Corridor announces Big IDEA winners

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation (Corridor) has announced the winners of the inaugural Big IDEA entrepreneurial challenge after the in-person pitch competition.

The Corridor hosted the first Big IDEA pitch competition on Tuesday, April 1, 2025. At the event, five of the region’s entrepreneurs shared their next “Big IDEA” with a panel of judges and some local angel investors. These five entrepreneurs had first shared their ideas with the public through a video. These videos were submitted for public voting in February, and the top five vote-getters advanced to the pitch competition.

Awarded first place and receiving a prize of $5,000 was Cody Fuller with Fuller Radiance, LLC out of Storm Lake. Fuller Radiance produces customized gift items including lamps, fidget toys, and centerpieces.

Second place awarded $3,000 to Cayden Fischer of Storm Lake for his business, Outlaw Kicks. Fischer designs and sells custom painted shoes to athletes and other individuals who want to express themselves through their apparel.

Third place winning $1,000 was Jack Bauermeister with Glacier Made in Arnolds Park. Glacier Made designs sustainable and durable lake wear from swimwear to shirts, and sweatshirts to sunglasses. Glacier Made will soon be opening a physical storefront in 2025. 

Honorable mentions and awards of $500 each went to Vanessa Moore with the Spencer Create Catalyst, and Jeff Krage with Boji Bites.

The Spencer Create Catalyst is a program to connect rural small businesses that need marketing and social media support with local students to give experience to young designers and provide affordable marketing opportunities for small businesses.

Boji Bites is an idea to deliver food directly to boats in the Okoboji area to deliver boaters with the perfect day on the lake without having to leave the water by partnering with local restaurants.

“Every one of these entrepreneurs was deserving of recognition for their ideas,” said Corridor President and CEO Curt Strouth. “Each of them shared their passion for their business as well as the Corridor region, and we are excited to support them in their endeavors to expand their Corridor businesses.”

A committee of local business owners supported the program through development and the event. Jeremy Morrison (Bonfire Web Co. and Topog Coffeehouse), John Adams Jr. (The Lakes News Shopper), Amanda Bare (Century Farms Distillery), Elaine Quastad (The Style Loft & Q Custom Designs), and Katherine Cota (Director of the Lamberti Center for Rural Entrepreneurship at Buena Vista University) made up the committee. Cota assisted each competing entrepreneur with pitch and business coaching. Morrison, Adams, Bare, and Quastad served as the panel of judges for the competition.

“We had a great committee that helped us put this inaugural challenge together from the very beginning,” shared Corridor Senior Vice President of Economic Development Trevor Smith. “We appreciate their expertise and experience as entrepreneurs in our region.”

To learn more about these businesses, follow the Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation on social media or visit their website as they share profiles on each business and entrepreneur over the coming weeks.

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ABOUT THE IOWA LAKES CORRIDOR DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION

The Iowa Lakes Corridor Development Corporation is the regional economic development agency for Buena Vista, Clay, Dickinson and Emmet counties. The Iowa Lakes Corridor’s mission is to foster, encourage, promote, aid or otherwise assist in the economic development growth and development of the four-county region.