The Von Allmen Center for Entrepreneurship (VACE), in the Gatton College of Business and Economics, is excited to announce the Spring 2025 winning startups! Each winning team received prize money to move their ideas forward and help build further momentum into the next phase of their entrepreneurial journeys. Congratulations to all the founders that represent the University of Kentucky, the local entrepreneurial community, and surrounding counties across the state of Kentucky!
Bootcamp 2.0 Winners: Thursday Section
These teams graduated from Bootcamp 1.0 in the Fall 2024 semester and were invited to participate in the Spring 2025 Bootcamp 2.0. The Entrepreneurship Club also provided a $500 E-Club Award.
Grande Prize Winner, $2,500: An Ancestor’s Touch, Nicole Murphy
anancestorstouch@gmail.com | Instagram
University of Kentucky | Staff
Drawing from African traditions, we craft candles that are not only visually stunning but also profoundly significant. Each candle is meticulously handcrafted, reflecting our dedication to honoring the past while shaping a brighter, sustainable future. Our mission at An Ancestor’s Touch is to illuminate spaces with eco-friendly wooden wick candles that bring warmth and sustainability into every home. We aim to create beautiful, high-quality candles that enhance your environment and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations.
RunnerUp, $1,500: FlowTech (3 team members)
Pegah Safavi, pegah.safavi@uky.edu
Fatemeh Hatemi, fatemeh.hamedi@uky.edu
Faezeh Akbari, faezeh.akbari@uky.edu
College of Engineering
University of Kentucky | All Team Members are PhD Students
FlowTech is a biomedical technology company focused on developing compact, noninvasive affordable wearable devices for real-time monitoring of brain hemodynamics. The company aims to revolutionize neurological and cardiovascular diagnostics with these accessible tools.
Director’s Awards
DocAI: Sarisha Lohano
College of Arts & Sciences
Lewis Honors College | Undergraduate Student
DocAI is a unique platform where patients can receive AI-generated videos based on input from their doctor’s notes. Our AI text-to-video generates personalized animated videos summarizing diagnoses, treatments, and post-appointment instructions. These videos are sent to patients and families, ensuring clear understanding, promoting adherence, and enhancing overall healthcare engagement and satisfaction.
NARM, $500: Omar Brown
College of Nursing | Graduate Student
The N.A.R.M. (Nutritional Aid and Resource Map) Network is a resource referral innovation (Rooted from previous NARM 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.
PRLZ Packaging, $500 (3 team members)
Avery Nelson, averyhayesnelson@gmail.com
College of Business | Undergraduate Student
Eli Gersony, eli.gersony@uky.edu
College of Engineering | Undergraduate Student
Venkatesh Suryadevara, vsu228@uky.edu
College of Business | Undergraduate Student
PRLZ Packaging seeks to create novel packaging containers for the cannabis industry.
UK Entrepreneurship Club Award $500:
An Ancestor’s Touch: Nicole Murphy
University of Kentucky | Staff
Bootcamp 1.0 Winners: Monday Section
These top 5 teams were selected by a panel of judges and each received $1000. The Entrepreneurship Club also provided a $500 E-Club Award.
Arenex: Sheng Tong
College of Engineering
University of Kentucky | Faculty
Team member - Sujia Zhou, email: sjzhou1980@gmail.com
ARENEX aims to develop a scalable technology for producing engineered exosomes to deliver CRISPR components for personalized, therapeutic in vivo gene editing.
Bourbon Kings: Ryan Sarhan
College of Engineering
University of Kentucky | Graduate Student
Team member - Samuel Bruun, email: sambruun@yahoo.com
UK 2021 Psychology Grad, UK Alumni
Assistant professor at Massachusetts College of Arts
Bourbon Kings fills a unique niche in the board game industry by offering an educational and immersive experience centered around the art and science of bourbon production. Designed for a mix of board game hobbyists and bourbon enthusiasts who are new to board games, Bourbon Kings taps into the growing demand for richly thematic and engaging games.
Russell Creek Farms: Cash Stephens
Lindsey Wilson College
Russell Creek Farms purchases undernourished cattle with a high growth potential at a low price. We then raise and rehabilitate the cattle with proper Veterinary care and shots. Once the cattle return to full health, we sell them for a premium at auction. Russell Creek Farms also purchases whiskey grain biomass from local distilleries to use as cattle feed. This strategy enables local distilleries to improve waste management, lower the ecological impact of alcohol production, and generate a low-cost high value feed resource for livestock.
Alaar Enterprises: Isaac Duop Garang
Lindsey Wilson College
Alaar Enterprises is a family operated business based in South Sudan, focusing on addressing the critical need for affordable entertainment and hospitality services in the region. With three key ventures Football Halls, Betting Machines, and Hotel Services, the business delivers tailored services to a growing market in urban and semi-urban areas, including Juba, Bor Town, and Rumbek.
Deductly: Azra Smock
Laurence Dunbar High School
Deductly is a cloud-based payroll deduction platform built to simplify operations for businesses, particularly those with high employee turnover. It helps businesses manage deductions from the pay of new employees for various expenses, allowing for customizable amounts based on specific needs.
UK Entrepreneurship Club Award $500
Project 502: Maximillian LeDoux
College of Business
University of Kentucky | Undergraduate Student
Project 502 is composed of three entities: Project 502 Holdings, LLC, Louisville West Market, and Project 502 Learning Center. Louisville West Market is a for-profit organization, grounded in the belief that for-profit businesses can benefit the communities they serve. The market addresses the food desert issue in West Louisville, Kentucky–specifically, the lack of easy access to affordable, healthy food.