North Iowa Entrepreneurs Compete in Venture School Launch Day Competition
$3,700 in Prizes Awarded to Local Startups
The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center hosted the University of Iowa Venture School Launch Day competition on Thursday November 14, 2024. The NIACC Fall 2024 Venture School cohort competed in person after attending classes virtually for 7 weeks of training, customer discovery, and developing their business model alongside local entrepreneur coaches. A panel of judges selected First, Second, and Third Place winners. The judges were: Matt Curtis (Wayne’s Ski & Cycle, Mason City), Caleb Renner (Renner Ag Solutions, Klemme), and Molly Watson (Home Style, Mason City).
Seven teams competed in the Fall 2024 Launch Day competition. Three top prizes and a Director’s Choice prize were awarded:
First Place – CaptuRE Recycling, Shaden Tweeten, Forest City, IA
Awarded $2000 prize. CaptuRE Recycling is a local startup tackling the world’s single use plas-tics crisis. Through specialized waste bins, recycling education, and community participation, CaptuRE diverts plastic waste from landfills and reprocesses them into valuable commodities.
Second Place – Trained AF, Alyssa Staudt, Charles City, IA
Awarded $1000 prize. Trained AF is a dog training business located outside of Charles City, priding ourselves in not only training the dog but also giving owners the tools and resources to have confidence in maintaining the learned behaviors.
Third Place – The Athlete’s Mentor, Teresa & Cody Alesch, Algona, IA
Awarded $500 prize. The Athlete's Mentor is a professional coaching service that empowers student-athletes to reach their full potential. We offer personalized mentorship, interactive training programs, and a supportive community to cultivate mental toughness, leadership skills, and a growth mindset. Our unique approach helps student-athletes overcome obstacles, set ambitious goals, and achieve peak performance, both in sports and in life.
Director’s Choice Award – Tacos La Patrona, Yoana Bustillos, Buffalo Center, IA
Awarded $300 prize. Tacos La Patrona is a locally owned food truck serving up authentic Mexican tacos, bringing the flavors of home straight to you. Join us daily to share in the tastes and traditions we love.
Honorable Mentions
Levenhagen’s Cigar Lounge, Rusty Levenhagen, Mason City, IA
Levenhagen’s Cigar Lounge blends a rich, sophisticated atmosphere with a space for relaxation and discovery. It's more than just a place to unwind; it's where you can deepen your appreciation for fine cigars and connect with a community that shares the passion.
Insight Business Solutions, Amber Hisler, Hampton, IA
Insight Business Solutions provides professional assistance and cus-tomized solutions for owners and office managers to help streamline office operations and free up time.
Jambo Bar & Restaurant, Ayoub Malata, Mason City, IA
Jambo Bar & Restaurant is a welcoming spot where people can enjoy good food, drinks, and games while connecting with others. Come relax, have fun, and join in on the action or catch one of the many cornhole leagues and tournaments.
The University of Iowa Venture School is a premier statewide program for entrepreneurs and is built from a streamlined curriculum developed by the National Science Foundation I-Corps at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. Venture School emphasizes real-world entrepreneurship and innovation based on leading edge curriculum. Teams will accelerate the startup process by testing their business model hypotheses immediately. They get out of the building to talk to customers, partners, and competitors, rather than relying on statistics and secondhand market research.
Each Venture School team is assigned a local entrepreneur as their coach. On Launch Day, participants compete for seed money. In addition, eligible teams may compete for cash awards at the state level during the University of Iowa Venture School Launch Day at EntreFEST in Cedar Rapids, IA on June 12-13, 2025. The cost for Venture School is $299.
If you have questions about applying to Venture School or are interested in becoming a Venture School coach, please contact Ashley Page at ashley.page@niacc.edu. To apply for the Spring 2025 cohort, visit www.venture-school.com and select the Mason City cohort in the dropdown menu.
