Standing in line after line at food trucks on his lunch breaks, Kareem DaSilva had a thought — “This should be easier!” It’s where many entrepreneurial ideas come from: solving a common problem or pain point. Being an app developer, Kareem started building a solution to streamline the process of ordering from food trucks.

Soon, he discovered a more specific product-market fit and created Edesia, a single platform that helps individuals or companies find, hire, and pay food trucks and caterers for events.

Engaging regularly with food truck owners and event planners, Kareem knows the importance of staying plugged in to the community. “Working at the downtown Epicenter office has been a rewarding experience, and I particularly enjoy the camaraderie of the happy hours and supportive events they organize,” says the founder.

To take the business to the next level, Kareem enrolled in the Binghampton Business Incubator, powered by Cummins Inc., in the fall of 2022. 

The three-month program went deep on business strategy and finances, and even landed Edesia a $5,000 grant after Kareem won a pitch competition. The Incubator further invested nearly $9,000 to help Edesia build a marketplace that connects food entrepreneurs to corporations with a seamless booking process.

Edesia is currently operational in Memphis and Nashville, with New York, Indianapolis, and Atlanta on the horizon. Since food trucks are everywhere, Kareem recognizes the value of starting up in the middle of it all: “Memphis’s central location in the U.S. is advantageous for travel — whether to the East or West Coast — facilitating the expansion of my professional network.”

Powered by Cummins Inc. and hosted by Epicenter, the Binghampton Business Incubator was a three-month program teaching entrepreneurs how to strategically think about their business, financially plan, and properly pitch their business to their customers and/or potential investors. Sessions took place at the Binghampton Development Corporation training center, and the cohort ended with a pitch competition. Kareem and Edesia came in second place, taking home $5,000 to put toward the business.