North Iowa entrepreneur takes home win from 2023 Venture School Launch Day Competition

18 Jul 2023

News

Mary Jo Vrba of Mason City, IA, took home Third Place at the 2023 University of Iowa Venture School Launch Day which was held Thursday, June 8, 2023. Eleven teams from across the state of Iowa competed in the event which was held at EntreFEST, a two-day entrepreneurial conference in Iowa City, IA.

Mary Jo Vrba won the Third Place prize of $5,000 for her business, Mags & Lu, which provides full-service dog boarding and daycare. First place and $15,000 was won by SimplSupport (Lori Palmer); Second place and $10,000 was won by Autistic & Loved (Dr. Kit Evans-Ford). There were two finalists, Portico (Brian Nigg) and Jolt Education (Jade Peterson), and six semifinalists, that received $1,000 each. The semi-finalists were Retrofit Electric (Oscar Madong of Mason City), A Kneaded Break (Britt Bock of Charles City), Akademi Arts Progress (Alan Murdock), Level Up Bouldering (Paul Altaver), Rose and Oak Athletics (Ellen Franklin), Payroll Vault (Aaron Bontrager).

Read the complete article here.

More Topics

NIACC Pappajohn Center & SBDC recognizes the July 2023 Entrepreneurs of the Month

Jul 17 2023

Ashley Thompson began Child Time Daycare as an in-home business in Northwood in 2018. She successfully ran the daycare at home for five years, and as her waiting list grew longer and longer, Ashley realized that the need for childcare in her community was not being fully met. “There were...

NIACC Pappajohn Center & SBDC recognizes the July 2023 Entrepreneurs of the Month

Jul 17 2023

Embodying the Spirit of a Winn-Worth Betco Community, Iowa

Jul 14 2023

Community spirit is a powerful force that drives growth and development in towns and cities worldwide. The essence of unity, collaboration, and support brings people together for a common purpose. One Winn-Worth Betco community is a shining example of such spirit, where individuals come together to create a vibrant and...