Two Louisiana entrepreneurs who launched an app that uses artificial intelligence to help hire hospitality workers have won a North Shore business pitch contest.
With their win at the 2025 NSpire Startup Slam, Joshua Anderson and Rich Shimerman, Co-Founder and CEO of Cantaloupe AI, took home a package of cash and services worth over $115,000.
Cantaloupe AI provides instant audio interviews, allowing applicants for hospitality industry jobs to talk about themselves while simplifying the hiring process.
“We use algorithms to determine how likely a candidate is to be a good fit for the job, and how likely they are to quit within the first 90 days,” Simmerman said, adding that this process He said it gives managers information to consider before meeting with new candidates. job seeker.
Shimmerman said he came up with the idea to predict job eligibility while enrolled in a master’s program at Tulane University.
Cantaloupe was initially designed to resemble a dating app, allowing employees and employers to swipe left and right on each other. However, the partners are now focused on helping hospitality companies sift through the vast number of applications.
Several New Orleans restaurant groups use cantaloupe, including LeBlanc + Smith, Balcony Ballroom, and Dickie Brennan & Co.
The prize money will be used to improve services. The award will have a big impact as Cantaloupe plans to launch Cleo, a conversational AI interviewer, Shimmerman said.
In April, Cantaloupe won the $50,000 Entrepreneurship Pelican Cup, a business plan competition sponsored by the University of Louisiana at Monroe. The company also raised an undisclosed amount of venture capital.
The other two companies in the competition are Forefront360, which provides data-driven solutions that ensure accurate billing, fair settlements, and fast repairs; and Forefront360, which provides analytics, organizes knowledge across the enterprise, and simplifies documentation. QMS2GO is an AI-powered assistant.
