North Iowa Entrepreneur Wins Third Place at the 2026 Venture School Statewide Launch Day Competition

Cait Dillavou of Clear Lake, IA won Third Place at the University of Iowa’s Venture School Launch Day Competition on June 11, 2026. Ten teams from across Iowa competed in the event, which was held at EntreFest, a two-day entrepreneurial conference in Iowa City, IA. Five teams competed in the final round. A total of $45,000 in prize money was awarded to competitors.

Cait Dillavou of Stone Heritage Jewelry won the Third Place prize of $6,000. Stone Heritage Jewelry provides jewelry design and creation that is crafted with care in a private, one-on-one setting, to become cherished heirlooms. Cait draws upon her extensive professional experience as a jeweler in New York’s Diamond District to make luxury accessible. Whether creating something new or reimagining a beloved family treasure, each piece reflects timeless artistry and a legacy meant to be passed down for generations. Cait is a graduate of the NIACC Pappajohn Center cohort of Venture School, and has previously won First Place at the Fall 2025 Venture School Launch Day Competition in Mason City, IA.

Candi Karsjens, Executive Director of Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the NIACC Pappajohn Center, said, “Cait has successfully combined world-class craftsmanship with an innovative business model that can be replicated across Iowa. Her ability to transform a personalized luxury experience into a scalable venture demonstrates both entrepreneurial vision and execution.”

The University of Iowa’s Venture School Launch Day Competition is open to entrepreneurs who have graduated from a Venture School cohort in the last year. The pitch contest draws competitors from across the entire state of Iowa. The University of Iowa’s Venture School is the premier statewide program for entrepreneurs with seven locations available across the state, and is built from a streamlined curriculum developed by the National Science Foundation I-Corps at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley. Venture School emphasizes real-world entrepreneurship and innovation based on leading edge curriculum.