Four students shared $4,000 in prize money at the spring IdeaStorm Live Finale competition Feb. 26 in the Black Box Theatre in the Iowa Memorial Union. The event was presented by the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center.

Winning first place and $1,500 was Linnea Rietz and FlexiFlow, an attachable sink adapter for renters without the ability to install a pull out faucet. Second place and $1,200 went to Megan Mindy and Beyond Inclusion, Co., a program that maximizes the potential of athletes with cognitive differences by training club sports organizations on how to support their social, emotional, and behavioral needs. Third place and $1,000 was awarded to Charli Brady and Pathways Plus, a career accelerator that provides real-world experience, paid micro internships, and an AI-powered mentor match program. A $300 honorable mention was given to Cann Xu and Jester's Celebrations, a clown and entertainment company with a mission to elevate children's entertainment and birthday parties and events.

The Live Finale culminated a campus-wide extravaganza that began Feb. 10 with pitch competitions held at seven locations. Students were also able to pitch their business ideas online.

IdeaStorm is an entry-level pitch competition open to all University of Iowa students. The competition is designed to introduce students to innovation by encouraging them to share their idea in one minute or less via a pitch describing how they would solve a problem in a unique way. Students do not need a business plan, prior pitching experience, or a presentation to pitch — this allows them to enjoy a soft introduction to the world of entrepreneurship.