SD EPSCoR News

2023 Governor’s Giant Vision Qualifiers Announced

Posted on: April 5, 2023   |   Categories: Announcements, News & Updates
Giant Vision

As host of the Governor’s Giant Vision Competition, South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry President David Owen has announced the qualifying applicants for the 2023 Business/Open and Student competitions. 
 
Judged on the content of their business plans, the following were selected by a panel of judges as the top qualifying entries that will advance to the next level of the competition set for Tuesday, April 25, at the Sioux Falls Convention Center. The competitor displays will be open to the public from 9:30 – 11:45 a.m. in Exhibit Hall 1.

Business/Open Competition

The following will compete for a top prize of $20,000.

  • Advanced Radiation Technology & Solutions LLC (Cloud-based platform for Monti Carlo simulations of radiation interactions with matter, allowing users to build, visualize, and share models of specific objects and environments without any coding experience), Jing Liu and Chao Zhang, Vermillion
  • BioBest (Minimally invasive, viable, bioinspired ventilation systems for scrubbing effectively the airborne pollutants and toxic fumes from mine ventilation air), Cody Allen and Venkataramana Gadhamshetty, Rapid City
  • CellField Technologies LLC (Contract research organization utilizing microphysiological system (MPS) to provide services to pharmaceutical companies, decreasing drug development costs and dependence on animal models), Scott Wood and Hosein Mirazi, Rapid City
  • GreenLight Bionics (Healthcare laboratory providing virtual reality games to solve physical therapy problems, current product to address cervical and lumbar spine disorders among Air Force pilots), Kouadio Niamba and Shania Rehmudin, Vermillion
  • Latitude-Ag LLC (Unique system to more efficiently and effectively clean out agricultural sprayers, reducing operator exposure to chemicals, and eliminating wasted chemicals), Ladd McCluskey, Humboldt
  • My Parts Pro LLC (Cloud-based software solution providing a range of features, including picking prioritization, automated order tracking, real-time updates on delivery status, and optimized delivery routes), Elliott Zimmer and David Zimmer, Sioux Falls
  • Straight Up Care LLC (Web-based platform for Peer Specialists (PS) that features a training course, and matching algorithm to bring new PS to the job market, reducing the nationwide care burden and improving addiction and mental health client outcomes), Melissa Dittberner and Jonathan Lewis, Volin

Student Business Competition

Students are vying for a $5,000 first-place prize for the best business idea. 

  • BioNanoTech (Biocompatible and optimizable nanoparticle-based DNA carriers to passively deliver DNA plasmids for genetic transformation in plants), Chinenye Izuegbunam and Blessing Ishola, University of South Dakota
  • Bio-Navitas (Production of renewable and sustainable graphitized carbon products from corn stover to be used as electrode material for supercapacitors),Bharathkiran Maddipudi and Khang Huynh,SD School of Mines & Technology
  • CounSil (Web-based software solution that guarantees the efficiency and effectiveness of the funding and purchasing processes in the military), John Barbour, SD School of Mines & Technology
  • eqUTI (Urinary tract infection prevention in women), Grace Kramer, Northern State University
  • Feldy’s Ice Cream (Mobile ice cream shop/caterer serving SDSU ice cream and other treats), Noah Felderman, Doland School
  • Human It (Specializes in human factors and usability engineering, providing seamless and customized solutions, including human factors testing, data analysis, and prototype design support), Megan McCray, University of South Dakota
  • Oncoplant Therapeutics (Drug-discovery company  dedicated to commercializing an anti-cancer-targeted therapeutic for metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) using smart drug delivery technology with nanoparticles), Nisitha Wijewantha, Moran Eikanger, and Khosrow Rezvani, University of South Dakota
  • Score-Score (Combines a social media platform with a robust music database. The platform enables band directors to catalog and track pieces they are interested in, with its recommendation engine providing personalized suggestions), Chami Senarath, Haakon Anderson, Christian Olson and Haley Armstrong, SD School of Mines & Technology
  • Sunny Honey (Window lighting system to help consumers with Seasonal Affective Disorder), Carolyn Hieb, Cole Hennen and CJ Stukel, South Dakota State University
  • Vizion UAS (Next-generation precision agricultural services to aid farming efficiency), Zackery Holloway, Gerald Waterhouse, Devin Filter and Micah Healy, SD School of Mines & Technology

Events on April 25 include individual presentations to a panel of judges where competitors are scored on individual presentations, including topics such as market, opportunity, management and potential for growth. The competition runs in conjunction with the annual GOED Conference. Winners will be announced at the end of a joint luncheon program.

About the Competitions

The Governor’s Giant Vision Business and Student Business competitions were established to help citizens realize that South Dakota is the very best place to start a successful business. The program was designed as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to compete for seed money and a chance to achieve their dream. This South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry program is chaired by Brad Wheeler, Wheeler Manufacturing of Lemmon. Wheeler was an original founder of the competition and is a past chair of the South Dakota Chamber Board of Directors.

Giant Vision is a program of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry, made possible by financial support for prize money from Governor Noem’s Office of Economic Development. These funds are matched by the following businesses to generate additional prize money and funds necessary to run the event. (No public funds are used to run the competition.) 2023 marks the 19th year of the Giant Vision business competition and the 17th year of a college student competition.