Meet the 32 startup teams in our Company Launch program at Lassonde Studios for summer 2023. They are a diverse group of students working in many different industries. Find a complete list below.
Company Launch offers these startup teams office space at Lassonde Studios, cohort gatherings, workshops, staff coaches, peer mentors, and more. All students at the University of Utah are welcome to apply to join the program. Startups are admitted every semester.
The program is managed by the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute and sponsored by Zions Bank.
Learn more and apply to join the program at lassonde.utah.edu/launch.
Summer 2023 Startup Teams
Ads Nichely – Ads Nichely is a company dedicated to connecting brands and social media influencers with each other for advertising purposes. This is a growing advertising strategy that is already used by many companies and that number is growing daily.
Aroma Rays – Aroma Rays makes natural, high-quality scented sunscreen for people that want to smell good even at the beach. The products smell like a typical perfume or cologne and will cost the same as other mid-priced sunscreen brands.
Big Trust Cosmetic – Big Trust Cosmetic is a Korean cosmetics company that sells acne patches, sunscreen, and facemasks.
Boost Yourself Company – The Boost Yourself Company is based on the founder’s book, “Boost Yourself.” The book’s main idea is to create a better life for yourself by avoiding recreational drugs and creating good overall habits. The next Boost Yourself product will be a journal, but more products will be added. The Boost Yourself journal will be a combination of a to-do list, planner, and reflective journal. Various tips for increasing productivity will be integrated throughout the pages.
Breezy Ski Co. – Breezy is an environmentally conscious ski gear and supply company that specializes in heated ski bags and apparel.
Duck Skateboards — Duck Skateboards is a small skateboarding and clothing company, with an emphasis on hand-screen-printing skateboards and clothing. Duck Skateboards uses different filming practices and aims to not create a brand but let its brand shine through with genuine expression
Foam Laundry – The DoorDash for your laundry, Foam is an innovative, direct-to-consumer laundry service for students living on campus. Their mission is to make laundry as straightforward and stress-free as possible, all while disrupting the traditional “communal laundry” facilities found in high-density living areas — especially within universities as, in essence, they are some of the largest landlords.
HomeBrew – HomeBrew is an all-in-one business management application designed for the small business owner of the 21st century. Housing a full suite of business development applications, a forum for small business owners to communicate and trade, and a custom-built scalability framework designed to suggest business development solutions, HomeBrew is the final word in starting, running, and growing any small business.
House of Fruit – House of Fruit was created to support health and happiness around Utah.
In Stride Scholarship Foundation – In Stride Scholarship Foundation is a nonprofit organization that offers financial support and mentorship to aid students on their path to educational and professional success. The founders aim to remove any cost barrier to technical college by providing scholarships to cover the total cost of tuition, books, fees, etc. Their goal is to inform students about the possibility of higher education while supporting them on their journey into a career.
Innovation Outdoors – Innovation Outdoors is an outdoor and recreation company, with the initial project of creating a foldable paddleboard for ease of transport and storage.
Kurl Up – Kurl Up is a vegan, cruelty-free, and fair-trade line of curly hair products owned by women of color that uses multicultural ingredients from around the world to serve a wider range of curl types. Their products are free of harsh chemicals to protect delicate strands and we strive to be diverse and inclusive for our customer base.
LaRudrafi – LaRudrafi is an advanced, decentralized crypto payment system for virtual and real-world use.
LaunchWith – LaunchWith is a web platform that connects students who need help establishing their startups (visionaries) with students who want to contribute to an existing idea (contributors). LaunchWith was inspired by the developers’ lack of skills when establishing a startup. Their mission is to take the visionaries’ businesses to the next stage and enhance contributors’ skills.
Loafgurl – Loafgurl is a home bakery that caters to college students. The menu features different items every week, from things like pumpkin loaf to green tea matcha cookies. Items are reasonably priced for college students to afford.
Luv gluvs – Luv gluvs is a ski glove company, selling custom-made, laser-engraved gloves. They also engrave customers’ existing gloves. They aim toward creating an affordable glove that the mountain community is proud to show off.
MatchU – MatchU is a web app that allows university students to connect and match with each other in real time. With its exclusive focus on university campuses, MatchU offers a unique and safe dating experience for students.
Mod Nails – Mod Nails is an avant-garde nail service, specializing in nail extensions and nail art.
MSK Living – MSK Living is an architectural company that creates innovative living and housing solutions. The founder created MSK Living in response to the housing crisis brought on by COVID-19.
Pretty Boy – Pretty Boy is a unique indie streetwear brand that has an eclectic vintage aesthetic and celebrates femininity. Its clothes are fun and unique, while still comfortable and affordable. Pretty Boy and its sister nonprofit organization, Pretty Boy Foundation, work together to help bring supplies and resources to the unhoused.
Quantonium – Quantonium is a video game development company. They will develop games to pitch to publishers or self-publish with a small team.
Ride Home Technology – The Ride Home app is a rideshare app committed to keeping costs low and providing convenient services for customers.
Sebastien de Villiers – A consultant software programmer.
SafeMaps – SafeMaps is an application-based mapping system that determines the optimal route for travel, with safety as the priority. SafeMaps will be implemented in a preexisting mapping service and uses an algorithm that encompasses multiple factors to determine the safest and most efficient route. These factors include previously reported incidents, street lighting, current events, foot and vehicle traffic levels, and user inputs.
Smart Sprinkler – Smart Sprinkler is a product that allows users to easily and affordably water their lawns and gardens. The product comes with an accompanying app and is designed for easy installation by the customer, resulting in a cost savings of up to 50% compared to traditional sprinkler systems.
Sneakerdonjohn – Sneakerdonjohn is a sneaker company that brings high-end and exclusive rare sneakers to the public resell market.
Sonatic – Sonatic unifies the music realm through a dedicated interface. Their mission is to increase connection beyond the modern listening experience. The platform has three main features: Convo, Creator Studio, and the Feed. Convo allows users to interact with music in a new way by introducing annotation-style threads. The Creator Studio allows users to creatively express themselves by curating their user profiles with their favorite albums, lyrics, and annotations.
The Roasting Cabin – The Roasting Cabin plans to source several coffee machines and place them around campus in locations that are convenient for students. The idea came after the founders spent time in Europe and found that there are always people lined up at coffee vending machines. Their machines will serve a variety of hot beverages for affordable prices, without cutting corners with quality. They will source high-quality beans and with the help of their innovative machine, will be able to produce top-of-the-line coffee products.
U Bike Go – U Bike Go is a micro-mobility solution for students on the University of Utah campus.
Utah Men’s Lacrosse Club Foundation – The Utah Men’s Lacrosse Club Foundation assists the University of Utah men’s lacrosse club in any and all background functions.
WHAT iF – WHAT iF sells one-of-a-kind pieces of sterling silver jewelry. The founder is a silversmith trying to make a difference in the jewelry industry. Their goal is to be 100% sustainable and implement recycling to keep metals out of landfills.
Yama – Yama is a dual-sided marketplace that connects users to local guides offering unique experiences. Yama connects you to activities that you may never have been able to experience.
