Congratulations to the 2024 Awardees
We are proud to announce the 2024 awardees for IgniteWV! Thank you to everyone who competed in the final round of competition held on April 10, 2024, during Bridging Innovation Week, at the Marshall Health Network Arena in Huntington, WV.
Track 1: Main Street Awardees
Battle Buddy Bears LLC, Award Amount: $27,300
Lora Yeater, Founder
Shyla Wells, Team Member
James Malinchak, Coach
The mission of “Battle Buddy Bears” is to provide companionship and emotional support to children with medical conditions by creating personalized teddy bears that mirror their unique disabilities. Through our bears, we aim to foster a sense of understanding, inclusivity, and self-expression, empowering children to navigate their challenges with resilience and ensuring they never feel alone on their journey. Our communication tools with each bear further facilitate meaningful connections between children, parents, and healthcare providers.
Mal’s Fresh Produce, Award Amount: $26,500
Mallory Moholt, CEO
Our mission at Mal’s Fresh Produce is to nourish our community with locally sourced, nutritious food while fostering a sustainable and resilient local food system. Through our unwavering commitment to supporting local farmers and producers, we strive to combat food insecurity and promote better health outcomes for all. With dedication, integrity, and a passion for exceptional customer service, our goal is to bring fresh produce to everyone in our community, one fresh fruit and vegetable at a time. We are relentless in our mission to cultivate a healthier, more vibrant future for West Virginia by making fresh local nutritious food accessible!
Curated Wonder LLC, Award Amount: $17,600
Terran Quinlan, Chief Experience Curator
Curated Wonder delivers curated toolkits for your own adventures & travel to create memories through experiences with curiosity + connection.
Each kit is an activity of something you do, learn, taste, explore and experience.
For exploring new places. For taking a road trip. For embracing new cultures. For trying new flavors. And whatever else we may dream up.
Track 2: Tech/Innovation Awardees
Moodr Health, Award Amount: $70,000
Jackie Lytton, VP of Marketing and Business Development
Ataes Aggarwal, President and Co-Founder
Arya Satish, Lead Clinical Architect
• Michelle Hopkins, VP of Sales • Greyson Travelstead, Software Development • Alex Griffin, Software Development • Andre Adamchak, Software Development • Brandon Jones, Graphic Design • Jennifer Bender, Co-Founder, Perinatal Nurse Navigator, Mentor • Lora McDonald, Perinatal Social Worker, Mentor • Ashok Aggarwal, Mentor • Dr. Beth McClellan, Mentor • Dr. Tom McClellan, Mentor • Mike Green, Mentor • David Wible, Mentor
Moodr Health is a proactive digital healthcare solution designed to equip providers with key mood-related indicators to prevent, identify, and treat mental health challenges early. We use proactive outreach to help patients suffering in silence along with the collection of objective data through wearable technology. This leads to a more comprehensive view of the patient and the ability to catch the onset of anxiety and depression symptoms early.
Brite, Award Amount: $30,000
Nate Wimer, CEO
Lukas Thackery, CGO
Craig Dombrowski, CTO
Brite helps navigate a nationwide, hair-on-fire problem cutting through higher education: a demographic and values shift leading to less available students and bleeding profits. Brite provides university administrators with data-driven feedback insights into their institution’s gaps to help retain students and optimize revenue, while simultaneously offering advertisers unique marketing channels to reach college-aged consumers.
