Startup energy was in the air at the recent Spotlight Utah StartUps hosted by Make Utah at doTerra Headquarters in Pleasant Grove, UT during Utah Tech Week 2025. We saw an incredible range of innovators and entrepreneurs take the stage, each with a unique solution to a real-world problem. From revolutionizing zipline safety to reimagining how we interact with technology, these pitches showcased the vibrant spirit of Utah’s startup scene. Here’s a rundown of the companies that presented, and what they’re bringing to the table.
1. Momentum Engineering / Aerial Adventure Parks (Michael “Troy” Richardson)
- Troy Richardson, a seasoned expert witness in zipline and amusement ride accidents, presented not a single company, but a multifaceted vision for the future of the aerial adventure industry. His current work involves investigating accidents and providing expert testimony, informing his deep understanding of safety challenges. He’s launching “The Zipped Files,” a podcast to share these case studies and advocate for industry change. Richardson also highlighted his patented telescoping spring technology, a significant advancement in zipline braking, already implemented at Park City Mountain Resort. Building on this foundation, he outlined plans for a massive, gamified “challenge course” (aka “a life-sized board game”), the ZipSafe® Aerial Adventure Park, a six-story structure incorporating 100 ziplines, interactive elements, and an observation tower. Richardson’s overarching goal is to leverage his expertise, patents, and a “patent driven monopoly” to transform the aerial adventure experience, making it safer, more engaging, and more innovative.
- Website: https://www.ziplinedoctors.com/
2. Design Partners (Del Thornock)
- Pitch Summary: Del discussed his 40 years of career working in product development. He showed pictures of his game chair with audio and motion capabilities. Other products were masks, welding masks, and A1C monitoring device. Dell also showed his design for the original Advil pill bottle, which has been sold by Proctor and Gamble since 1983. He also discussed a recent two-tiered helmet designed with one helmet attached to the head, and the outer helmet rotating independently. This helmet is being developed for several high-impact sports.
- Website: https://www.designpartners.com/
3. R&D Advantage (Charles Riggs)
- Pitch Summary: Charles Reese presented his company, R&D Advantage, which specializes in helping companies claim the Research and Development (R&D) tax credit. He explained that this credit is often overlooked by smaller companies and their CPA firms, and his company bridges that gap. He emphasizes the financial benefit for startups and growing businesses. R&D Advantage is a valuable resource for maximizing tax benefits.
- Website: https://rd-advantage.com/
4. KT Tape (Jeremy Newns)
- Pitch Summary: Jeremy Newns, the director of R&D and product development at KT Tape, shared his expertise in designing, developing, packaging, and manufacturing consumer packaged goods. He highlighted his experience across various industries and materials, offering mentorship to Make Utah members. He also shared a powerful story about a product recall due to a manufacturing issue, emphasizing the importance of careful partner selection.
- Website: https://www.kttape.com/
5. T-Grid (Ben Larson & Paul Williams)
- Pitch Summary: Ben Larson, the founder of T-Grid, presented a novel solution for custom prototyping and building hardware. T-Grid is a unique threaded pegboard system, made using an innovative manufacturing process that creates strong, lightweight threaded holes in thin sheet metal. It’s designed to be far more cost-effective and versatile than traditional methods, and it integrates seamlessly with T-slot extrusion.
- Website: https://tgridtools.com/
6. Project Yarrow / Safe Connect (Kohl McCabe)
- Pitch Summary: Kohl McCabe, founder of Project Yarrow, introduced Safe Connect, a discreet personal safety device disguised as a chapstick. It’s designed to help individuals in domestic violence or sexual assault situations communicate with loved ones anonymously, even without access to a phone. The device features GPS tracking, text messaging capabilities, and a SaaS model for data collection to help agencies better understand and address these issues. Kohl focused on the social impact and the critical need for this type of technology, highlighting the unique features and the potential to save lives. Kohl emphasized the need for help with further miniaturization
- Contact: mccabekohl@gmail.com
7. Utah Galactic (Mike Collier)
- Pitch Summary: Mike Collier, founder of Utah Galactic, presented his ambitious vision for developing an inertia drive system to transport heavy, non-sensitive goods to space and beyond. He addressed the high cost of space travel as a major barrier to innovation and testing, and he explained how his inertia drive system aims to reduce payload weight significantly, potentially by 97% in their Mark IV prototype.
- Website: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-collier-143b129/
8. Courage Reins (Nancy McMurtry)
- Pitch summary:. Nancy discussed Courage Reins, which has been providing equine therapy services in Utah since 1998. Horses partner with people to improve lives in cases like autism, paralysis, strokes, PTSD, depression, and others. They offer in-office talk therapy and equine assisted psychotherapy. There are client openings, volunteer opportunities, and opportunities to donate. Come experience the magic that horses can create!
- Website: https://couragereins.org/
9. PerchPrint (Jonathan Wagstaff)
- Pitch Summary: Jonathan Wagstaff introduced PerchPrint, a solution designed to address the common frustrations of 3D printing, particularly the need for support material. His method enables supportless printing, even for complex overhangs, resulting in cleaner prints and less wasted material. He’s seeking beta testers and a business-oriented co-founder.
- Website: https://perchprint.com/
10. Utopia Compression (Ross & Wes)
- Pitch Summary: Representatives from Utopia Compression, a company specializing in computer vision and working extensively with the military, presented their expertise in developing advanced vision systems integrated with custom hardware. They highlighted their work on several defense-related projects, funded through programs like SBIR and STDR, and involving collaborations with NASA, NIH, and the FAA. Utopia emphasized their development of software that’s adaptable to various hardware platforms. They also mentioned the challenges of optimizing performance within the constraints of embedded systems, often requiring them to rewrite their codebase multiple times. They expressed a need to learn more about proper manufacturing processes. Finally, they highlighted their openness to collaboration and new projects, encouraging attendees to connect with them about potential opportunities, including grants. They have also automated processes, such as taking pictures of algae bloom. Two key projects were showcased:
- SeeSharp: A maritime surveillance system featuring a 360-degree camera and a pan-tilt-zoom (PTZ) camera, designed to track and classify vessels at sea. The system uses both infrared (IR) and electro-optical (EO) sensors and is designed to be hardware-agnostic.
- Aether: A detect-and-avoid system for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), using a multi-camera setup (three to five cameras) to identify and track other aircraft in the airspace. This system provides relative position data (X, Y, and Z coordinates) and is intended for use in crowded airspace, such as terminal operations for air taxis or for counter-UAS (counter-drone) applications.
- Website: https://utopiacompression.com/
11. A Bolder Way Forward (Karen Hill)
- Pitch Summary: Karen Hill represented A Bolder Way Forward, a movement in Utah focused on creating systemic change to help more girls and women thrive. She highlighted the state’s low ranking in women’s equality and leadership opportunities, and she emphasized the importance of male allies in driving change. She encouraged attendees to become aware of the movement and find ways to support it.
- Website: https://abolderwayforward.org/
12. Madrigal Partners/Breathwork (Raul Camé)
- Pitch Summary: Beyond his passion for breathwork and well-being, Raul is also a seasoned Salesforce expert through Madrigal Partners. Raul offers Salesforce development, integration, and consulting services to help companies, especially startups, optimize their use of this powerful platform. As an official Salesforce partner and backed by Y Combinator Tech Source, Raul brings a wealth of experience and credibility to the table. He emphasized his commitment to supporting smaller startups, even mentioning his work with companies like Get Going and Kickstarter. Raul also discussed how he helps professionals with issues like anxiety and depression through breathwork, as well as how he overcame physical ailments.
- Website: https://www.madrigalpartners.com/
13. Implementing Ideas (David Zappetti, Jared Wilson, & Derek Dungan)
- Pitch Summary: Implementing Ideas, represented by David Zappetti (founder and CEO) described themselves as the ultimate partner for startups and businesses looking to bring hardware products to life. Zappetti emphasized the company’s readiness to assist with everything from a “napkin sketch” to large-scale production runs. Implementing Ideas has in-house engineering teams to translate concepts into detailed designs, and underscored their commitment to supporting the Utah startup ecosystem, highlighting their location in Orem, right off the freeway. They also emphasized their ability to provide connections and resources within the local community. Implementing Ideas’s core message is that they can handle all aspects of hardware development, allowing entrepreneurs to focus on their vision while they take care of the technical complexities. They offer a comprehensive suite of services that cover the entire product development lifecycle, from initial concept to full-scale manufacturing. Their capabilities include:
- Prototyping: Turning ideas into tangible prototypes.
- Design: Providing engineering expertise to refine designs for manufacturability (including electronics, mechanical design, print assignments, and circuit board assemblies).
- Manufacturing: Handling production, with certifications for various industries.
- Sourcing: Connecting clients with reliable suppliers for parts and components.
- Website: https://implementingideas.com/
14. Tencell (James Golley)
- Pitch Summary: James Golley, representing Tencel, introduced the company as a global broad-line distributor of electronic components, specializing in providing comprehensive supply chain solutions. Tencel’s core strength lies in its ability to leverage its worldwide network and direct manufacturer relationships to offer competitive advantages in four key areas: price, quality, availability, and flexibility. Unlike many large distributors, Tencel maintains a partnership approach, treating each client, regardless of size, as a collaborative partner. This begins with actively listening to the client’s specific needs and adapting their services accordingly. Collie emphasized Tencel’s own origins as a startup, born from a second bedroom in London, giving them a deep understanding of the challenges faced by growing businesses. They’ve since expanded to have offices across the US, Europe, and Asia, serving a diverse range of clients, from high-end audio to aerospace and medical device companies. Tencel’s commitment is to be a reliable partner, supporting businesses through every stage of growth, from initial prototyping to large-scale production, ensuring a secure and efficient supply chain for electronic components.
- Website: https://tencell.com/
15. One Million Cups, the SBDC, and iHub (Jim Beckstrom)
- Pitch Summary: Jim Beckstrom, representing several organizations including One Million Cups, the SBDC, and iHub, promoted these resources for entrepreneurs. Jim Beckstrom, a champion for Utah entrepreneurs, presented a rapid-fire overview of several invaluable resources and offered a crucial piece of communication advice. Beyond promoting these resources, Beckstrom shared a powerful communication tip: Instead of asking for help, which can trigger stress and anxiety in the listener, ask for opinions. He suggested phrasing requests as, “I value your opinion,” or “Who might value what I’m doing?” This subtle shift can make people more receptive to your ideas and more willing to offer support. He contrasted “who do you know”, to “who might value what I’m doing?”
- One Million Cups (1MC): A nationwide program where entrepreneurs can pitch their business ideas and receive feedback from a supportive community. Beckstrom emphasized the value of this platform for gaining insights and refining pitches.
- The Small Business Development Center (SBDC): A resource offering free consulting, training, and resources for small businesses. Beckstrom highlighted that this is a taxpayer-funded service that many entrepreneurs overlook.
- iHub: iHub at Utah Valley University is a collaborative workspace and resource center designed to support innovation, entrepreneurship, and the maker movement.
- Website: One Million Cups – Orem
16. Outside the Box Games (Lewis Gunter)
- Pitch Summary: Founder, Lewis Gunter, presented Outside the Box Games, a company that builds fully automated escape rooms inside shipping containers. He addressed the challenges of traditional escape room businesses (high real estate and labor costs) and explained how their solution offers a scalable, fully automated escape room. He’s seeking partners to help with funding and scaling this business to disrupt the escape room industry.
- Website: https://www.linkedin.com/company/outside-the-box-games/
17. Donkey Chats (Ty Palmer)
- Pitch Summary: Donkey Chats is a free mobile app (available on iOS and Android) designed to improve your communication skills, both in personal and professional settings. It uses AI to analyze your text messages and emails, providing real-time feedback on your tone and communication style. Based on 40 different types of speech, and three psychological frameworks, the app identifies if you’re being passive-aggressive, overly assertive, or otherwise communicating ineffectively. Donkey Chat’s friendly feedback, including a playful donkey sound, will alert users. Whether you’re navigating a tricky conversation with a loved one or crafting an important business email, Donkey Chats helps you communicate with clarity, empathy, and respect, preventing misunderstandings and building stronger relationships. The goal is simple: don’t be the ass in your relationship.
- Website: https://www.donkeychats.com/
18. Squirrel (Timothy Brown)
- Pitch Summary: Timothy Brown, representing Squirrel, presented a powerful solution to the crushing burden of student loan debt: a specialized debt savings account designed to help individuals pay off their loans faster and more efficiently. Squirrel tackles the core problem that student loan interest often outpaces repayment, trapping borrowers in a cycle of debt. Their platform offers a higher interest rate on savings specifically earmarked for debt repayment, allowing those funds to grow at a comparable (or even faster) rate than the loan’s interest accrues. By aligning Squirrel’s incentives with the user’s goal of debt freedom, the platform offers a free, simple, and effective way to accelerate loan repayment and achieve financial liberation. Join the waitlist now to be among the first to experience the power of Squirrel. Squirrel makes contributing effortless through four key methods:
- Round-Ups: Automatically rounds up your everyday credit/debit card purchases to the nearest dollar (or other specified amount) and transfers the difference to your Squirrel account.
- Quick Deposits: Allows for one-time or recurring manual deposits, making it easy to allocate extra funds towards debt.
- Skip an Indulgence: A one time deposit, by skipping an unnecessary purchase.
- Future Credit Card Rewards (Planned): A future feature will allow users to direct cashback rewards from a dedicated credit card directly into their debt savings account.
- Website: https://www.savewithsquirrel.com/
19. Quantum Quill Digital (Dr. Kim Kuhlman)
- Pitch Summary: Kim Kuhlman introduced Quantum Quill Digital, a content marketing agency that leverages generative AI to create personalized online experiences. She emphasized the importance of standing out from the internet noise and building engagement and loyalty through high-ROI content. They also offer custom web development services.
- Website: https://quantumquilldigital.com
20. Utah Warriors (Kaulani Napoleon)
- Pitch Summary: Kaulani Napoleon, Sales and Account Manager for the Utah Warriors, presented the professional rugby team as a dynamic and cost-effective marketing platform for businesses, particularly startups. He emphasized the Warriors’ growing international viewership and their commitment to supporting the Utah business community. Unlike traditional advertising avenues, the Utah Warriors offer a unique opportunity to connect with a passionate and engaged audience at live sporting events. He also stressed the affordability of partnering with the Warriors, with season tickets starting as low as $140 and individual game tickets around $18, making it accessible even for smaller businesses. The Utah Warriors are not just a rugby team; they’re a gateway to reach a diverse and growing audience, providing a powerful platform to boost brand awareness and drive customer engagement.
- Website: https://www.warriorsrugby.com/
21. Electro Plants (James Collier)
- Pitch Summary: James Collier, a student in mechatronics engineering and the founder of Electro-Plants, presented a fascinating exploration into accelerating plant growth and germination through electrical stimulation. Driven by a desire to improve upon traditional agricultural methods and explore sustainable solutions, Collier is experimenting with various techniques, including ultrasonics, vacuum chambers, pressure chambers, and pulsed DC/AC signaling. His initial tests have yielded impressive results, demonstrating significantly faster germination rates and growth rates in various plant species, including broccoli, ferns, and bamboo. While still in the research and development phase, the potential applications of Electro-Plants are wide-ranging, including:
- Vertical Farming: Enhancing efficiency and yield in controlled-environment agriculture.
- Home Gardening: Allowing individuals to grow food more quickly and sustainably in limited spaces.
- Bamboo Production: Accelerating the growth of bamboo, a fast-growing and sustainable resource with numerous applications.
- Carbon Sequestration: Increasing the rate at which plants absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Collier’s work represents a promising intersection of technology and botany, with the potential to revolutionize how we grow plants for food, materials, and environmental benefit.
22. Utah STEM & Arts Academy (Greg Hamilton)
- Pitch Summary: Utah STEM & Arts Academy (with two locations, one at Thanksgiving Point, and one in Springville) presented their unique educational program that blends STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) and Fine Arts. The academy offers a wide range of classes for both kids (ages 4 and up) and adults, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning. The academy emphasizes a hands-on, project-based approach, encouraging students to explore, experiment, and develop their skills in a supportive environment. To make their programs accessible, they offer a free trial class for anyone interested. The representative expressed excitement about the integration of STEM and arts, aligning with broader initiatives to encourage girls’ participation in STEM fields. The Academy wants to partner and build relationships with local schools.
- Website: https://www.utahsaa.com/
23. Leverage to Live (Liliana Dinwoodey)
- Pitch summary: Liliana Dinwoodey, founder/owner of Leverage to Live, offers comprehensive graphic design and branding services, with a particular focus on helping startups and businesses establish a strong visual presence. Her services extend beyond basic design, encompassing business growth strategies, including funding and credit guidance. Liliana’s approach emphasizes creating not just aesthetically pleasing designs, but also effective marketing tools. She showcased her unique business card – a miniature credit card designed to spark conversation and leave a lasting impression. Her portfolio includes work for the Utah Black Chamber, social media management, flyers, event graphics, and newsletter design. Understanding the financial constraints of startups, Dinwoodey offers discounted pricing for new ventures, aiming to make professional branding accessible. Her core message is that a strong visual identity is crucial for attracting attention, building credibility, and ultimately, driving success.
- Website: https://www.leveragetolive.com/
24. Deploy Vision (Vitaly Karmanov)
- Pitch Summary: Vitaly Karmanov, a software engineering manager with over a decade of experience, presented Deploy Vision, Utah’s leading nearshore development company, which leverages the talent of Argentinian engineers to provide high-quality, cost-effective solutions for businesses in Utah and beyond. Deploy Vision specializes in a wide range of services, including web development (React, Angular, PHP, Python), mobile app development, API development, cloud hosting, and system integrations. Vitaly highlighted their work on projects like the Megaplex Theatres ticketing system and True Insight’s simulation software, demonstrating their capabilities across diverse industries. He emphasized the advantages of working with their Argentinian team, including a convenient time zone overlap (only three hours ahead) and a strong pool of skilled developers. Deploy Vision offers a flexible and agile approach, providing businesses with dedicated developers for their projects without the overhead and complexities of traditional hiring.
- Website: https://www.deployvision.com/
25. Eternal Expansion (Sal Gutierrez)
- Pitch Summary: Sal Gutierrez, owner and founder of Eternal Expansion, presented his company’s unique approach to improving team performance and organizational growth. Eternal Expansion specializes in team dynamics, focusing on communication behaviors and psychoanalytics to help teams work together more effectively. Sal highlighted the common challenges teams face, such as difficulty delegating, missed expectations, and the inability to truly understand team members’ strengths and working styles. His company offers training to help individuals understand communication patterns and underlying behaviors, enabling them to:
- Delegate effectively: Match tasks to the right individuals based on their strengths and communication styles.
- Set clear expectations: Communicate needs and goals in a way that resonates with each team member.
- Build stronger relationships: Foster trust and understanding within the team.
- Identify hidden potential: Uncover individual strengths and areas for development.
- Communicate properly:. Learn who team members truly are, and communicate accordingly.
- Website: https://sal-gutierrez.com/
26. ALL BCI (Sol Trevino)
- Pitch Summary: Sol Trevino, founder of ALL BCI, presented a bold vision to accelerate the development and adoption of Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology through a dedicated app store platform. Recognizing that the current BCI landscape is fragmented, expensive, and often inaccessible to non-experts, ALL BCI aims to create a centralized, open, and collaborative ecosystem. This platform, envisioned as the “App Store for BCIs,” will offer several key features:
- Centralized Marketplace: A single destination where users can discover, download, and potentially purchase a wide variety of BCI applications, eliminating the need to navigate disparate sources.
- Open Development Platform: Encouraging developers of all skill levels to create and share their BCI software, fostering innovation and competition.
- No-Code/Low-Code Tools: A crucial element is the integration of Large Language Model (LLM) powered tools, enabling users to develop BCI applications without requiring extensive coding knowledge. This dramatically lowers the barrier to entry for aspiring BCI creators.
- Collaborative Maker Space: A built-in environment for developers to connect, share ideas, collaborate on projects, and build upon each other’s work, fostering a strong community.
- Monetization Opportunities: A mechanism for developers to earn revenue from their creations, incentivizing the development of high-quality and innovative BCI applications.
- Website: https://allbci.tech/
27. HL Dynamics (Haley Prendergast)
- Pitch summary: Haley Prendergast, founder of HL Dynamics, offers specialized program management consulting to help Research and Development (R&D) organizations overcome common challenges and achieve peak performance. Drawing from her engineering background, Prendergast identified issues like missed deadlines, unclear priorities, poor communication, and inadequate risk management as major hindrances to R&D success. HL Dynamics provides strategic planning, risk assessment and mitigation, communication and collaboration facilitation, and process optimization services. They work with both large companies and startups, tailoring solutions to improve efficiency, reduce waste, and ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and to the required quality. Ultimately, HL Dynamics empowers R&D teams to focus on innovation by removing obstacles and fostering a culture of strategic execution.
- Website: https://hldynmx.com/
28. Chile Dog Photography (Kim Kuhlman)
- Pitch summary: Professional photographer Kim Kuhlman specializes in pet photography, but with a unique twist: she highlights the business benefits of incorporating pets into business environments, employee well-being programs, and overall company culture. Kim emphasized that dog photography isn’t just about cute pictures; it’s a strategic tool backed by scientific research. Kim’s services provide businesses with high-quality, professional images of pets that can be used in a variety of ways, from internal communications and office décor to marketing collateral. She offers a powerful way to tap into the emotional connection people have with animals, creating a positive impact on both customers and employees. It is good for business, good for employee morale, and the bottom line.
- Studies show that images of animals, particularly pets, can:
- Improve Morale: Create a more positive and welcoming work environment.
- Enhance Brand Perception: Foster feelings of warmth and connection with a brand.
- Increases Oxytocin by 3X: Increases customer trust and loyalty
- Boost Engagement: Capture attention and increase interaction with marketing materials.
- Website: https://chiledogphoto.com