Startup Weekend Iowa took place this weekend and was a huge hit. 75 people participated in the online, weekend-long event.
The weekend kicked off on Friday night with opening remarks and networking. Following introductions, everyone grouped into teams to begin working on their ideas. Throughout the weekend several local mentors were provided to the teams helping them develop their product or service, giving expert advice and guiding them in the right direction.
On Saturday evening, two final teams presented their final pitches. The final two teams were:
Mismatch – A premium sock brand that provides purposely mismatched socks and introduces a new ritual to your morning routine by telling your fortune through tarot card illustrations
Inkto – an online gig economy platform that connects self-publishing authors struggling to find affordable, quality art for their stories with illustrators looking for portfolio and revenue opportunities
Each pitch was five minutes long followed by a five-minute Q&A with a panel of judges. This year’s judges were Nancy Mwirotsi, Lisa Shimkat, Peter Hong, Diana Wright and Jill Lippincott. Following the final pitches, the judges announced Mismatched as the winner of this year’s Startup Weekend Iowa.