Two startups tied for first place at the inaugural Iowa JPEC AI Pitch Competition, each receiving $50,000 in Amazon Web Services support from PREDICTif Solutions.
Terraform Tillage, led by Josh Jeske, and NeuroPred, Inc., led by Michal Brzus, split top honors at the Nov. 5 event at the Kirkwood Regional Center. LSF Medical Solutions LLC, led by Melissa Bates, placed third and received $25,000 in AWS support.
Terraform Tillage develops agricultural technology tools designed to help farmers identify soil compaction – an invisible cause of yield loss – and reduce tillage, fuel use and soil degradation.
NeuroPred Inc. is developing an artificial intelligence-powered software platform that converts clinical MRI scans into stroke diagnoses and cognitive outcome predictions.
LSF Medical Solutions’ Pneumero is a respiratory health monitoring device that measures gas-washout for patients with chronic lung disease at home.
The University of Iowa John Papajohn Entrepreneurial Center and the Small Business Development Center hosted the competition. Amazon Web Services and PREDICTif Solutions sponsored the event, which featured 10 businesses presenting AI-driven ventures.
“This event highlights the depth of talent and innovation happening across Iowa and beyond,” said Dana Rupe, director of Iowa JPEC. “By partnering with AWS, PREDICTif Solutions and the SBDC, we’re helping founders harness the AI tools and mentorship needed to turn ideas into real-world impact.”
