SimplSupport, a company founded by Lori Palmer that allows people to find individualized and customizable nursing care and support on their terms, won first place and $15,000 at the University of Iowa’s Venture School Launch Day on June 8 at The Graduate Hotel.
A total of $38,000 in prize money was awarded to 11 teams.
Second place and $10,000 went to Autistic & Loved, a company founded by Dr. Kit Evans-Ford that provides chewable jewelry and special gifts for autistic children and their families. Mags & Lu Pet Services, a company founded by Mary Jo Vrba and provides pet boarding and daycare, earned third place and $5,000.
There were two finalists, Portico (Brian Nigg) and Jolt Education (Jade Peterson), and six semifinalists, that received $1,000 each. The semifinalists are Akademi Arts Progress (Alan Murdock), A Kneaded Break (Britt Bock), Level Up Bouldering (Paul Altaver), Rose and Oak Athletics (Ellen Franklin), Payroll Vault (Aaron Bontrager), and Retrofit Electric (Oscar Madong).
SimnplSupport participated in Des Moines Venture School, Autistic & Loved is from the Quad City cohort, and Mags & Lu Pet Service is from the Mason City Venture School.
Venture School is affiliated with the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC). 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, Iowa’s West Coast Initiative and The Innovation Lab Dubuque.
In November, Bull Force won first place the Iowa JPEC Fall Venture School Final Pitches. Bull Force
