28 Founders Graduate from the Master of Business Creation Online in Summer 2025

Salt Lake City, Utah—October 10, 2025

The MBC program at the UofU combines the best of a business accelerator and a graduate degree. It’s offered by the Department of Entrepreneurship & Strategy in partnership with the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, both part of the Eccles School—ranked among the top 10 schools nationally for entrepreneurship by U.S. News & World Report and The Princeton Review.

“The MBC Online program is our fastest-growing option because it provides founders with the flexibility they need to engage with the program around their busy schedules,” said Jeff Davis, director of the MBC program and a faculty member in the Department of Marketing at the Eccles School. “Each of the founders in the online program receives one-on-one mentorship, which allows them to personalize the curriculum to meet their goals.”

Fall 2026 Applications Now Open

Applications are open to join the next MBC cohort in fall 2026.

• Priority deadline: March 20, 2026
• Early applicant benefit: U.S. applicants who apply by the priority deadline will receive a $1,000 scholarship (restrictions apply).
• Limited space available.

Apply and learn more at eccles.utah.edu/mbc

How the Program Works

Founders in the MBC program receive mentorship and resources to grow and scale their companies while earning a master’s degree. Participants benefit from:

• Eccles School courses and workshops
• Practicum labs and applied learning
• Networking and one-on-one mentoring
• Access to grants and funding opportunities

The program’s hands-on, learn-by-doing model ensures that lessons directly translate into business growth.

The MBC program has been recognized by the Global Consortium of Entrepreneurship Centers for Excellence in Entrepreneurship Teaching and Pedagogical Innovation, and it earned first place in the Utah Innovation Awards (professional services category) presented by Utah Business and Foley & Lardner.

Founder Perspectives

Duane Richins, founder of RealD2D, a real estate coaching company that helps agents grow their client base through door-to-door marketing, praised the faculty:

“It’s unique to have professors that have all achieved at high levels and are so willing to help. I also find it so unique to see how each professor loves this job. It doesn’t seem like this is a job they took for the money; it’s all about the love of the game.”

Alok Desai, founder of Packizon, which develops measuring technologies for optimizing logistics, warehousing, and shipping processes, added:

“Having access to business knowledge and guidance in applying that has been huge for our company. The hands-on approach helped Packizon build a solid foundation and set goals for the future.”

MBC Online Graduates – Summer 2025

Here are the startups and founders graduating from the MBC Online program:

• Be Willing (Missy Freigang) – Builds community connections to help resolve social challenges.
• Beast & Baron (Gary Urry) – Produces and sells all-natural beard care products.
• Beyond the Blade (Eric Swenson, Katie Swenson) – Healthcare analytics for surgical practices.
• Doubloon Gulf (Blake Laker) – Creates high-end golf ball markers made from rare materials.
• Fiscal Ally (Jelani Ellington) – Subscription-based, personalized financial planning.
• HeadMed (Adam Wright, Johnathan Benfield) – Telemedicine for migraines and facial pain via asynchronous care (text, chat, email, secure portal).
• Heads Up Co. (Zane Van Wagoner) – Helps young people set healthy tech boundaries with innovative phone chargers.
• IQ Elevate Labs (Drew Johnson) – Student-oriented supplements to enhance cognitive function.
• Kulani Home (Matthew Morgan) – Handcrafted, customized home décor.
• Lakeshore Plastics (Kyle Pontius, Vincent Bria) – Utah County-based injection molding manufacturer.
• Little Dogs Resort (Jennifer McMurrough, Melody English) – Premium small dog daycare services.
• Mish Mill (Jen Jen Francis) – Enables brands and game developers to operate across digital worlds.
• Nibbles and Sprouts (Bonnie Feola) – Pediatric culinary medicine practice helping families raise curious eaters.
• NODE Medication Dispensers (Jonathon Vizmeg) – Access-controlled pill box for dispensing Class I drugs like opioids.
• Omena (Francesca Raoelison) – Works to end emotional abuse in Madagascar through education and community support.
• Packizon (Alok Desai) – Precision measurement for logistics and warehousing.
• Pionails (Eric Ngo) – All-in-one POS and booking platform for nail salons.
• Play to Your Strengths (Stephen Gahagen) – Strengths-based education programs for youth.
• RealD2D (Duane Richins) – Real estate coaching focused on door-to-door lead generation.
• Rough Road Repair (Oliver Bradstreet) – Mobile vehicle-repair service for off-road breakdowns.
• Signspaces (Chris Wood) – Pop-up web dictionary that translates English into American Sign Language.
• Tasty Edits (Alex Lefkowitz) – Video editing and YouTube management services for creators.
• Theramone Health (Xue Sheng “Lawry” Han) – Natural solutions for hormone health.
• Yesco Business Coaching (Janaye Lakey) – Business coaching and frameworks for small businesses, spun out of YESCO.

Learn more about the MBC program at eccles.utah.edu/mbc.