The Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship Celebrates Cam Reiman, Founder of Spock’s Sanctuary, as Winner of the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards
Competition Finalists from L to R: Andrew Nguyen, Phillip Gorni, Armaan Gupta, Cam Reiman, Dakota Belling, and Leon Xue.
AMES, IA – February 1, 2024 – The Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship is proud to announce the outstanding achievement of Cam Reiman, founder of Spock’s Sanctuary, who secured first place and a $24,000 prize package at the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards (GSEA). The competition, hosted by EO Iowa, brought together aspiring student entrepreneurs to pitch their innovative business ideas.
The GSEA competition challenges students to present their businesses to a panel of judges, providing winners with the opportunity to advance to regional, national, and international levels. This year, five out of the six students who reached the final round of the GSEA competition were ISU student entrepreneurs affiliated with the Pappajohn Center. The finalists included Andrew Nguyen (Chingu BBQ), Armaan Gupta (Kreative Horizon), Phillip Gorni (Safety Scan), Cam Reiman (Spock’s Sanctuary/NutriCubes), and Dakota Belling (Bovi-Jet).
“We are proud to have so many Iowa State student entrepreneurs representing at a state-wide pitch competition,” said Judi Eyles, Director of the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship.
Cam Reiman (Dietetics and Animal Ecology, ’24) pitched Spock’s Sanctuary, the business she founded with her husband, at the competition on January 25, 2024 in Des Moines. Spock’s Sanctuary was created with a mission to educate owners on proper animal care, enhancing the quality of life for exotic pets everywhere. Cam hopes to revolutionize the industry by emphasizing the well-being and longevity of these unique pets. Their latest product, NutriCubes, is the healthiest complete diet available for lizards as the food is specifically designed to meet the dietary needs of individual species, replicating their native diets for optimal health.
“Running a business comes with a lot of ups and downs, and lately, it’s felt like a lot of lows. Winning the GSEA competition allowed us to move out of those lows and prepare for the next big step, including launching a new line of NutriCubes,” shared Cam. “In the week following the competition, many of the judges and other sponsors of the competition have reached out to stay in touch, and I feel that they truly want to see me succeed!”
GSEA judge and President of North American Minerals Corp., Jason Berger, remarked, “The innovation, passion and dedication that all of these students displayed is jaw-dropping. What they have all accomplished at such a young age is inspiring to even the most seasoned business owner.”
Cam has participated in many programs hosted by the Pappajohn Center including CYstarters cohort 7 (2022), the College-by-College Pitch Off and Fall Startup Pitch Competitions, and the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences Student Incubator program. Prior to this winning, Cam has taken home a total of $7,250 in winnings from pitch competitions put on by the Pappajohn Center.
Cam will now move on to compete in a regional competition, representing not only Spock’s Sanctuary, but the vibrant community of student entrepreneurs at Iowa State University and the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship.
