Krista Davidson, a clinical professor in the Department of Communication Sciences and Disorders, won the award for an app she developed to help first responders communicate with non-speaking individuals.
Wednesday, December 4, 2024

By Will Bower 

The John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) recognized clinical professor Krista Davidson and her app RescueVoice as part of the Fall 2024 Innovation Challenge. Davidson placed second and received $10,000 for the app.  

Krista Davidson

RescueVoice was developed to provide first responders with a tool to communicate with non-speaking individuals and launched in September. 

“Situations where first responders are involved can be very high-stakes and emotional events,” Davidson previously said. “I wanted to equip those on the frontlines of care with the tools necessary to effectively communicate with someone in these events where communication is essential.” 

JPEC hosts the Innovation Challenge each semester with the goal of funding groundbreaking projects from students and faculty. The challenge is structured like the popular ABC show Shark Tank, where entrepreneurs pitch their ideas to a panel of potential investors with the hope of securing funding. This semester, JPEC awarded a total of $75,000 to various startups.

RescueVoice is available to download for $9.99 on the Apple Store and Google Play.