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March 3, 2025

This paid piece is sponsored by South Dakota Biotech.

An anti-aging product developed in South Dakota has been named the winner of the 2025 Governor’s Giant Vision competition.

The 21st annual competition was hosted by the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry and recognized winners of business and student competitions.

The winners in the open business competition are:

First place: InovaSkin, $20,000 prize. Founded by Tugba Ozdemir and based in Rapid City, the company’s anti-aging product was developed with a proprietary peptide that attracts and binds the body’s natural hyaluronic acid within the skin, based on research into new peptides with the potential to impact the skin care market.

Second place: Airborne Dynamic Systems, $10,000 prize. Founded by Zackery Holloway and Carson Daly of Rapid City, the company specializes in the design, development and manufacturing of unmanned aerial vehicles tailored for infrastructure inspections and defense. The UAVs are fully American made to support industries that require the highest data sensitivity.

Third place: String Tree, $5,000 prize. Founded by Peter Burghardt of Sioux Falls, the company is a curated auction platform selling musical instruments that blends storytelling, live auctions and community-driven engagement through carefully selected inventory, fair transaction fees and secure processes. It’s targeted for music collectors, enthusiasts and dealers.

Fourth place: Minds Matter, $3,000 prize. Founded by Tiffany Hoeft of Aberdeen, the company offers preventative and restorative neurocognitive therapy. Using QEEG brain mapping along with lifestyle and cognitive assessments, Minds Matter develops a plan for improved brain health and educates clients on how to prevent dementia before symptoms emerge.

Fifth place: Catalystium, $2,000 prize. Founded by Mina Raver of Custer, the company’s software application is designed to improve workplace productivity by addressing the challenges of executive dysfunction — often associated with ADHD and fatigue — through adaptive, AI-driven productivity tools.

Sixth place: Dakota Motion Labs, $1,000 prize. Founded by Ryan Rykhus and Lisa McFadden of Sioux Falls, the company offers clinical movement assessments with a markerless motion capture system that integrates wide-angle cameras and a human pose estimation algorithm that enables broader clinical adoption and improves rehabilitation outcomes.

“This year, the Giant Vision entrepreneur competition was held during the legislative session,” South Dakota Chamber president David Owen said. “We had an excellent group of competitors and believe this event has once again helped potential business leaders and job creators take a step toward having their projects become a reality. We want to thank the Governor’s Office of Economic Development for supporting this competition.”

In the student competition, five finalists were named winners:

Taking first place in the student competition, winning $5,000, was EarthMaze, a platform to access farm data, reports, models on agricultural practices’ carbon sequestration potential and high-resolution satellite imagery analysis of land transformations that will enhance monitoring and management of carbon sequestration in agriculture and agroforestry. Founded by Khushboo Jain and Abhinav Chandel, University of South Dakota.

In second place, winning $4,000, was DPUF. The product uses a unique, digital fingerprint pattern that helps prevent intellectual property violations by securing against counterfeit or tampered products. Founded by Gopala Krishna Murthy Kalapala, Zishen Yang and Chaoyang Jiang, USD.

In third place, winning $3,000, was Yuth, AI-driven mental health support in schools via personalized interventions based on individual needs, early detection through AI insights and educator empowerment with data-driven dashboards. Founded by Diana Haile, Northern State University.

In fourth place, winning $2,000, was OptiSig, an optical filter for cameras and mobile devices that authenticates images through light-matter interactions, creating a hidden signature to prove authenticity and deter tampering through cryptographic verification for biometric photo logins via an app. Founded by Arik Ahmed, South Dakota Mines.

In fifth place, winning $1,000, was AC Financials, a financial literacy program that promotes independence for young adults through sustainable financial practices taught via personalized coaching and an advisory graduation program. Founded by Abram Collaguazo, South Dakota State University.

Connect and learn

Has your curiosity been sparked about the state’s promising biotech industry? South Dakota Biotech will hold its first mixer of 2025 at the new USD Discovery District.

The first building in the USD Discovery District has opened in northwestern Sioux Falls, marking a major step toward transforming the area into a hub for innovation in life sciences and biotechnology.

See it for yourself while connecting with South Dakota Biotech members and industry professionals from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 4, at 4600 W. Nobel St. Drinks and appetizers will be served.

“This is an excellent opportunity to network with industry professionals, exchange valuable ideas and foster meaningful relationships within the biotech community,” executive director Joni Ekstrum said. “Whether you’re looking to collaborate, learn from others or expand your professional circle, this event offers the perfect setting to build lasting connections and grow your network.”

As host of the Governor’s Giant Competition, South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry President David Owen, announced the winners of the 2025 business and student business competitions.

After a preliminary judging process that reduced the field of applicants to those selected as qualifiers for 2025, the competition concluded with final judging activities Wednesday (Feb. 26, 2025) at the Pierre Ramkota Hotel and Conference Center. The awards were presented during the GOED Conference luncheon program, held in conjunction with Giant Vision. Winners of the two competitions were announced and presented checks by South Dakota Chamber President David Owen, with Lt. Governor Tony Venhuizen and Giant Vision Committee member Mel Ustad, SD EPSCoR, congratulating the honorees.

2025 marks the twenty-first year of the Giant Vision open competition. The following winners were selected as this year’s startup standouts.

OPEN COMPETITION:

This year’s first place $20,000 winner was InovaSkin | An anti-aging product developed with a proprietary peptide that attracts and binds the body’s natural Hyaluronic Acid within the skin, based on research into new peptides with the potential to impact the skincare market. Tugba Ozdemir, PhD, Rapid City

As the first-place winner in the open competition, InovaSkin also received a special marketing package provided by KELOLAND Media Group.

In second place, winning $10,000, was Airborne Dynamic Systems | Specializes in the design, development, and manufacturing of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) tailored for infrastructure inspections and defense. The UAVs are fully American made to support industries that require the highest data sensitivity. Zackery Holloway & Carson Daly, Rapid City

In third place, winning $5,000, was String Tree| A curated auction platform selling musical instruments that blends storytelling, live auctions, and community-driven engagement through carefully selected inventory, fair transaction fees, and secure processes. Targeted for music collectors, enthusiasts, and dealers. Peter Burghardt, Sioux Falls

In fourth place, winning $3,000, was Minds Matter | Offers preventative and restorative neurocognitive therapy. Using QEEG brain mapping along with lifestyle and cognitive assessments, develops a plan for improved brain health and educates clients on how to prevent dementia before symptoms emerge. Tiffany Hoeft, Aberdeen

In fifth place, receiving $2,000, was Catalystium | Software application designed to improve workplace productivity by addressing the challenges of executive dysfunction (often associated with ADHD and fatigue) through adaptive, AI-driven productivity tools. Mina Raver, Custer

In sixth place, receiving $1,000 was Dakota Motion Labs | Clinical movement assessments with a markerless motion capture (MMC) system that integrates wide-angle cameras and a human pose estimation algorithm which enables broader clinical adoption and improves rehabilitation outcomes. Ryan Rykhus and Lisa MacFadden, Sioux Falls

Sponsors of the Giant Vision Open Competition are South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden’s Office of Economic Development; Black Hills Energy; Christiansen Land & Cattle Ltd.; Dacotah Bank; First PREMIER Bank/PREMIER Bankcard; KELOLAND Media Group; MidAmerican Energy; NorthWestern Energy; NSF I-Corps Hub Great Plains Region, Valley Queen Cheese; and Wheeler Manufacturing.

The Giant Vision Competition is a program of the South Dakota Chamber of Commerce and Industry, located in Pierre. SD Chamber President David Owen stated, “This year the Giant Vision Entrepreneur Competition was held during the legislative session. We had an excellent group of competitors and believe this event has once again helped potential business leaders and job creators take a step toward having their projects become a reality. We want to thank the Governor’s Office of Economic Development for supporting this competition”.

STUDENT COMPETITION:

2025 was the nineteenth year of the college student competition. Entries were received from across South Dakota. Following a thorough review of the original applications, five finalists were selected to compete and the winners of the Competition are:

Taking first place in the student competition, winning $5,000, was EarthMaze | A platform to access farm data, reports, models on agricultural practices’ carbon sequestration potential, and high-resolution satellite imagery analysis of land transformations which will enhance monitoring and management of carbon sequestration in agriculture and agroforestry. Khushboo Jain and Abhinav Chandel, University of South Dakota

In second place, winning $4,000, was DPUF | Product which uses a unique, digital fingerprint pattern, which helps prevent intellectual property violations by securing against counterfeit or tampered products. Gopala Krishna Murthy Kalapala, Zishen Yang, and Chaoyang Jiang, University of South Dakota

In third place, winning $3,000, was Yuth | AI-driven mental health support in schools via personalized interventions based on individual needs, early detection through AI insights, and educator empowerment with data-driven dashboards. Diana Haile, Northern State University

In fourth place, winning $2,000, was OptiSig | An optical filter for cameras and mobile devices that authenticates images through light-matter interactions, creating a hidden signature to prove authenticity and deter tampering through cryptographic verification for biometric photo logins via an app. Arik Ahmed, South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

In fifth place, winning $1,000, was AC Financials | Financial literacy program which promotes independence for young adults through sustainable financial practices taught via personalized coaching and an advisory graduation program. Abram Collaguazo, South Dakota State University

Giant Vision Student Competition Sponsors: South Dakota Governor Larry Rhoden’s Office of Economic Development, Citi and South Dakota EPSCoR (Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research).

The Governor’s Giant Vision Business and Student Competitions were established to help citizens realize that South Dakota is the best place to start a successful business. The program was designed as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to compete for seed money and a chance to achieve their dream. This South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry program was founded and continues to be chaired by Brad Wheeler, Vice President of Wheeler Manufacturing in Lemmon. Additional program information is available at https:/bit.ly/3MQSO8x.

What is it with Celtic and the Scottish Cup?

It was the first major trophy they won and, since that day on 9 April, 1892, they have continued a love affair with the competition that has seen them rack up record after record.

The Glasgow club will make yet another final appearance this year – against Aberdeen – as they look to lift the trophy for a third consecutive season.

Let us look at Celtic’s romance with the cup in numbers.

Spread the love

Apply now for the Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition (EBPC), a global platform supporting innovative education ventures tackling systemic inequities. Apply below:

When is the Application Deadline:

The application deadline is Feb 19, 2025.

Tell Me About The Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition:

The Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition (EBPC) is a global competition that supports innovative education ventures addressing systemic inequities in education. Launched in 2010 as a collaboration between Penn GSE and the Milken family foundations, EBPC connects participants with strategic advisors, investors, and customers. The competition culminates in a live event judged by industry experts, offering participants a chance to showcase their solutions while gaining visibility and venture development support.

Which Fields are Eligible?

The competition welcomes ventures from various educational settings, including but not limited to:

Get Up to $100,000 Student Loan for Your Master in US or Canada.

Urban Education

Teaching & Learning

Early Childhood Education

Technology in Grades K-12

Special Education & At-Risk Students

Online & Distance Learning in Higher Education

Global Education Solutions

Workforce Learning

Connecting Research to Practice

Type:

Competition

Who can Apply for the Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition?

Eligible applicants include:

Individuals or groups aged 18 years or older.

Ventures founded by or serving individuals from marginalized and historically underrepresented communities.

Both for-profit and nonprofit ventures are accepted.

Ventures must not have raised more than $2,000,000 or generated more than $2,000,000 in gross revenue in the prior 12 months.

Applicants cannot include current Penn GSE faculty, staff, administrators, or previous finalists/winners (unless they are entering with a new, unrelated business plan).

Entrants must ensure compliance with laws in their jurisdiction of residence.

How are Applicants Selected?

Innovation: How the venture addresses persistent or emerging educational challenges.

Equity Impact: Solutions that reduce systemic barriers and support underserved communities.

Market Potential: Target audience, customer discovery, and marketing strategy.

Leadership: Qualifications and expertise of the team.

Competitive Advantage: Differentiation from competitors and long-term sustainability.

Financial Viability: A clear financial model supported by realistic assumptions.

Which Countries Are Eligible?

All countries

Where will the Award be Taken?

The final live competition will take place in person, hosted by Penn GSE at the University of Pennsylvania, USA.

How Many Awards?

Not specified

What is the Benefit of the Milken-Penn GSE Education Business Plan Competition?

Participants and winners benefit from:

Venture development support from strategic advisors.

Networking opportunities with investors and potential customers.

Access to the Catapult Content Hub, featuring 4,000+ educational resources.

A platform to showcase innovations to industry experts and decision-makers.

How Long Will the Award Last?

9 months

How to Apply:

Prepare materials: Gather your product description, team details, financial model, equity impact statement, a 15-slide presentation deck, and an optional 60-second video pitch.

Register for Catapult : Create a free account on the Catapult platform (Catalyst @ Penn GSE virtual accelerator).

: Create a free account on the Catapult platform (Catalyst @ Penn GSE virtual accelerator). Complete the application: Submit all required materials via Catapult by February 19, 2025.

January 15, 2025 : Applications open.

: Applications open. February 19, 2025 : Application deadline.

: Application deadline. May 1, 2025 : Semifinalists announced.

: Semifinalists announced. August 20, 2025 : Finalists announced.

: Finalists announced. September 11, 2025: Live competition event.

For questions, contact the Competition Director at [email protected].

$188,500 in cash and production prizes have been presented across 15 awards in seven juried film competitions, the Power Pitch Competition and Screen BC Short Film Award

(Whistler, BC) – Whistler Film Festival (WFF) has announced the winners of its film competition awards in a ceremony held in Whistler on Sunday, Dec. 8. The top prize, the Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature, was presented to Really Happy Someday, directed by J Stevens (pictured above).

The Borsos jury, comprised of Tatiana Maslany, Tantoo Cardinal, CM, and Cory Bowes, described the film as “a voice of transition in transition,” noting that “through skillful storytelling, Really Happy Someday is an intimate journey through a loving family community that leads us to a deeper understanding and appreciation for the commitment necessary to align the body and soul, finding true peace.”

The 24th edition of WFF featured a total of 118 films: 47 features and 71 shorts. There were 27 world premieres, 20 Canadian premieres, 24 Western Canadian premieres, and 23 Whistler premieres. A total of $188,500 in cash and production prizes have been presented this year, across a total of 15 awards in seven juried film competitions, including the Power Pitch Competition and Screen BC Short Film Award. Two additional Audience Awards will be announced on December 12 for the features and shorts programs.

“As we celebrate the success of these award winners, we are reminded of the incredible talent and creativity that continues to emerge from Canada’s filmmaking community and those who are highlighted throughout the festival,” said Angela Heck, executive director of WFF. “The diversity and innovation showcased in this year’s competition speaks to the strength and artistry of Canadian filmmakers, and it is a privilege to support and honour these visionary storytellers. We are proud to contribute to the growth and recognition of Canadian and international cinema, and we look forward to the continued success of these talented filmmakers in the years to come.”

The prestigious Borsos Competition for Best Canadian Feature, named for legendary Canadian filmmaker Philip Borsos, is now in its 21st year. With a $35,000 cash and in-kind prize, it is the second-largest festival honour in the country.

“It was a great honour to share with our audiences an amazing collection of 14 diverse and provocative features participating in the competition this year,” said Robin Smith, director of film programming for WFF. “Each film exemplified unique and important artistry that covered a multitude of perspectives and genres and I wish to congratulate all of the filmmakers in this year’s competition. I would also love to thank our jury for the professionalism and dedication they brought to our festival as part of this process. We were truly blessed to have them as part of our festival family this year.”

WFF 2024 Award Winners At-A-Glance

FILM AWARDS

Borsos Award for Best Canadian Feature Film: Really Happy Someday , directed by J Stevens Best Direction of a Borsos Competition Film (sponsored by Directors Guild of Canada, BC): Phoenixes , directed by Jonathan Beaulieu-Cyr Best Screenplay of a Borsos Competition Film: Really Happy Someday , J Stevens and Breton Lalama Best Performance in a Borsos Competition Film: Who Do I Belong To , Salha Nasraoui *Honourable Mention for Performance in a Borsos Competition Film: Aberdeen , Gail Maurice Best Cinematography in a Borsos Competition Film (presented by ICG 669): Phoenixes , Ariane Falardeau St-Amour Best Editing in a Borsos Competition Film: Who Do I Belong To, Maryam Goober and Maxime Mathis World Documentary Award: Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted , directed by Isaac Gale , Ryan Olson , and David McMurry Best Mountain Culture Short Film (sponsored by Whistler Blackcomb): Barefoot Pilot directed by Leo Hoorn and Steve Henderson Honourable Mention for Best Mountain Culture Short Film (sponsored by Whistler Blackcomb): Wildflowers directed by Trixie Pacis Best Mountain Culture Feature Film (sponsored by Whistler Blackcomb): Maya And The Wave , directed by Stephanie Johnes Best BC Director Award (sponsored by DGC-BC): Resident Orca , directed by Simon Schneider and Sarah Sharkey Pearce Canadian ShortWork Award: Hello Stranger by Amélie Hardy International ShortWork Award: For Sale by Stephen George BC Student ShortWork Award (presented by Capilano University): Body Varial by Audrey Kerridge EDA Award for Best Female Directed Short: Have I Swallowed Your Dreams by Clara Chan EDA Award for Best Female Directed Feature (presented by the Alliance of Women Film Journalists): Bob Trevino Likes It , directed by Tracie Laymon

Audience Awards to be announced on December 12.

TALENT PROGRAM AWARDS

Northern Star Award (presented by UBCP/ACTRA): Morgan Taylor Campbell Power Pitch Competition: Milton Ng, New Diamond Restaurant Screen BC Short Film Pitch: Norman Yi Li, Adverse Possession

Two pitch competitions also took place during WFF. Power Pitch, one of Canada’s foremost film competitions, is an intensive pitch training workshop and competition for Canadian producers with feature-length projects (scripted or documentary) in development. Milton Ng took home $36,000 in cash and prizing for his project New Diamond Restaurant. The Power Pitch prize package includes a $25,000 post-production credit from Company 3 Vancouver, a $10,000 lighting and grip production credit, and a $1,000 cash prize from Sunbelt Rentals.

Established this year, the Northern Star Award is an evolution of WFF’s former Stars To Watch program. It continues the tradition of celebrating Canadian talent by offering an immersive multi-day festival experience, promotion, and professional development. The inaugural award was presented to Queen Of The Underworld star Morgan Taylor Campbell by UBCP/ACTRA president Keith Martin Gordey in recognition of an outstanding performance in a Whistler Film Festival feature or short film.

All five candidates for this year’s Screen BC Short Film Award delivered strong pitches. The project that truly stood out was Norman Yi Li’s horror comedy Adverse Possession, which not-so-subtly delivers an absurd solution to the universal housing crisis.

“Norman’s pitch was grounded in a well-developed script, team, and visual package that we expect will result in an entertaining ride that just might help us forget about housing problems for 10 minutes,” said Kristyn Stilling, a short film pitch producer for Screen BC. “We look forward to seeing this film at the 2025 Whistler Film Festival.”

WFF shares net online film ticket proceeds with the filmmakers and Canadian rights holders to support our artists. Discover more at whistlerfilmfestival.com.

The Whistler Film Festival gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Government of Canada through Telefilm Canada, the Province of British Columbia and the Resort Municipality of Whistler. We gratefully acknowledge our major festival sponsors, Creative BC, Directors Guild of Canada – British Columbia, Tourism Whistler, RBC, Sunbelt Rentals, Warner Bros. Discovery Access Canada, and Whistler Blackcomb.