InnovaPrep CEO honored as an ‘inspiration’ among Pipeline fellows
November 16, 2020 | Austin Barnes
COVID-19 couldn’t stop the steady flow of innovation through the Pipeline Entrepreneurs Fellowship.
The organization crowned a series of winners through its (virtual) Innovator Awards on Thursday — a testament to its commitment to entrepreneurs weathering unprecedented times, said David Alburty.
“Pipeline has been absolutely mission-critical in my evolution as a scaling CEO,” Alburty, CEO of InnovaPrep, said in response to his participation in the program’s 2019 fellowship and newfound winner of Pipeline’s member inspiration award. The honor recognized his commitment to fostering success in other fellows.
“Pipeline helped me learn how to make Innovaprep scale. It has been an honor and a blessing to be part of the Pipeline Entrepreneurs family and I plan to continue for life, helping members and new fellows in any way I can,” he said.
Additional prizes saw Michael Fry, co-founder and CEO of Brown Button Estates crowned innovator of the year; Leandro Castro, co-founder and CEO of Omaha-based MultiMechanics, honored with the member growth award; and Mike Bosch, founder and CEO of Baldwin City-based RG Fiber recognized with the member resilience award.
Alburty credits the program with teaching him valuable revenue-building skills, which, when anchored with his background in STEM, have turned InnovaPrep into a powerhouse on the prairie.
The startup made key pivots amid the pandemic which has seen it use its technology to search sewers for SARS in a bid to help end the spread of COVID-19.
Click here to read more about InnovaPrep’s pandemic-experience.
Featured Business

2020 Startups to Watch
stats here
Related Posts on Startland News
Video: Rightfully Sewn threads ‘United Nations of Sewing’ concept into fabric of Crossroads
A new studio space in the heart of Kansas City’s creative community will thread the needle for expanding capacity for Rightfully Sewn to help diverse, at-risk women, as well as support its nonprofit mission, said Jennifer Lapka. The program, which trains women to be seamstresses for local designers through a two-year experience, is set to…
Clockwork founder Christian Arnold: When to explore new workspace for your startup
Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this commentary are the author’s alone. If your startup is ready to graduate from your home office and the local coffee shop, you have a lot of considerations for that perfect workspace. Yes, real estate is typically the second highest business cost, but the right space has the power…
Self-expression, happiness drive expansion of Selfie Boutique playground
What started as a side project four months ago has grown into a huge, interactive exhibit dedicated to cultivating joy, said Alex Altomare, founder of the Selfie Boutique. “The mission is to bring people together and create happiness,” Altomare said. “The growth has been entirely driven by our supporters on all fronts, and we have…
