KartWheel aims to transport injured students across campus, grabs first place in new Venture Challenge 11 General Track Finals
KartWheel co-founders Nathan DePuy and Nikki Minzenmayer pose for the camera at theÌýGoogle Boulder offices after their NVC 11 General Track Finals win.
New Venture ChallengeÌýTrack Finals are in full swing, and we're excited to announce KartWheelÌýasÌýthe second NVC 11 Championships finalist!
Competing against sixÌýteams in the NVC 11 General Track Finals competition (hosted by the Leeds School of Business MBA Program), KartWheelÌýtook home theÌýfirst place prize and $20,000 (donated from CEAS Investments I, LLC)Ìýafter pitching their business idea to a panel of judges and more than 130 in attendance. KartWheel is aÌýspecialized transportation company established to transport students with disabilities and injuriesÌýfrom their homes to specific buildings on campus.
"The idea for KartWheel started in Brad Werner's New Venture Creation class," saidÌýKartwheel Co-Founder Nikki Minzenmayer, an undergraduate senior majoring in management.Ìý"We were provided amazing resources to further develop our idea, such as the Deming Center Business Plan template and great instruction from a real entrepreneur like Brad."
The other General Track Finalists of the night included:​
- 2nd place:ÌýThrift/ed ($7,000)Ìý– an e-commerce marketplace catered to individual college campuses.
- 3rd place: SnarkÌý($3,000)Ìý– Analytics as a Service (AaaS) platform that helps event coordinators and venues better understand their audiences
- InductableÌý– furniture company that incorporates wireless charging into functional design
- TalismanÌý– mobile app for mental healthÌýthat guides users as they name, manage and harness their emotions in productive ways
- Live VivacityÌý– holistic health and wellness company focused on integrating the services and networks of the fitness world together
KartWheel will be one of five teams competing in the NVC 11 Championships on Wednesday, April 3 at the Boulder Theater.
"NathanÌý[KartWheel co-founder] and I are overwhelmed with excitement!ÌýWe have worked extremely hard on this concept and to be recognized for our work is incredibly rewarding," said Minzenmayer.Ìý"This win is not only encouraging, but will propel our business forward as we continue to work with the university in hopes of launching on campus."Ìý
Stay tuned in the coming days as we announce the rest of the Track finalists!