Undergraduates
ISU students take top prizes in statewide Pappajohn New Venture Student Business Plan competition
AMES, Iowa – Two Iowa State students each claimed $5,000 prizes at the finals of the statewide student business plan competition on Friday. Agriculture Concepts – which has developed an aftermarket tillage solution called Track Till that reduces field compaction -- was chosen as one of the three top prize winners during the finals of the statewide Pappajohn New Venture Business Plan Competition last Friday at the Pappajohn Higher Ed Center in Des Moines. Omega Chea Renewables – which has a plan to commercialize the production of sustainable, bio-based raw-materials for detergents, lubricants, and polymer manufacturing - was also pronounced a $5,000 winner at the competition.
Senior Colin Hurd, ISU Agriculture Studies, received a $5,000 top prize for his venture, Agriculture Products. Hurd was a finalist last year but did not win. John Pappajohn remarked, “Last year, Colin simply had an idea, but this year he has made tremendous progress, which is very impressive.” Shivani Garg, a graduate student in Biochemistry, Biophysics, and Molecular Biology, received $5,000 for her new venture, Omega Chea Renewables, which began as a class research project but has grown into a viable new startup. Ryan Ries, a student from the University of Iowa took the competition's other top prize with his business idea TranslaCare, a software application that improves communication resources for eldery adults who have experienced speech, language or memory impairments as a result of various neurodegenerative conditions.
The finalists presented their business plans last Friday to John Pappajohn -- president of Equity Dynamics, Inc., Des Moines, and founder of the five John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers in Iowa -- and two of his senior staff members, Dan Storck and Matt Kinley. The winning entries were chosen on the basis of the content and viability of their plans.
The other Iowa State finalists were two ISU computer engineering seniors, Austin Laugen and Andrew Montag, for HomeNimbus, a company designed to provide expertise that enables companies to integrate home automation platforms into their products via smartphones or other devices.
The competition is open to any Iowa university or college student/team with an interest in starting a business. John Pappajohn created the competition 12 years ago.
More information is available through ISU's Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship Web site at http://www.isupjcenter.org/.
ISU NAMA UNDERGRAD NAMED OUTSTANDING STUDENT AT NAMA CONVENTION
AMES, Iowa – Alicia Humphrey, a junior in agricultural education- communications from Ioxna, Wis. was awarded the 2013 Successful Farming/Fergie Ferguson Outstanding Student Award at the National Agri-Marketing Association’s (NAMA) annual conference and trade show April 16-19 in Kansas City, Mo.
Humphrey is the 3rd Vice President of Iowa State University’s student NAMA chapter. She has been an active member of the ISU NAMA chapter for the past three years as a member of the chapter’s agri-marketing team. Humphrey received a $4,000 scholarship with the award.
ISU NAMA HAS SUCCESS AT NAMA CONVENTION
IOWA STATE NAMA CHAPTER ENJOYS SUCCESSFUL NAMA CONVENTION
AMES, Iowa – The Iowa State National Agri-Marketing Association (NAMA) chapter was presented second place in the John Deere Signature Award at the association’s annual conference and trade show April 16-19 in Kansas City, Mo.
The chapter won the award for overall points accrued for student participation, involvement in the national competition, scholarship awards and its annual report. The team received a $2,000 check with the award that will be used for future chapter activities.
The chapter participated in NAMA’s annual marketing competition advancing to the semi-final round. To compete, students developed a business plan and professional presentation to market a new product or service. This year the team marketed Surefire, a biological moss treatment product for the golf course industry. The team was judged by a panel of marketing and agribusiness professionals.
Six students were awarded scholarships during the association’s annual conference and trade show April 16-19 in Kansas City, Mo.
Jordan Neighbor, Katie Carver and Jennifer Elliott were awarded $500 Agri-Business Education Foundation (ABEF) scholarships. Calvin McBride, Donna McCune and Marcie Stevenson were awarded $1,000 ABEF scholarships.
The team is coached by Stacey Noe, Agricultural Entrepreneurial Initiative program coordinator, and Carly Cummings, program assistant. The chapter also received second place Outstanding Chapter award.