TS Bank-hosted small business pitch competition awards $20K

Three small businesses were awarded a combined $20,000 during the annual REV pitch competition, hosted Nov. 7 by Advance Southwest Iowa and TS Bank in Council Bluffs, Iowa..Southern Hills Veterinary Services of Corning took home the top $10,000 prize. Ralston, Neb.-based Coffee Alley–Callejón del Café and Treynor-based Jarvis Quality Meats each received $5,000.Southern Hills Veterinary Services, a mixed-animal practice that provides 24/7 emergency care, plans to use its award to purchase a portable X-ray machine. The upgrade is intended to enable veterinarians to offer safer, on-site diagnostics for injuries and other elements.Coffee Alley, an intercultural cafe blending Mexican coffeehouse traditions with family-focused community events, will use its award to purchase a commercial oven to expand its bakery offerings. Jarvis Quality Meats secured $5,000 to support new equipment purchases, including a patty press machine to boost production capacity. Finalists also included Omaha-based language education startup Jibberty and Council Bluffs-based receipt management platform Receivos. Council Bluffs-based Delicias del Pan Bakery won the $500 People’s Choice Award through live audience voting.In addition, organizers named Alejandra Valdez, founder of Council Bluffs-based Viva Fit Kitchen and co-founder of the Embolden Network, as Entrepreneur of the Year. Valdez, a 2022 REV winner, was recognized for her company’s growth and her impact on the local entrepreneurial community.The competition, launched by TS Bank in 2015 and expanded through a partnership with Advance Southwest Iowa in 2020, has now awarded $177,000 to small businesses across the region.