The University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) concluded its statewide spring Venture School program the week of April 21 by awarding $16,500 in prize money during final pitches.
Placing first at the centers were HitchHub (Jake Johnson) from Des Moines, Receivos (Adan Ortiz) from Iowa City/Cedar Rapids, Georgette (Hallie Erdahl) from Mason City, and ReZonance AI (Padmini Soni) from the Quad Cities.
HitchHub improves outdoor adventures with a system of vehicle accessories made for 2-inch vehicle hitches. Receivos is a receipt management application that automatically stores and organizes every receipt with a simple upload. Georgette is a bridal and formalwear boutique that offers an affordable shopping experience. ReZonance AI is an artificial intelligence consulting firm that specializes in AI strategy development, custom AI solutions, and ethical AI governance for small and medium-sized businesses.
Following is a list of winning businesses and their founders:
The seven-week Venture School is sponsored by the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) and includes hub locations in Des Moines, Dubuque, Iowa City, Mason City, Sioux City, and the Quad-Cities. The statewide Venture School training program focuses on real-world experimentation, customer discovery, and Lean LaunchPad methodologies. Partnering with Iowa JPEC for Venture School are the University of Iowa Small Business Development Center, Eastern Iowa Community College, North Iowa Area Community College, Des Moines Area Community College, and The Innovation Lab Dubuque.
Venture School returns in the Fall with cohorts tentatively scheduled to begin in September. For more information click HERE.
About Iowa JPEC: Iowa JPEC fosters entrepreneurship and innovation across the state of Iowa by providing a range of educational and training programs and support services for entrepreneurial ventures and existing small-to-medium size businesses. Iowa JPEC is dedicated to nurturing the growth of new ventures and assisting them in reaching their full potential.
| DES MOINES COHORT | |||
| PLACE | PROJECT | PRESENTER | AMOUNT |
| 1st Place | HitchHub | Jake Johnson | $1,500 |
| 2nd Place | Solstice & Sage Picnics | Kelly King | $1,000 |
| IOWA CITY/CEDAR RAPIDS COHORT | |||
| 1st Place | Receivos | Adan Ortiz | $2,500 |
| 2nd Place | Mabel and Pearl Tea Co. | Sadie Sell | $1,500 |
| 3rd Place | Beyond Inclusion | Megan Mindy | $1,000 |
| MASON CITY COHORT | |||
| 1st Place | Georgette | Hallie Erdahl | $1,800 |
| 2nd Place | All About You | Katie Roderick | $1,400 |
| 3rd Place | Haven Grove | Ellie Reimer | $500 |
| 4th Place | Magical Moments | Cindy and Troy Levenhagen | $300 |
| QUAD CITIES COHORT | |||
| 1st Place | ReZonance AI | Padmini Soni | $2,000 |
| 2nd Place | Peer Accelerator | Nick Johnson | $1,500 |
| 3rd Place | Mississippi River Distilling | Nathan Carroll, Claire Akers, Lily Robinson | $1,000 |
| 4th Place | Quad Cities Back the Blue Flight | Greg Keller | $500 |
