On Tuesday, October 19, the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center hosted the annual pitch competition for student ventures at the University of Northern Iowa. Among participants was Savannah Warren (sophomore) with her company, Sav's Syrups. 

Sav's Syrups is a sustainable coffee sauce and syrup company that focuses on creating game-changing flavors for coffee shops. After working for two years within the industry, Warren identified a major problem for local shops. With over 400,000 coffee shops and only two major coffee syrup companies, Warren saw that shops were looking for a way to differentiate among their competition. Using a small investment at the beginning of 2021, Sav's Syrups has grown exponentially and now partners with shops across the nation. 

Sav's Syrups received 1st place in the revenue track at the regional pitch competition and will now advance to nationals at the Collegiate Entrepreneurs Organization global conference hosted in Tampa, Florida. The competition will be held from October 28-October 30 and the winner will receive funding of $7,000 for their company.

Warren reflects on her achievement, "When I started Sav's Syrups, I never imagined that I would be advancing to a national competition with the company. Pitching was so uncomfortable to me but I think that people find themselves when they push themselves out of their normal. You have to be comfortable being uncomfortable. That will always pay off."