CYstarters Spotlight: A 16-part series highlighting student entrepreneurs pursuing their business ventures as part of the CYstarters 2026 summer cohort. Through this program, students have the unique opportunity to prioritize the development of their own startup or business idea. Each individual receives $6,500 and access to resources such as mentorship, networking opportunities, and educational sessions on entrepreneurship and business startup. Learn more and meet our 17 entrepreneurs at Demo Day on Thursday, July 30. Register today!
Long before she began developing an AI-powered gardening app, Mary Staudt was finding ways to turn ideas into businesses.
Whether she was selling something at church or running a pet-sitting business as a middle schooler, entrepreneurship always seemed to come naturally.
Today, the Iowa State University senior in agricultural business and entrepreneurship is channeling that same drive as she builds CultivAIte, an app designed to make gardening simpler for everyone.
Growing up in Maxwell, Iowa, a town of fewer than 900 people, Mary was surrounded by agriculture. Her family raised ducks, rabbits and even a goat at one point, while her dad grew popcorn by hand and she helped maintain the family garden.
That rural upbringing sparked not only a love of agriculture but also a habit of creating businesses whenever she spotted an opportunity.
At just 10 years old, Mary launched a pet sitting business in Maxwell. Within a few years, it had become so successful that government paperwork unexpectedly entered the picture. “The USDA contacted me and was like ‘Hey, you gotta be paying taxes,’ and my parents were like, ‘You’re 13,’” she said. Although the business came to an early end, Mary’s entrepreneurial mindset was only growing.
Years later, Mary’s lifelong experience working outdoors inspired her next business idea. Whether it’s managing a backyard, acreage or other planted spaces, anyone who has maintained a garden knows the endless list of responsibilities: soil health, watering schedules, weed control, transplanting, and seasonal planning.
“There’s just so much to consider,” Mary said.
Rather than keeping track of everything with notes and spreadsheets, Mary imagined an app that could do the planning. CultivAIte simplifies prepwork by organizing tasks based on their location, plot sizes and plant varieties. AI-powered scheduling keeps seasonal work planned and on track.
CultivAIte first took shape in Kevin Kimle’s agricultural entrepreneurship course last fall where students were challenged to develop two business ideas. CultivAIte was Mary’s second idea, but it quickly became her favorite.
At the end of the class, she had the opportunity to pitch her business in front of an audience of entrepreneurs and was up for a chance to win $500.
“I won that, so that really boosted my ego,” she said.
Kevin helped Mary continue developing the app throughout the summer, and that momentum is what ultimately drew her to apply for CYstarters and become a part of Cohort 11.
Although Mary understood agriculture and entrepreneurship, software development was completely new territory. Rather than letting that stop her, she has leaned on the advice of her peers in the cohort.
“I started redeveloping my app completely last week, just based off of like stuff people in my cohort were telling me and what they already knew,” she said.
Her willingness to ask questions and learn something new quickly became one of the biggest benefits from her CYstarters experience. Between educational sessions, one-on-one mentors and constant feedback from fellow founders, Mary says the support has been unlike anything she’s experienced.
“All the resources they give us, it’s incredible. I told people, ‘I don’t want this to ever end,’ it’s just so fun,” she said. “Every day we stay a little bit longer after, and it’s fun getting to talk, hear all the connections we all have, and be able to help each other out.”
With encouragement from mentors and classmates, Mary has also become more open to sharing CultivAIte with others.
“Every time I pitch it to people, they seem super excited,” she said. “Maybe I’m hand picking my audience to people I know will like it, but it’s been good knowing this is a problem other people are having, and they would use the app if they could.”
While CultivAIte has continued to develop, Mary says she’s grown just as much. By pitching, networking and asking for help, she’s become more confident in herself as an entrepreneur.
“I think it’s taught me that I can be an entrepreneur, not that I didn’t think that before,” she said. “It’s hard, but it’s fun. I don’t mind spending 80 hours a week working on something I love.”
Now, Mary’s focus is on preparing CultivAIte for Demo Day. She’s refining her branding, polishing her marketing materials and building a stronger social media presence before getting the app into the hands of even more people who care for plants and outdoor spaces.
Looking back on her journey, she has one piece of advice for anyone considering entrepreneurship:
“Just do it. If you believe it’s a good idea, and you’re passionate about it, especially if you’re at Iowa State, there’s so many good resources, especially CYstarters. Do it now.”
Head over to www.cultivaiteapp.com to connect with Mary and learn more about CultivAIte. Follow along on Instagram and Facebook @cultivaiteapp and TikTok @cultivaite.
Check out our video interview with Mary Staudt below!
