Monday, December 2, 2019
Written by: Office of Strategic Communication

Numerous University of Iowa faculty, staff, and students received cash prizes for their new business start-up ideas recently in the Iowa Innovation Challenge.

More than $81,000 was awarded during the first phase of the event Nov. 18-20, sponsored by the UI Office of the Vice President for Research, UI Research Foundation, UI Ventures, and the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. A total of 65 businesses pitched their ideas during the first phase. Winners include:

Best Technology:

  • 1st Place, CartilaGen, Jaison Marks (Graduate Student, Orthopedics)
  • 2nd Place, Pani Clean, Joun Lee (Incubator Startup)
  • 3rd Place, Juggernaut Life Sciences/ArtuDetu, Sandeep Laroia (Director of the Division of Vascular and Interventional Radiology)

Best Non-Technology:

  • 1st Place, VerdiLife, Mahdi Eghbali (Graduate Student, Economics)
  • 2nd Place, No Limbits, Erica Cole (Incubator Startup)
  • 3rd Place, Apollo, Jon Lensing (Graduate Medical Student)

Additional Awards:

  • Best Pitch, Comigo, Isabel Reed (Incubator Startup)
  • Best Social Impact, $2,000 | Iowa Mobile Clinic, Joyce Wahba (Graduate Medical Student)
  • Judges Choice, CartilaGen, Jaison Marks (Graduate Student, Orthopedics)

Undergraduate Student Awards

Best Technology:

  • 1st Place, Body Betty, Libby Chelsvig (Environmental Engineering) and Emily Leibold (Chemical Engineering)
  • 2nd Place, HeadsIn, Matt Lewis (Enterprise Leadership)
  • 3rd Place, Assistance Tech, Michael Westphal (Human Physiology), John Tian (Enterprise Leadership), and Zach Combs (Pre-Business)

Best Non-Technology:

  • 1st Place, Funny Nuggets, Jade Peterson (Marketing and Elementary Education)
  • 2nd Place, Franklin, Blake Whitten (Entrepreneurial Management)
  • 3rd Place, Wanderlust Wraps, Kennedy Voss (Enterprise Leadership) and Taylor Williams (Communication Studies)

Best Pitch:

  • 1st Place, Wanderlust Wraps, Kennedy Voss (Enterprise Leadership) and Taylor Williams (Communication Studies)
  • 2nd Place, FEM Power, Laura Schwager (Interdepartmental Studies)
  • 3rd Place, Level Up Sports, Josh Levinson (Marketing Management)

Best Social Impact:

  • 1st Place, Palate Pal, Ally Carey (Biomedical Engineering)
  • 2nd Place, $500, Gabrielle Aranza (Marketing and Theatre Arts)
  • 3rd Place, Kimik Sustainable Solutions, Trent Katz (Finance)

Best Lifestyle Business:

  • 1st Place, Golden Gloss Auto, Matthew Nicholson (Music Education)
  • 2nd Place, Hawkeye Outdoor Maintenance Enterprise, Adam Johs (Enterprise Leadership)
  • 3rd Place, Schneider Custom Designs, Blane Schneider (Mechanical Engineering)

Best Retail Business:

  • 1st Place, Wanderlust Wraps, Kennedy Voss (Enterprise Leadership) and Taylor Williams (Communication Studies)
  • 2nd Place, FEM Power, Laura Schwager (Interdepartmental Studies)
  • 3rd Place, Sugar Fiend Sweets, Ramya Kolusu (Enterprise Leadership)

Judges Choice:

  • Asonus Tech, Brandon Williams (Computer Science)
  • Amateur Caddie, Bryce Prokop (Journalism)

Keith A Starman Entrepreneurship Awards:

  • $2,500, Avarupt, Caleb Marting (Computer Science)
  • $2,500, FEM Power, Laura Schwager (Interdepartmental Studies)