IgniteWV Past Awardee Spotlight

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Pine Room Studios

Award Amount: $11,000

Pine Room Studios has taken over management of WKKX AM 1600, a local radio station, and is now focusing on live streaming sports across West Virginia. They reinvested $11,000 into new equipment to improve their product, and their goal is to keep landing new opportunities in the streaming space.

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Fun Fitness Kids Club LLC

Award Amount: $12,600

Fun Fitness Kids Club expanded this year with $12,600 going toward new inventory, insurance, storage, and employees. They also hosted the Hayhurst Invitational and are now planning to use mobile skating rink funds to support future growth.

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Mal’s Produce Place Inc.

Award Amount: $26,500

Mal’s Produce continues to see incredible growth, with sales up more than 800% year-over-year for the past four years. They invested $26,500 in a large cooler and box truck to better serve their five locations, improving efficiency and reducing waste. They also pitched and received funding to move into their next phase, which includes purchasing a farm and launching a youth agricultural program.

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Battle Buddy Bears LLC

Award Amount: $27,000

Battle Buddy Bears has been working on bringing their interactive bears for pediatric cancer patients into production. With $27,300 in total funding, they’ve paid for software development, legal fees, and consulting. They recently partnered with a new technology company to launch a 25-bear pilot program and are focused on gathering data, refining their product, building partnerships, and preparing for nationwide scale to help children through emotional wellness technology.

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Mullett Ventures LLC (Paw Thaws)

Award Amount: $5,000

Mullett Ventures rebranded under Paw Thaws and used $5,000 for equipment and customer discovery. Their next steps include completing a full food analysis as they continue to grow their business.

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Moodr Health

Award Amount: $70,000

Moodr Health has grown from supporting 2 organizations to serving more than 25,000 patients in less than 18 months. With $70,000 invested in marketing, technology, and conferences, they’ve also secured more than $3 million in committed capital for their seed round. Their goals include expanding to 100,000+ patients, forming new partnerships with health systems and insurers, and amplifying their story across Appalachia and beyond.

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Curated Wonder

Award Amount: $17,600

Curated Wonder has shifted its business model by expanding corporate gifting services and increasing e-commerce sales through SEO improvements. With $17,600 in IgniteWV funding, most spent on marketing and digital strategies, they are looking to continue growing their custom curation services and onboarding new wholesale customers.

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2025 Winners

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Nikola Lighting LLC

Award Amount: $36,000

Nikola Lighting doubled the number of jobs completed in 2025 compared to the previous summer and invested $36,000 in vehicles, uniforms, and tools. With $10,000 from Vantage Ventures, they are setting ambitious goals for 2026, including reaching $1 million in revenue, expanding their team, purchasing a commercial shop, and attending home and garden shows across West Virginia.

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Toor Equestrian

Award Amount: $20,000

Toor Equestrian is preparing to debut its Tiny Tack Room saddle stand at a major horse show, after already doubling revenue since last year. With $35,000 in 2023 and $20,000 in 2025, they’ve invested in product development, inventory, and marketing. They plan to scale production, grow online sales, expand their product line, and explore international manufacturing partnerships to support future growth.

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Best Dam Tape

Award Amount: $21,000

Best Dam Tape has had an exciting year, from participating in Walmart Open Call to adding more professional teams to their growing family. With $21,000 invested heavily in marketing and events, they’re making big moves. They’ve even been offered investment and won another competition, and now they’re working on landing major retail and distribution deals with one of the world’s biggest hockey companies.

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GLOBOL

Award Amount: $30,000

GLOBOL has grown its waitlist to more than 1,000 users and was accepted into the Google Start-Up Program. With $30,000 in funding and support from IgniteWV, they continue to scale as a mobile app studio focused on creating AI-native consumer apps. Their next step is expanding to launch more apps under the GLOBOL brand with paying customers.

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The Next Ridge, PLLC

Award Amount: $36,000

The Next Ridge is expanding its services to include cremation and is currently investing $36,000 into software to support this growth. While they haven’t taken outside funding, they’re excited about the opportunities ahead and are focused on offering compassionate services in their community.

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Plug-In Promotions

Award Amount: $50,000

Plug-In Promotions had a huge year, exceeding $100,000 in total sales revenue and tripling its device inventory with 200 new devices. They expanded into the Pittsburgh region, adding 20 new locations, and launched an Al promotional design app for restaurants. With $50,000 already invested and additional funding secured from Vantage Ventures and Innova, their 2025 goal is to hit over 150 locations and $100,000 in revenue.

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