The University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) awarded $75,000 to winners of its Fall Innovation Challenge, a competition designed to foster entrepreneurship among the university’s community.
Amirreza Fahim Golestaneh, a post-doctoral research scholar in mechanical engineering, took home the top prize of $25,000 in the Graduate/Faculty/Staff/Incubator Startup division.
Mr. Golestaneh’s project, RoboSoft Simulator, focuses on soft robotics inspired by the adaptive movements of animals. Unlike traditional robots with rigid components, these robots rely on flexible body reconfiguration to navigate and manipulate challenging environments.
The Innovation Challenge, held at MERGE in Iowa City, also awarded $10,000 to Krista Davidson for RescueVoice and $5,000 to Muhammad Rahman for Cover-Slipper in the same division.
Honorable mentions, with $5,000 prizes each, went to Braeden Harrell (Casually Clipless) and Gregg Atkinson (VOR Innovations).
In the Undergraduate division, three $5,000 prizes were given for standout projects: Nick Hageman for SmartDart (best technology), Dasia Taylor for NERD STEM Box (best education), and Tyler Graham for Archaneon (best consumer project).
This year, 47 university-affiliated businesses applied for the fall elevator pitch competition. Of those, 29 were selected as finalists to compete in the pitch competition held on Nov. 18 and 19.
Iowa JPEC, which hosted the event, is dedicated to nurturing entrepreneurship across the university by offering resources, mentorship, and funding opportunities.
For a complete list of winners and to view a gallery of the event, visit: https://iowajpec.org/news/2024/11/university-iowa-innovation-challenge-awards-75000-groundbreaking-startups
