An alumna of The University of Texas at Dallas who earned a double degree MBA and Master’s in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the Naveen Jindal School of Management has started a company which she said has been directly powered by the University’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Tamara Marshall, MBA’24, MS’24, has started Manta Systems, a company that offers the R1 Feeder, a device that automates the feeding of frozen fish food for saltwater aquariums. The company has begun a crowdfunding campaign to put together a beta-testing group to help shape the final product.
“I had actually been thinking the saltwater world needed an automated frozen fish food feeder for years,” she said. “It always bugged me that the most nutritious option — frozen food — was also the hardest to feed consistently. Going on vacation was always so stressful and I knew lots of people that simply didn’t go out of town because of their fish tanks.”
With 25 years in the saltwater aquarium industry — including roles at major aquariums and running both retail and wholesale operations — Marshall brought deep expertise to the challenge.
“In one of my early marketing classes, we were tasked with coming up with a fake business idea and building out a go-to-market strategy,” she said. “The only idea I could think of was the feeder — but when I shared it with my team, they literally laughed at it. But I couldn’t shake it. The more I analyzed it through a business lens, the more everything lined up: niche market, huge demand, solid unit economics. All the tools I was learning in school were screaming that this was a real opportunity.”
Marshall launched a survey to validate the concept, and said the response has been overwhelming.
“People not only wanted it, they were willing to pay for it,” she said. “The only problem was I had no clue how to build a miniaturized freezer. So I started ordering parts from Amazon, reading about electrical engineering, and building early prototypes at home.”
Prototyping the freezing mechanism was the hardest technical challenge for Marshall.
“Building hardware is humbling, especially when you’re bootstrapped,” she said. “There were dozens of failed builds before anything even remotely worked, and every ‘fix’ created three more problems.”
Eventually, Marshall joined the Makerspace at UT Dallas and met Timothy Givens, studio assistant manager at UTDesign. He became instrumental in helping her refine the design.
“That’s when it clicked,” she said. “I knew this could really work. I started working on the feeder in every class, refining the business model, validating demand and learning how to pitch.”
That activity led to a series of wins. She placed 2nd overall in the 2023 Business Idea Competition, UT Dallas’ premier pitch competition. She won 1st place in the Retail category and earned the UTDesign award, which earned her the use of a student team to help her design and test the prototype. She worked with multiple UTDesign student teams to develop the feeder’s mechanics and app interface.
Marshall’s work earned recognition through prestigious programs like the Texas Business Hall of Fame Scholarship and Comet-X Accelerator.
“With the funds I earned through these programs, I was able to hire IDM in Plano to help me refine the prototype and build the fully functional version we’re launching now,” she said. “Manta Systems is a culmination of both my personal passion and professional experience. Over the past three years, I’ve encountered dozens of potential breaking points — moments where the entire company could have failed. But each time, I’ve learned to pivot, stay creative, ask for help and keep moving forward.”
She added, “Leadership, to me, is the willingness to learn relentlessly — even when it’s uncomfortable, uncertain, or humbling. It’s not about having all the answers; it’s about showing up every day with curiosity, resilience, and the courage to grow.”
Marshall said UT Dallas provided more than just a launchpad.
“It gave me a structured environment to build something real,” she said. “Through the UTDesign and Capstone programs, I was connected with brilliant engineering and business students who brought fresh energy, creative thinking and technical skill to the table. UTDesign helped me turn a rough concept into a functional prototype that could actually be tested and marketed.”
UTDesign and UTDsolv programs gave Marshall access to cross-functional student teams — from engineering to marketing — who helped shape the product, brand, pricing, and go-to-market strategy.
“Their support was invaluable, even extending into real-world outreach at my first trade show,” she said.
Marshall said the company’s beta-testing campaign isn’t just about product validation.
“These early adopters aren’t just testers — they’re partners in development,” she said. “This phase is about learning from our community, building trust and laying the foundation for long-term success.”
The startup competitions at UT Dallas pushed Marshall to think like a founder, not just an inventor.
“It’s easy to feel like your business idea is solid when it lives in your head or on paper,” she said. “But when you only have five minutes to convince a panel of strangers who know nothing about your product that you’re the best solution out there, everything changes. You have to really know your business inside and out. Your message has to be clear, your value proposition undeniable, and your delivery tight.”
She said the competitions forced her to sharpen every part of her business plan: the pitch, the financials, the market opportunity and the story.
“I had to answer hard questions, often with no prep, which built my confidence and made me a better communicator under pressure,” she said. “Most importantly, they opened doors — to mentors, early funding opportunities and a broader community of people who believed in the vision. Those relationships and experiences still support me today as I continue to grow Manta Systems.”
Dr. Emily Choi, a lecturer in the Jindal School who previously was the director of its Innovation and Entrepreneurship programs, taught Marshall in the ENTP 6360 Startup Launch course.
“Tamara was a standout from the beginning — for her passion, her grit and follow-through,” Choi said. “She took every lesson and applied it directly to Manta Systems, refining her idea through real customer feedback and relentless iteration. It was inspiring to watch her turn a class project into a real company. Tamara’s story is a great example of how a strong university ecosystem can help transform bold ideas into viable ventures.”
Looking back, Marshall said one lesson stands out.
“Done is better than perfect,” she said. “I spent too much time hesitating, second-guessing and delaying outreach because I worried how I’d be perceived. Letting go of perfection freed me to move forward.”
Marshall said she is thankful that UT Dallas has built a true ecosystem for entrepreneurs.
“What I’m building today simply wouldn’t exist without the guidance, mentorship, programs and community that supported me through every phase — from a rough idea to a fully functional prototype and a company ready to launch,” she said. “UTD didn’t just give me space to learn; it gave me the courage to build. I’m proud to be part of a university that doesn’t just teach entrepreneurship — it champions it.”
