By Diana Wright, ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship
The CYstarters experience has helped 44 Iowa State students and recent graduates start 35 businesses since the program began in 2016.
Today we grow, again.
We are excited to announce the 15 student entrepreneurs that will participate in CYstarters this summer. The 11–week intensive program, coordinated by the Iowa State Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, gives young entrepreneurs the time, funding, network of mentors, and skill-set development to start something while in college.
AI for Microscopy — Denis Tamiev and Paige Furman
AI for Microscopy creates artificial intelligence solutions within microscopy to improve cellular counting and classification in healthcare. Denis is a graduate student studying biochemistry and Paige is a sophomore studying biochemistry.
Camp Aramoni — Stephanie Bias
Camp Aramoni provides luxury camping experiences and offers a unique event venue located near central Illinois’s Starved Rock State Park. Stephanie is a senior studying event management.
CattleTech— Alex Irlbeck
CattleTech helps livestock farmers analyze animal health using RFID technology and visual imagery to capture key insights and allow for more informed management decisions around herd health quality and profitability. Alex is a graduate student studying agricultural engineering.
Chess Utopia — Anthony Swindell
Chess Utopia provides after school chess lessons for elementary and middle school students to enhance learning and teach the game of chess. Anthony is a senior studying entrepreneurship.
Comic Sandwiches — Grayson Burgess
Comic Sandwiches manufactures and designs high-end prop replicas for comic enthusiasts and toy collectors. Grayson is a junior studying mechanical engineering.
Courselink — Philippe Meister
Courselink aims to help teachers, advisors, and students in higher education by creating a node-network visualization to tell a better story of a student’s development & work experiences. Philippe is a graduate student studying communication and human computer interaction.
Flourish — Lauren Gifford
Flourish combines the fun of learning calligraphy with the social atmosphere of an elegant party through a blend of teaching classes, hosting community driven events, and creating weekly videos for over 75,000 YouTube subscribers. Lauren is a senior studying marketing.
Iowa Virtual Reality Labs — Brandon Jorgensen
Iowa Virtual Reality Labs is veteran-owned virtual reality lounge which provides rentable play spaces for the ultimate virtual reality experience. Brandon Jorgensen is a junior studying industrial engineering.
Jensen Applied Sciences — Dillon Jensen
Jensen Applied Sciences provides cloud technology solutions for the craft brewing industry. Dillon Jensen is a sophomore studying computer science.
One Hop Shop — Geert Boelen & Annie Zeimis
One Hop Shop produces dry-roasted and seasoned cricket snacks for human consumption as a healthy source for energy and protein. Geert is a recent graduate who studied agricultural business. Annie is senior studying management.
Pink Panda — Grant Keast
Pink Panda Aerial Media helps real estate brokers and development professionals market residential and commercial properties more effectively using high quality aerial videos. Grant is a senior studying business management.
Pock It — Lila Dougherty
Pock It creates an all-in-one attachable pocket for travelers, backpackers, and students commuting on campus. Lila is a senior studying industrial design.
Powdu — Kyrstin Myhers
Powdu provides an all natural powder shampoo capsule for environmentally conscious consumers looking for an easy-to-carry shampoo product. Kyrstin is a senior studying interdisciplinary design.
The Modern Milkman — Lauren Jones
The Modern Milkman is a grocery-style food truck which offers the essentials for rural communities fighting depopulation and limited food accessibility. Lauren is a junior studying entrepreneurship.
WashWright — Justin Wright
WashWright creates and produces robotic power washing machines for livestock farmers without the need to hire costly crews. Justin is a junior studying agricultural engineering.
Entrepreneurs thrive best where they have communities to draw upon–that’s why we know how special the Ames (and beyond) entrepreneurial community is to programs like CYstarters. We invite you to meet the students who will be part of this summer’s CYstarters cohort. We want to build the community by connecting friends and biggest supporters, business leaders, mentors, presenters, participants, and entrepreneurs.
Join us at the CYstarters 2019 Community Kick-Off!
RSVP HERE: https://www.isupjcenter.org/event/cystarters-community-2019-kick-off/
When: May 23 from 4:30–6:00 p.m.
Where: ISU Research Park, Economic Development Core Facility, 1805 Collaboration Place, Ames
Interested in the CYstarters Mentor Network?
Find out how you can get involved at: https://www.isupjcenter.org/cystarters-mentor-network/