SCORE, the nation’s largest network of volunteer, expert business mentors, announced the three winning small-business owners from its 60th anniversary pitch competition held on Sept. 12 in Des Moines. The event was one in a series of pitch competitions SCORE is holding across the country, according to a news release. Ten finalists participated, and judging criteria included effectiveness of the presentation, brand identification, uniqueness and viability of the product or service and scalability.
The three winning businesses are:
First place ($20,000): Scott Massey of Anu, Evansville, Ind.
Heliponix LLC, doing business as Anu, specializes in indoor farming solutions
using patented Rotary Aeroponics technology. Its flagship product, the Pure Produce
Container, integrates advanced farming systems with Self-Nurturing Seed Pods and artificial intelligence-enabled monitoring. This technology addresses food insecurity and resource challenges by providing scalable, energy-efficient farming solutions for both residential and commercial
users. Massey plans to use the funding to cover patent and intellectual property expenses and to create new AI development roles at the company, the release said.
Second place ($10,000): Katie Olthoff of ChopLocal, Wayland, Iowa
ChopLocal is a SaaS-enabled marketplace designed to support livestock producers, small
meat processors and consumers. It offers an online platform where vendors can sell their meat products directly to consumers. ChopLocal aims to revive local meat supply chains and simplify online meat purchasing. Olthoff will use the $10,000 to increase the marketing budget to attract
more consumers, support the platform’s growth and enhance the reach and visibility of
ChopLocal’s vendors.
Third place ($5,000): Tony Horner of Fermented Felon, Bellevue, Neb.
Fermented Felon is a kombucha tea company founded by Tony Horner, who turned his life
around from a troubled past to become an entrepreneur. The company offers a range of
unique kombucha flavors and focuses on growth and quality, with plans to expand into new
metropolitan areas. Horner will use the prize to support the company’s expansion into new markets.
Other finalists in the competition were:
- Denise Greenhaw, NextGen Motors of Muscatine, Muscatine
- Christy Vincent, MOC BOD LLC, Kansas City, Mo.
- Dakota Belling, Bovi-Jet, Granger
- Abby Miller, Pat on Tap, Mead, Neb.
- Juperi Johnson, Kena Wrap LLC, Albuquerque, N.M.
- Caitlin Hainley, Des Moines Midwife Collective, Des Moines
- Tiffany Jones, Cake Charming LLC, Oswego, Ill.
