Three Iowa entrepreneurs win top awards in Venture School competitions
SteerClear Mirrors, the AgriNet and Act Write Here were first-place winners when three Venture School cohorts around the state of Iowa held final pitches April 9-11.
A total of $10,500 was awarded to 14 entrepreneurs, according to a release.
SteerClear, founded by Courtney McClellan and Mike Flynn, is an aftermarket side view mirror for skid steers. The AgriNet, founded by Caleb Renner, is a safe alternative to grain bin sweeps that saves farmers their fingers and lives. Act Write Here, founded by Laney Kraus-Taddeo, is a virtual playhouse for creatives that matches actors and writers for screen reads.
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. Partners with the Iowa JPEC for Venture School include the University of Iowa Small Business Development Center, Eastern Iowa Community College, North Iowa Area Community College, Des Moines Area Community College, Iowa’s West Coast Initiative, and The Innovation Lab Dubuque.
Winners in each cohort were as follows:
Des Moines Cohort – first place, Act Write Here, $1,500; honorable mention, Pesche, $300; honorable mention, Future Stars Software, $300; best pivot, Clear Specter Audio Analytics, $400.
Iowa City/Cedar Rapids Cohort – first place, Steer Clear Mirrors, $2,400; second place, Site SideKick, $1,200; third place, IV Co-Pilot, $700; best pitch, Growing Effects, $700.
Mason City Cohort – first place, Renner Ag Solutions (AgriNet), $1,500; second place, The PlayBarn, $1,000; third place, Journey Wellness, $500.
The Venture School returns in the fall, with cohorts tentatively scheduled to begin mid-September.
The 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. The center is dedicated to nurturing the growth of new ventures and assisting them in reaching their full potential.
