From runner to entrepreneur

Charlie Bennett (‘28 English) transformed his own health journey into a software platform that helps others better understand their blood work. When Bennett first started building his business, it was something he squeezed into evenings, weekends, and the small breaks between classes. Today, thanks to Iowa State University’s CYstarters summer accelerator program, that side project has become a growing startup with a clear mission to help people understand their health.

Bennett, who grew up in Ames, transferred to Iowa State after beginning his college career at the University of Northern Iowa as a cross-country and track athlete. Returning to Ames felt like the right decision, and Iowa State gave him the chance to pursue both his academic interests and entrepreneurial ambitions. He said majoring in English came naturally because of his passion for reading and writing, skills that have also helped him communicate and refine his business ideas.

The creation of Clarion Labs

Clarion Labs was inspired by a personal experience. As a competitive runner in high school. Bennett watched his performance unexpectedly decline during his junior year. After months of frustration and expensive supplements, he discovered the issue wasn’t lack of effort but that his ferritin levels were especially low for an athlete.

“I realized there was all this information in blood work that people already had access to, but they didn’t know what to do with it,” Bennett said.

That experience stayed with him. Later, while coaching more than 100 young athletes at XLR8 Performance Lab in Ankeny, he noticed many of them faced similar challenges. Instead of accepting the problem, Bennett decided to create a solution.

Clarion Labs is a software platform that helps users interpret existing blood test results. Rather than replacing a doctor’s visit, the program translates complex medical information into plain language. It explains why each marker matters and offers science-backed recommendations for nutrition, lifestyle changes, and supplements.

Building a business through CYstarters

Bennett taught himself how to code while building the platform, learning guidance from his uncle, a software engineer, and AI-assisted program tools. What he expected to take only a few weeks became a seven-month process filled with technical challenges, research, and navigating health care regulations.

Joining CYstarters accelerated that progress. The competitive summer program provides student entrepreneurs with funding, mentorship, and educational programming to help transform business ideas into viable companies. Bennett first heard about the program after competing in a pitch competition, where several people encouraged him to apply.

Since joining the cohort, he has spent each day working fulltime on his business while learning from successful entrepreneurs, business coaches, and industry professionals.

“Being able to get paid to work on it eight hours a day has pushed it far beyond where I thought it could get,” Bennett said.

Beyond helping his business grow, the program has challenged Bennett personally. Although he considers himself an introvert, CYstarters requires participants to regularly present their ideas and practice pitching to different audiences. One of his biggest milestones came when he presented Clarion Labs at 1 Million Cups in Ames, a weekly entrepreneurial event where members of the CYstarters cohort share their businesses with the local community.

The experience gave him more confidence speaking in public and reinforced the importance of clearly communicating his vision.

Looking ahead

Bennett hopes to continue expanding Clarion Labs by growing its user base, developing its own supplement line, and eventually creating at-home blood testing kits. While those goals are ambitious, he said his focus remains on solving problems for users rather than chasing profits.

For students interested in entrepreneurship, Bennett encourages them to start by listening.

“Talk to people first,” Bennett said. “Figure out if the problem you’re trying to solve exists. Don’t be afraid to fail but make sure you’re learning from it.”

For Bennett, CYstarters has become more than a business accelerator. It has provided time, mentorship, and confidence to transform an idea rooted in personal experience into a business with the potential to improve people’s lives.