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!

How Quinn Mitchell is Simplifying Sports Hydration

When Quinn Mitchell ordered electrolytes, he expected his usual flavor. Instead, the company shipped him lemonade. That small mistake led to a much bigger idea—one that eventually would become Cota Hydration, an electrolyte drink mix designed with simple ingredients and a refreshing taste. Now, the junior finance major at Iowa State University’s Ivy College of Business is spending his summer growing the business as a member of CYstarters cohort 11.

Long before Cota Hydration, Quinn’s entrepreneurial mindset was shaped by the people around him. Growing up in West Des Moines, Iowa, and attending Valley High School gave him opportunities to build relationships and connections to the business world.

Entrepreneurship runs through Quinn’s family. His father and grandfather both built their own businesses, and from an early age, Quinn knew that he wanted to do the same.

Although he always planned to start a business someday, he never imagined the inspiration would come from a shipping mistake. When he opened the box and found a lemonade-flavored electrolyte, an idea began to take shape.

His first idea was an electrolyte lemonade stand, but he quickly realized that it wasn’t scalable. Instead, he partnered with his teammates Roan Walsmith and Jack Rogers to develop a packaged electrolyte drink mix. Their first lemonade flavor launched in the summer of 2025.

Quinn is solving a problem he is passionate about. “In the electrolyte world, there’s billions of companies, and I feel like it’s so confusing.” Cota, short for clean, optimal, trusted, and authentic, was created to bring clarity and simplicity to an overwhelming industry.

Through customer discovery work he did through CYstarters, Quinn learned that most people don’t know much about electrolytes or what they should look for in a hydration product. Quinn says that when he was in high school, that’s the same way he felt.

“I just assumed that Gatorade is a good option, but there’s so many products that just have a ton of junk in them,” he said.

Through customer discovery, Quinn learned that even when you think you understand your audience, there’s always more to learn.

“I always feel like I know my customer, because I sometimes think I am my customer,” he said. “I talk to people all the time, but there’s so many things I didn’t know and that I learned going into customer discovery.”

The lessons extend far beyond talking with customers. One of the best parts about pursuing entrepreneurship for Quinn has been learning every side of running a business. “I’m learning marketing, accounting, wholesaling,” he said. “It’s cool to have so many different aspects of business that I have learned.”

That eagerness to keep learning is what first drew Quinn to CYstarters. He learned about the program through an accounting professor he had in his freshman year. It was a week past the deadline to join Cohort 10, but Quinn pocketed the idea and was determined to make it into Cohort 11.

Just over a year ago, Cota Hydration was not more than an idea, but after learning about CYstarters, Quinn was prompted to accelerate the business’s growth. One of the first steps was an official launch, which the team did at a soccer tournament in late June.

“We had little cups of people sampling it,” he said. “People started drinking it, they just loved it, and they kept buying it.” That’s when Quinn realized there was value and that other people saw the vision.

That early success gave the team confidence as they moved forward, and the momentum carried into the school year. Along the way, the company faced its share of unexpected challenges, one of the biggest being a complete rebrand.

A European company with a small trademark jurisdiction in the USA prompted the switch to the Cota Hydration name. While the change wasn’t part of the original plan, Quinn says it became a blessing in disguise, giving the team time to strengthen branding and improve the business.

Throughout the journey, Quinn says his father has been his biggest mentor. His dad has overcome many of the same challenges Quinn faces and has offered support and connections. “He knows so many people in the business world, so we’ve gotten help through him with trademark stuff like that,” he said.

Quinn participated in several ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship pitch competitions throughout the school year, all leading up to filling out his CYstarters application and being accepted into the program.

Much of the growth he’s experienced this summer, Quinn says, has been fueled by the people around him. “There’s been so many people who mentor us and give us feedback, and partners we work with, like local gyms and studios,” Quinn said. “It’s almost like a friendship with them. They are so helpful.”

Not only have Quinn and the CYstarters felt the support of the greater community, but they are also supporting each other day in and day out. “I’m pretty much best friends with every single person here, so the future friendships I get from this, that’s something cool to have.”

As those relationships grow, so does Cota Hydration’s vision for the future. Over the summer, Quinn plans to explore posting on TikTok Shop, which will require consistent, frequent posts, especially as the team works towards the affiliate program. In addition to building a presence in online shopping, Cota Hydration is looking to expand to local Ames businesses. “A long-term goal is getting into local retailers, like gyms, yoga studios, and expanding that local presence,” he said.

CYstarters students learn through a variety of education sessions. One of the topics that stood out the most to Quinn was branding with CYstarters alum Kailey Stevens. Kailey shared that branding is the sum of all the experiences people have with a brand, more than just colors and fonts. “The more I get in my business, the more I think it’s just my colors, my logos, and my emails,” Quinn said. “But what she said is your branding is all the experiences someone has with your brand, which was cool to put in perspective.”

Next on the horizon for Cota Hydration is a third flavor: peach. Adding this third flavor is a big milestone. “If you would have told me last summer, we’d have three flavors by next summer, I probably wouldn’t believe myself,” Quinn said.

While building a business has been rewarding, Quinn says some of his favorite memories have come from spending time with his fellow cohort of entrepreneurs. “We played soccer last week, and it was just like playing with people I’ve known for a long time.”

Quinn hopes more students realize entrepreneurship doesn’t require a revolutionary idea.

“I mean if you think about it, I’m just selling salt, like flavored salt,” Quinn said. “It doesn’t have to be a crazy idea, as long as there’s need for it.”

His biggest piece of advice is simple: just start.

You can learn more about Cota Hydration and its products at www.cotahydration.com and follow the journey on Instagram @cotahydration.