The University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center wrapped up an end-of-semester Pitch Showcase for its startup incubator program on Dec. 12 at Merge Iowa City. A total of $5,000 was awarded in two categories. Savanna Kaczynski and WedGen won first place and $1,000 in the Tech/Student Lifestyle category. WedGen is an all-in-one wedding planning platform. Sydney Fox and ReGrip won first place and $1,000 in the Consumer Product category. ReGrip is a climbing shoe repair brand that offers repair solutions that allow climbers to restore worn rubber themselves. The runners-up in each category received $700 apiece — Daniel Mendez and Easy-org (Tech/Student Lifestyle) and Leo Myers and Kappie Studios (Consumer Product). The nine finalists who advanced to the Pitch Showcase received a cash prize. The Undergraduate Student Incubator offers student founders mentorship, resources and a supportive community to help them develop and launch their ventures.
