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!
Charlie Bennett: Giving Athletes Answers with Clarion Labs
Charlie Bennett likes to stay healthy and fit through a range of activities: running, cycling, basketball, fishing, and hiking. Living an active lifestyle is what led him to create Clarion Labs.
Charlie grew up in Ames, Iowa, and was a runner on his high school cross-country team, aiming to set personal best times. Things were going well for him, until his times started dropping, and despite appointments with specialists, new diets, and supplements, the numbers wouldn’t come back up. After setbacks and setbacks, he wondered if there was a deeper problem with his health.
Through bloodwork it was revealed that Charlie’s ferritin levels were low– low for a human and at an even more concerning level for an athlete. This low level of ferritin, a specialized protein that binds to and stores iron inside your cells, was the cause of Charlie’s weakness and fatigue. Knowing this information about his blood health allowed him to recover and respond correctly, fueling and training to perform at his best.
Even though he had always been more into sports, Charlie came to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at Iowa State University to study English. “I got into English, thinking about becoming a teacher or an author, something along those lines,” he said. “Then I started coaching and I just fell into an idea, which led me to entrepreneurship.”
Charlie took on the role of coach after his high school graduation two years ago, helping other young athletes in the Ames area better themselves and advocate for their health.
“As I got to coaching, I kept seeing these same problems, and people didn’t know how to navigate it, so I just kind of got sick of it, and decided
to start the idea for myself,” Charlie said.
Through his frustration, Charlie was sparked to create Clarion Labs, a blood work interpretation software that digests a client’s medical information and provides reliable answers to their health concerns. It puts health data into language people can understand, helping active individuals understand and train for what their body needs most.
It hasn’t been a paved road. Building software around the human body comes with its own set of regulations and guidelines. However, Charlie has been able to develop a fully functioning app and website with tested algorithms and is now focusing on marketing and launching the product. His goal is to have the app up and running smoothly by the time he studies abroad next year.
What keeps Charlie hitting his deadlines is clear goals and action steps, something he learned how to do through CYstarters. What surprised him was the level of detail and amount of time it actually takes to complete each goal.
“Anyone can plug in an AI prompt and make a website in three days, but to actually get a business running, there’s so much there, and it’s so dense,” he said. “What I thought would be three weeks or three months has been six months.”
Balancing his plans for his business with school and life is easy, especially since Charlie enjoys learning about his English major so much. “Having a major that I enjoy and I feel passionate about, it doesn’t feel like a chore,” Charlie said.
From coaching and entrepreneurship, Charlie has learned to be a better leader. Having leadership and ownership over athletes’ training has given him the professional skills to be his own boss and manage a business.
Throughout all his growth, Charlie says he’s felt the biggest support from his parents.
“Even before I got into entrepreneurship, I wasn’t planning on doing anything traditional, and they’ve encouraged me every step of the way,” he said. “They are brutally honest with me, so if they don’t like an idea, they will tell me.”
Charlie’s favorite part about building Clarion Labs has been the ability to give back to the coaching and athletic community. He hopes his software will equip others with the answers they need to keep doing the activities they love.
He is most excited by the opportunity on the horizon. He doesn’t feel stuck on one single path but is open to all sorts of ways his business could branch out in the future.
His advice to other students seeking entrepreneurship is to take action and seek feedback. “Getting feedback helps you grow and get better,” Charlie said.
You can learn more about Clarion Labs at www.clarionlabs.tech and on social media.
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Help us support Charlie as he builds Clarion Labs at CYstarters Demo Day on Thursday, July 30.
Register today: https://www.isupjcenter.org/event/2026-cystarters-demo-day/
Check out our video interview with Charlie Bennett below!
