Fifty-two founders enrolled for fall 2024 in the award-winning Master of Business Creation (MBC) program, which is provided by the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy in partnership with the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute at the University of Utah’s David Eccles School of Business. They will be accelerating their startup companies in this high-value and affordable program for entrepreneurs with help from personalized mentoring, applied curriculum, access to grants for their business and more.
Thirty of the founders who started 26 companies and are from eight states are enrolling in MBC Online, a virtual, flexible option that spans three semesters. Twenty-two of the founders who started 21 companies are enrolling in MBC In-Person, a full-time option that spans two semesters. Some of the startups have more than one founder in the program.
The founders enrolling for fall 2024 have already made progress establishing their companies and are looking to increase sales and attract investors, among other goals. See a complete listing of the startups below.
“The founders who enroll in the MBC program have a unique opportunity grow their business, learn by doing and support each other in a high-value program that costs a faction of any comparable degree,” said Paul Brown, director of the MBC program and a professor in the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy. “We look forward to working with each of these startups. Our professional mentors will be meeting with them one-on-one throughout the program to help connect them to the resources they need to succeed.”
Applications are now open to join the MBC Online and In-Person programs in 2025. Founders who want to enroll in spring 2025 should apply by Nov. 15, while the priority application deadline to enroll in fall 2025 is March 20. Space is limited, so early applications are encouraged. Apply and learn more here.
The Eccles School created the MBC program to blend the best attributes of a top-tier business curriculum with a startup accelerator. The founders develop their startups during the program while taking classes from leading experts and receiving extensive resources and mentorship to help them address their immediate business needs.
The MBC program is one of the latest additions to the Eccles School, which celebrates entrepreneurship as a core value and fosters it throughout its undergraduate and graduate programs. The program was recently recognized by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers for “Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation,” and the program won first place recently in the professional-services category in the Utah Innovation Awards managed by Utah Business and Foley & Lardner.
“The MBC is unlike any other program,” Brown said. “It combines the best of what a top-ranked university and business accelerator offer to give startup founders exactly what they need to advance their business and learn how to be an entrepreneur. Our graduates are constantly telling us the experience made a huge impact and was well worth the time and investment.”
Founders in the MBC In-Person cohort that started in fall 2024.
Audrey Tran, of West Jordan, Utah, is one of the founders who enrolled in the MBC In-Person program for fall. She is the founder of Roaming Heart, which designs unique, vibrant and destination-themed art inspired by the outdoors.
“Through our stickers, apparel and souvenir products, we help outdoor adventurers encapsulate a piece of their experiences outside so they can remember it long after they’ve gone home from an adventure,” Tran said. “Our designs are unique to the outdoor destinations that inspired them, capturing the vivid, colorful beauty of the natural world and our connection to those places.”
She said, “I enrolled in the MBC program because I believe it’s the next big step I can take in developing myself as an entrepreneur and scaling the business I have been bootstrapping for the last five years. Although I’ve been primarily building this business myself, I believe in the power of a cohort, a network and a faculty group that pushes me to discover how much I am truly capable of.”
Kyle Pontius, of Lehi, Utah, is one of the founders that joined the MBC Online program. He is the cofounder of Lakeshore Plastics, a contract manufacturer for plastic injection molding. Their services include product engineering, mold fabrication, production and assembly.
“The (MBC) program intimately understands the needs of entrepreneurs,” Pontius said. “The program and professors respond to these needs both in the content taught in the program and the structure of support, from the professors themselves and industry mentors. I am excited to match these learning and coaching resources with the real-world applications we’re pursuing.”
He said he wants to accomplish two things in the MBC program: ramping up Lakeshore Plastics as effectively and efficiently as possible, and learning a repeatable entrepreneurial process that can be implemented in future personal ventures inside and outside the company.
Alok Desai, of Sandy, Utah, also enrolled in the MBC Online. He is the founder of Packizon, which provides a warehouse system that uses computer vision and machine learning to automate the accurate measurement of packages.
“I enrolled in the MBC program to gain the skills and knowledge needed to scale Packizon,” Desai said. “The program’s focus on entrepreneurship, innovation and mentorship from experienced professionals aligns perfectly with my goals of growing my startup and bringing impactful technology solutions to market.”
Here are more founder statements:
- “From the first time that I heard about the MBC, I knew that it was the master’s program for me. … I couldn’t believe something like it existed. I think everything about the program is unique and completely different to my previous experiences with higher education. The real-world application of the curriculum, to your own business, all while earning a master’s degree is absolutely brilliant.” – Taby Davila Castro, MBC In-Person founder of Shop Taby
- “The MBC program at the University of Utah is a world-class accelerator program that is so intense that it warrants a master’s degree for completing it. … I have the incredible opportunity to have professionals, practitioners and academics take a thorough look at our business and help us get it to the next level to be one of the great companies coming out of Utah.” – Marlon Lindsay, MBC In-Person founder of 21stCenturyEd
Learn more about the Master of Business Creation program and apply at eccles.utah.edu/mbc.
MBC Online Founders Fall 2024
Here are the startups and founders enrolled in MBC Online program starting fall 2024 (in alphabetical order by company):
- Be Willing (Missy Freigang, of Ogden, Utah) – Helps governments and individuals build community to enable the resolution of social problems.
- Beast & Baron (Jon Urry, of Salt Lake City) – Produces and sells all-natural beard-care products.
- Beyond the Blade (Eric Swenson and Kathryn Swenson, both of Salt Lake City) – A healthcare analytics company for surgery.
- Doubloon Golf (Blake Laker, of Lehi, Utah) – Offers high-end, golf-ball markers.
- Elena’s Elei (Helen Satele, of Herriman, Utah) – Manufactures and sells unique Samoan textiles, jewelry and artwork.
- Fiscal Ally (Jelani Ellington, of Lower Gwynedd, Pennsylvania) – Proactive and personalized financial planning sold as a subscription.
- Gurney Benefits (Hunter Gurney, of Atlanta, Georgia) – An employee benefits advisory and brokerage firm.
- Home Cue (Zane Van Wagoner, of Draper, Utah) – Solution for using Japanese manufacturing frameworks to reduce home food waste.
- IQ Elevate Labs (Drew Johnson, Springfield, Missouri) – Student-oriented supplements to enhance cognitive function.
- Kulani Home (Matthew Morgan, of Santa Clara, Utah) – Handcrafted, customized and niche home décor.
- Lakeshore Plastics (Kyle Pontius, of Lehi, Utah) – A Utah County-based, injection-molding manufacturing business.
- Little Dogs Resort (Melody English, of Salt Lake City, and Jennifer McMurrough, of Park City, Utah) – High-end, small-dog daycare business.
- Mish Mill (Jen Jen Francis, of Salt Lake City) – Allows brands and game developers to operate across different digital worlds and platforms.
- Nibbles and Sprouts (Dr. Bonnie Feola, of Salt Lake City) – A pediatric, culinary-medicine consulting practice with the mission of helping children overcome the barriers to healthy eating.
- NODE Medication Dispensers (Jonathon Vizmeg, of Salt Lake City) – Access-controlled pill box for dispensing Class I drugs.
- Omena (Fancesca Raoelison, of Providence, Rhode Island) – Seeks to break the cycle of emotional abuse in Madagascar through social-emotional training, community support and advocacy.
- Pionails (Eric Ngo, San Antonio, Texas) – Provides an all-in-one, point-of-sale and booking platform for the nail salon industry.
- Play to Your Strengths (Stephen Gahagen, of Louisville, Kentucky) – Provides school-based strength training for young people to ensure that they flourish.
- Reald2d (Duane Richins, of Eagle Mountain, Utah) – A real-estate coaching company specializes in growing agents’ clients through door-to-door marketing.
- Rough Road Repair (Oliver Bradstreet, of Salt Lake City) – A mobile, vehicle-repair service that rescues and repairs vehicles when they break down in off-road or remote areas.
- Signspaces (Chris Wood, of Salt Lake City) – A pop-up dictionary that translates English words on the Web into American Sign Language, facilitating the easy learning of ASL.
- Tasty Edits (Alex Lefkowitz, of Las Vegas) – Provides video editing and YouTube management services to content creators, entrepreneurs and businesses.
- The ADHD Test (Johnathan Benfield, of Saratoga Springs, Utah, and Adam Wright, of Vineyard, Utah) – A direct-to-patient platform that allows for self-diagnosis of ADHD.
- Theramone Health (Xue Sheng Lawry Han, of Millcreek, Utah) – Natural solutions for hormone health.
- Vividh Collections (Alok Desai, of Sandy, Utah) – Provides precise measuring technologies for optimizing logistics, warehousing and shipping processes.
- Yesco Business Coaching (Janaye Lakey, of Logan, Utah) – Spin-off from YESCO that provides instructional frameworks and advice to small businesses.
MBC In-Person Founders Fall 2024
Here are the startups and the founders enrolled in MBC In-Person program starting fall 2024 (in alphabetical order by company):
- 21stCentEd (Marlon Lindsay) – A toolkit for school districts and communities to more effectively teach STEM courses to students in K-12.
- Blokspyder – (Sebastiaan Van Thiel) – Aims to revolutionize blockchain compliance and communication by acting as a translator between complex blockchain terminology and the practical language of regulation.
- Deep Dark Drinking Chocolate (Emily Nichols) – Offers drinking chocolate in three different flavors: Daily Fix, Cayenne Kick and Orange Zest.
- Grind Athletics (Tyler Hollist) – A multi-sport, repetition-based skill development franchise that develops athletic character.
- Hyype/Adon Marketing (Jordan Charlesworth) – Marketing businesses in the entertainment industry. They connect entertainment businesses with marketers and consumers.
- Inca Trek (Jared Snow) – A US-based company approved by the Peruvian government to operate tours and guide travelers on the Inca Trail, a four-day hike, to Machu Picchu.
- Kusi (Diana Simens) – Distributes and commercializes artisan products designed and manufactured in Peru.
- Landlord Strategy (Joel Jones) – Teaches first-time landlords how to successfully self-manage their rental properties using proven systems and knowledge.
- MedicalMatch (Ali Phillips) – A health-tech platform that creates a new marketplace for all healthcare professionals.
- Monere (Mou Nandi) – A digital health company with the vision to bring integrated health screening and monitering into our palm.
- Ninethreeseven Academy (Gaby Bernal) – Permanent makeup and aesthetic services, as well as courses for others to learn the business.
- Of the Gods (Ryan Sallee) – A mushroom-based supplement company that helps athletes reach a higher state of mind and body through the use of natural ingredients.
- Pivvt (John Dodson) – Helps customers communicate directly with companies in a simple, private way. It does this via a simple feedback button and form and a web portal for both customers and businesses.
- RedHead Trailer & Boat (Brandon King) – Manufactures and sells a recreational multi-purpose trailer and multi-purpose boat that share the same adaptable deck for sporting and comfort accessories.
- Roaming Heart Design (Audrey Tran) – Creates vibrant and unique stickers, art, apparel and outdoor goods inspired by the beauty of nature with an aim to connect people to the outdoors, fuel a sense of adventure and cultivate a deep appreciation for the environment.
- Shop Taby (Tabatta Davila-Amenero) – A size inclusive women’s apparel and lifestyle brand. Representing inclusion beyond size.
- Startup Stack (Jonathan Engle) – Empowers startup founders with millions of dollars in pre-negotiated deals on the software, services and benefits they need to succeed.
- Tetrimuse (James King) – Teaches musicians how to use brand strategy to better connect with their audience and build a culture around their art.
- Tonicc (Shaelee Satterthwaite) – Makes premium, functional liquid supplements that redefine daily well-being.
- UT Match (JoLynn Spruance and Nicole Miller) – Specializes in connecting marriage-minded singles with personalized services tailored to ultimately finding lasting love in a committed relationship.
- ZenBuddy (Bhavik Muni) – AI-driven, personalized care for a stress-free life.
About the David Eccles School of Business
The Eccles experience provides a world-class business education with a unique, entrepreneurial focus on real-world scenarios where students put what they learn into practice long before graduation. Founded in 1917 and educating more than 6,000 students annually, the University of Utah David Eccles School of Business offers nine undergraduate majors, four MBAs, eight other graduate programs, a Ph.D. in five areas and executive education curricula. The School is also home to 12 institutes, centers and initiatives that deliver academic research and support an ecosystem of entrepreneurship and innovation. For more information, visit Eccles.Utah.edu or call 801-581-7676.
About the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute is a nationally ranked hub for student entrepreneurship and innovation at the University of Utah and an interdisciplinary division of the David Eccles School of Business. The first programs were offered in 2001, through the vision and support of Pierre Lassonde, an alumnus of the Eccles School and successful mining entrepreneur. The institute now provides opportunities for thousands of students to learn about entrepreneurship and innovation. Programs include workshops, networking events, business-plan competitions, startup support, innovation programs, graduate and alumni programs, scholarships, community outreach and more. All programs are open to students from any academic major or background. The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute also manages Lassonde Studios, a five-story innovation space and housing facility for all students. Learn more at Lassonde.Utah.edu.
