The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE) is proud to announce the top winning startups of the Fall 2024 Bootcamp 1.0 online Business Accelerator! Founders in the Monday and Thursday sections of the accelerator are represented by entrepreneurs from colleges across The University of Kentucky, local entrepreneurs in the community, as well as faculty, staff, and students throughout the Bluegrass. Bootcamp is made available to any Kentucky entrepreneur seeking to start a business for the first time in a virtual learning environment that provides an entire semester of entrepreneurial training and education. Applications for the Spring 2025 semester are open and the deadline to apply is January 12, 2025! Click here to apply.
Monday Bootcamp 1.0 – Winning Teams
PRLZ Extract - $1,000
Prlz Extract is led by University of Kentucky students, Avery Nelson, Eli Gersony, and Venkatesh Suryadevara. Their startup is an integrated solventless extract company strategically based in Lexington, Kentucky. The operational framework includes securing a producer license in Kentucky, complemented by a tier 1 cultivation license, enabling Prlz Extract to cultivate cannabis in a dedicated 2,000-square-foot grow room. Their core ethos revolves around crafting premium-quality products while meticulously sourcing genetics using extraction methods that entirely remove the use of harmful chemicals from the extraction process. The Prlz Extract target market mirrors thatof luxury small-batch bourbon or whisky enthusiasts. As the younger generation matures, antiquated perceptions surrounding cannabis are dissipating. This is the distinctive image they seek to cultivate, and consequently, our ideal customer is someone eager to explore the finest offerings within the realm of cannabis.
Avery Nelson | Undergraduate Student, Economics Major in the Gatton College of Business & Economics
Email: averyhayesnelson@gmail.com
Eli Gersony | Undergraduate Student, BioSystems Engineering Major in the College of Engineering
Email: etge225@uky.edu
Venkatesh Suryadevara | Undergraduate student, Accounting and Finance Major with a Minor in Economics, College of Business
Email: vsu228@uky.edu
An Ancestors Touch - $1,000
An Ancestor’s Touch is led by University of Kentucky staff member, Nicole D. Murphy. Her company’s passionate mission is to illuminate living spaces with eco-friendly, clean energy candles that infuse warmth and sustainability into every home. Honoring and celebrating Black cultural heritage is at the heart of the company’s authenticity. An Ancestor’s Touch Products offers a captivating array of sustainable products, ranging from soy wax candles to wax melts, with potential for expansion to include other fragrance forms such as room sprays, car fresheners, and incense. Services include meticulously planned events that center around sustainable practices, as well as operational excellence, encompassing sustainable strategic planning, carbon footprint tracking, and immersive workshops.
Nicole D. Murphy | Staff Member, College of Communication & Information
Email: anancestorstouch@gmail.com
Flowtech - $1,000
Flowtech is led by University of Kentucky students, Fatemeh Hamedi, Pegah Safavi, and Faezeh Akbari, along with Frederick Douglass High School freshman, Nishant Palle.
Through Flowtech, the team seeks to develop noninvasive wearable devices for monitoring blood flow and oxygenation and other vital parameters of the brain for patients with neurological disorders such as stroke, Alzheimer’s, and Parkinson’s Disease. Their current minimum viable product is comprised of sensors and miniaturized camera(s) to capture blood flow changes in patients suffering with these types of neurological challenges. The sensors in the device produce a signal that is transmitted via Bluetooth through Flowtech’s proprietary system for real-time data analysis. If there are unexpected blood flow changes, an alert will be sent to the patient and their doctor to check blood flow activity and the patient's condition.
Fatemeh Hamedi | PhD Candidate, BioMedical Engineering in the College of Engineering
Email: fha251@uky.edu
Pegah Safavi | PhD Candidate, BioMedical Engineering in the College of Engineering
Email: psa230@uky.edu
Faezeh Akbari | PhD Candidate, BioMedical Engineering in the College of Engineering
Email: faezeh.akbari@uky.edu
Nishant Palle | Freshman, Frederick Douglass High School
Email: nishantpalle@outlook.com
N.A.R.M - $1,000
N.A.R.M. is led by University of Kentucky graduate student, Omar Brown.
Nutritional Aid and Resource Map Network (N.A.R.M.) is a resource referral innovation (Rooted from previous N.A.R.M. developments) that allows “Helpers” (e.g. Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers) to provide “Seekers” (Those experiencing food insecurity), with referral access to Charitable Food Programs to reduce food insecurity. The N.A.R.M Network is being developed as a multi-platform resource referral application supported by N.A.R.M.’s innovative referral pathway. This process begins with the ‘Helper’ receiving intake of the “Seeker,” resulting in the coordination of a referral request and subsequent order fulfillment from a Charitable Food Program. Then, through the utilization of Food Delivery Services, such as UberEATS, DoorDash, and USPS, the N.A.R.M. will deliver Direct-To-Client food. Once delivered, order confirmation closes the loop by passively relaying outcomes back to the “Helper” for evaluation and/or integration into an Electronic Health Record (EHR) system. Through these methods, the goal of the N.A.R.M. is to lower the expenses related to food-insecurity, reduce the burden on ‘Helpers’ when managing food-insecure clients, and utilize technology to coordinate community resources to reduce food insecurity and improve the health of the community.
Omar Brown | Graduate Student, College of Nursing
Email: okbr223@uky.edu
Zation - $1,000
Zation is led by University of Kentucky undergraduate student, Nnaemeka Okafor. Zation is a revolutionary solution poised to transform membership management for small to medium-sized organizations. Operating on a Software as a Service (SaaS) model, Zation offers a freemium model for organizations to access our platform, with additional partnership opportunities with larger institutions such as professional societies and educational institutions for tailored solutions. Zation’s comprehensive platform offers a suite of tools for data management, engagement promotion, and community building, serving a diverse range of groups including campus organizations, social clubs, churches, and professional chapters.
At the heart of Zation, this user-friendly web application will help organizations effortlessly manage member data, track attendance, and incentivize participation in events and activities, fostering a strong sense of community within their organization. Key features of Zation include engagement tracking and analytics, a dynamic points-based rewards system, automated data management, and customizable forms and surveys.
Nnaemeka Okafor | Undergraduate student, Computer Science Major in The College of Engineering
Email: ok4nnaemeka@uky.edu
Directors Award $500 - 1Pack
1Pack is led by Undergraduate student, Lane Jones. His startup concept seeks to produce customizable backpack/travel wear. This customizable travel gear will be offered in multiple styles and colors with the goal to “customize” your travel needs based on specific preferences, such as phone case inserts, pen/pencil pouches, or other desired features.
Lane Jones | Undergraduate student, Business & Corporate Communications Major in the College of Communication & Information
Email: lane.jones@hotmail.com
Thursday Bootcamp 1.0 – Winning Teams
PulseHR by SweatXFitness - $2,000
Amy Tilley is a Lexington, Kentucky based community member and Founder of SweatXFitness. She is a Kentucky native and entrepreneur, as well as a University of Kentucky alum and graduate in Finance from the Gatton College of Business and Economics, Class of 2007. She has spent over 15 years working at the University of Kentucky in the Women's basketball program and has a passion for coaching, fitness, and wellness. Amy is joined by team member, and University of Kentucky faculty member in Statistics, Chenglong Ye.
SweatX Fitness, LLC, is a fitness and wellness company driven by the mission to deliver innovative, high-energy workout experiences for individuals, families, and teams. PulseHR by SweatX Fitness provides an opportunity to take SweatX programming to an online platform, offering real-time coaching available to anyone, anytime, anywhere. By combining heart rate-based training with cutting-edge programming, PulseHR delivers personalized, data-driven fitness solutions that adapt to every individual’s needs and goals. Currently, SweatX Fitness programming is being implemented in local gyms across Lexington, KY, fostering a strong sense of community while inspiring healthier lives. With a focus on inclusivity, results, and innovation, SweatX Fitness is redefining how people approach fitness and wellness, both in person and online.
Amy Tilley | CEO and Founder | SweatXFitness Instagram Page
Email: amy@sweat-x.com
Chenglong Ye | Faculty Member, Statistics Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
Email: chenglong.ye@uky.edu
DocAI - $1,000
DocAI is led by University of Kentucky Undergraduate student, Sarisha Lohano and her brother, Dushant Lohano who is currently attending Phillips Exeter Academy High School. DocAI is a unique platform where patients can receive AI-generated videos based on input from their doctor’s notes. The goal is to utilize AI text-to-video that generates personalized animated videos summarizing diagnoses, treatments, and post-appointment instructions. These videos will be sent to patients and families, ensuring clear understanding, promoting adherence, and enhancing overall healthcare engagement and satisfaction after discharge.
Sarisha Lohano | Undergraduate student, Lewis Honors College, College of Arts & Sciences Major in Biology, Recently accepted into the College of Medicine
Email: sslo226@uky.edu
Dushant Lohano | Phillips Exeter Academy High School
Email: dushantlohano@icloud.com
TriStacker - $1,000
TriStacker is led by University of Kentucky undergraduate student, Austin Hirtzel. TriStacker is a sustainable toy that grows with a child from ages 0-3 years old. As a new product concept, the current prototype evolves with the child’s learning environment. TriStacker does all of this by utilizing free play—undirected play that activates the child’s imagination and is proven to be important in the development of problem-solving skills. TriStacker is a toy that grows with your child giving it the potential to become a household staple such as LEGO.
Austin Hirtzel | Undergraduate student, College of Design
Email: austin.hirtzel@uky.edu