The 20th annual John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition wrapped up on Aug. 22. Out of more than 35 submissions, 12 teams advanced to the final presentation round.
Since 2006, the John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition, supported by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, has invested $1.4 million into participating businesses. The event is a collaborative effort led by the Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers at Iowa State University, Drake University, North Iowa Area Community College, the University of Iowa and the University of Northern Iowa.
A panel of judges selected the top three winners:
Immuno Nano Med received first place and was awarded $40,000. Immuno Nano Med is revolutionizing respiratory vaccines with PowderVax, a patented dry powder delivery platform using safe, biodegradable polyanhydride particles. PowderVax enables self-administration, reduced dosing, protection against multiple diseases, and room temperature storage —eliminating major barriers in global vaccine distribution.
Balaji Narasimhan – president and co-founder
Hermes Biomaterials Inc. came in second place and was awarded $25,000. The company’s signature platform offers the first major innovation in gene gun technology in over four decades, delivering improved efficiency and precision for both DNA and DNA-free plant transformation and genome editing. Hermes Biomaterials aims to equip agtech companies and research teams with the tools to accelerate crop innovation and reduce regulatory barriers.
Connor Thorpe – co-founder
Shan Jiang – co-founder
Hanna Golf received third place and was awarded $15,000. Hanna Golf designs and manufactures its own golf putters in Iowa. Hanna Golf’s CNC mills premium golf putters out of high-quality 303 Stainless Steel while providing an old-school customer experience. Hanna Golf has shipped golf putters to 47 states and eight countries from a small shop in northern Iowa.
Jared Doerfler – founder