendar marketing” with branded invites that sync to customers’ calendars for product drops, shipping alerts, and events.Deep integrations with Shopify, Klaviyo, and Mailchimp; strong early traction with eComm brands.Clear technical moat in managing cross-platform calendar compatibility and high-scale deliverability.Future plans include AI-powered segmentation and automation, plus agency partnerships to scale distribution.Big focus on customer education and making a brand’s most important moments unmissable.Selection CommitteeRobbie Allen – General Partner, Triangle Tweener FundNikita Ramaswamy – Partner, Triangle Tweener FundScot Wingo – Host & General Partner, Triangle Tweener FundKey Discussion Topics🧠 ZW’s HighlightsCustom AI models built to solve complex, high-variable industrial problemsStrong market understanding from years inside Corning and similar legacy companiesSales strategy driven by proof-of-concept deals and existing network relationshipsBootstrapped and scrappy: trade shows, peanut butter sandwiches, and real customer tractionPlans to scale with the right sales hire and targeted marketing spend📅 InviteJet’s HighlightsCalendar invites as a new marketing channel—high visibility, minimal friction, big conversion potentialBuilt-in unsubscribe controls, multi-tenant tools, and robust integration roadmapNot chasing trends: AI is in the plan but not the product’s core valueEarly success with brands doing weekly drops and time-sensitive promosClear-eyed about the challenges of educating the market—and excited to lead the way📌 Timestamps (00:00:04) – Championship kickoff with Scot Wingo (00:01:25) – ZW fields questions on product, AI architecture, and industrial go-to-market (00:27:04) – InviteJet dives into scaling, technical differentiation, customer retention, and future roadmap (01:02:47) – Selection committee debrief and reflections on both companiesSo who wins?  🏆 Tune in to find out!This episode wraps up the Tweener Madness series, where eight Triangle startups competed for a $25K investment and plenty of local bragging rights.🎙️ Triangle Tweener Talks is hosted by Scot Wingo, presented by Triangle Tweener Fund, and produced by Walk West. ------Triangle Tweener Talks is sponsored by:Atomic Object: https://atomicobject.com/