Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Written by
Darren Miller
University of Iowa JPEC

Seven individuals associated with the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) will be recognized at an awards reception April 8, 2026, in the Old Capitol Museum.

  • Matthew Rooda (BA ’16) and Abraham Espinoza, founders of SwineTech, will receive the Startup of the Year Award. SwineTech develops technology for pork producers, enhancing efficiency, communication, and animal welfare through an integrated software platform and hardware tools.
  • Tracy Ongena (BBA ’01), founder and chairman of Alvita Care, has earned the Alumni Entrepreneurial Leadership Award. Alvita Care was founded in 2008 and has become one of the most respected home care agencies serving clients in five states.
  • Jade Peterson (BBA ’20, BA ’21), founder of Jolt Education, has been selected for the Young Alumni Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Looking for a way to keep students engaged, Peterson created Jolt Education, a Chrome extension that allows teachers to add short, educational videos to lessons to spark curiosity and conversation.
  • David Oliver (BA ’95) has been named Mentor of the Year. He has been a mentor to University of Iowa students in some capacity since 2014 when he was asked to help at Iowa JPEC’s Venture School. Oliver also helped teach a summer accelerator program at the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory and is a mentor in the Iowa Venture Mentoring Service program.
  • Kurt Heiar, a clinical associate professor, will receive the Henry A. Johnson Entrepreneurship Teaching Award (announced in Spring 2025).
  • Freedom Mukanga, a graduate of the 2022 Mandela Washington Fellowship cohort, has earned the International Entrepreneurship Impact Award. Mukanga is founder and team leader of FreedPer Scientific, a company advancing Africa’s weather and water data systems and supplying state-of-the-art equipment.

About Iowa JPEC: Iowa JPEC fosters entrepreneurship and innovation across the state of Iowa by providing a range of educational, 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.