The South Dakota Chamber of Commerce & Industry today announced the winners of the 2026 Governor’s Giant Vision Business and Student Competitions. Ryan Budmayr, the Chamber’s incoming President and CEO, presented the awards during the GOED Conference luncheon at the Ramkota Conference Center in Pierre. Budmayr was joined on stage by longtime Giant Vision supporter and judge Mel Ustad.
Following a rigorous preliminary judging process that narrowed a strong field of applicants to a select group of finalists, competitors presented their concepts to judges on February 25, with winners recognized at the luncheon the same day.
STUDENT COMPETITION
2026 marks the twentieth year of the Giant Vision Student Competition. Entries were received from colleges and universities across South Dakota. Following thorough review of original applications, five finalists were selected to compete, with winners announced as follows:
First Place — $5,000 | Devana Videre | A medical imaging solution leveraging advanced computer vision technology designed to enhance diagnostic accuracy and accessibility for clinical providers. Parker Pombrio, David Pienta, and Jeremy Friedrichsen, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Second Place — $4,000 | Fidelis Vascular | An innovative vascular device designed to improve patient outcomes and procedural efficiency in vascular intervention. Avery Del Grosso, University of South Dakota
Third Place — $3,000 | MedSum | An AI-powered medical summarization tool that streamlines clinical documentation, saving healthcare providers time and improving patient care coordination. Clive Uy, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Fourth Place — $2,000 | SlumpScan | A technology-driven solution using data analytics and sensing technology to detect and prevent structural slumping in infrastructure and construction applications. Joseph Tunge, South Dakota School of Mines & Technology
Fifth Place — $1,000 | Ranger Drones | An autonomous drone platform engineered for agricultural and land management applications, providing real-time aerial data collection and analysis. Quintin Steindl, Michael Jackley, Shane Stone, Holden Peterson, and Coleman Haiar, South Dakota State University
OPEN COMPETITION
2026 marks the twenty-second year of the Giant Vision Open Competition. The following winners were selected as this year’s standout startup ventures:
First Place — $20,000 | Carbon Lock 12.0 | A carbon sequestration technology that captures and stores atmospheric carbon dioxide using a proprietary 12-step mineralization process, offering scalable, permanent carbon removal solutions for agricultural and industrial applications. Tanvi Govil and Merle Symes, Rapid City
Second Place — $10,000 | AgTag | A livestock tracking and management platform using smart tagging technology to give producers real-time data on animal health, location, and activity — helping ranchers make faster, better-informed decisions. Jonah Olson
Third Place — $5,000 | AdvancedCarbonX | Advanced carbon material solutions engineered for use in high-performance energy storage and industrial applications, utilizing novel synthesis processes to improve efficiency and reduce production costs. Bharathkiran Maddipudi, Rapid City
Fourth Place — $3,000 | Hyaluropsy | A cutting-edge biopsy and diagnostic tool utilizing hyaluronic acid-based technology to improve the precision and comfort of tissue sampling procedures, with applications in oncology and dermatology. Tugba Ozdemir, PhD, Rapid City
Fifth Place — $2,000 | Dakota Motion Labs | Clinical movement assessments with a markerless motion capture (MMC) system that integrates wide-angle cameras and a human pose estimation algorithm, enabling broader clinical adoption and improving rehabilitation outcomes. Ryan Rykhus and Lisa MacFadden, Sioux Falls
Sixth Place — $1,000 | StarrGuidance | A precision guidance and navigation system designed to enhance autonomous vehicle and drone operations, providing reliable positioning solutions in GPS-limited environments. Davis Thompson
South Dakota Chamber CEO Ryan Budmayr stated, “This year’s Giant Vision Competition showcased the extraordinary depth of entrepreneurial talent across South Dakota. From students still in the classroom to established innovators bringing new solutions to market, these competitors represent exactly the kind of bold thinking that will drive our state’s economy forward. We are grateful to our sponsors, judges, and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development for making this event possible.”
The Governor’s Giant Vision Business and Student Competitions were established to help South Dakotans realize that our state is the best place to launch a successful business. The program was designed as an opportunity for entrepreneurs to compete for seed money and to take meaningful steps toward turning their vision into reality.
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