KartWheel co-founders Nathan DePuy and Nikki Minzenmayer pose for the camera at the Google Boulder offices after their NVC 11 General Track Finals win.
New Venture Challenge Track Finals are in full swing, and we're excited to announce KartWheel as the second NVC 11 Championships finalist!
Competing against six teams in the NVC 11 General Track Finals competition (hosted by the Leeds School of Business MBA Program), KartWheel took home the first place prize and $20,000 (donated from CEAS Investments I, LLC) after pitching their business idea to a panel of judges and more than 130 in attendance. KartWheel is a specialized transportation company established to transport students with disabilities and injuries from their homes to specific buildings on campus.
"The idea for KartWheel started in Brad Werner's New Venture Creation class," said Kartwheel Co-Founder Nikki Minzenmayer, an undergraduate senior majoring in management. "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:
KartWheel will be one of five teams competing in the NVC 11 Championships on Wednesday, April 3 at the Boulder Theater.
"Nathan [KartWheel co-founder] and I are overwhelmed with excitement! We have worked extremely hard on this concept and to be recognized for our work is incredibly rewarding," said Minzenmayer. "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."
Stay tuned in the coming days as we announce the rest of the Track finalists!