SwineTech In., a business founded at the University of Iowa, has been honored as Entrepreneur of the Year by the American Farm Bureau Federation.

Matthew Rooda and Abraham Espinoza co-founded SwineTech as UI students. They were members of the University of Iowa’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center’s (JPEC) Founders Club, participated in JPEC’s Venture School new business development program, and headquartered their business in the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory.

The business won $30,000 by winning the AFBF’s Rural Entrepreneurship Challenge, which provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to showcase innovations developed in rural regions of the U.S. It was one of four teams from across the nation that were chosen from 471 applicants in October to advance to the and pitch their business ideas to a panel of judges before a live audience on January 8.