🏆 First Place — $10,000 Grand Prize
TarpBags® was selected as the top innovation out of six finalists at the second annual Volusia Innovation Challenge, held March 25, 2026, at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach. Nearly 300 attendees witnessed the pitch competition, and Steve Lofvers also received one year of workspace and mentoring at the Volusia Innovation Hub.
We're proud to announce that TarpBags® — the non-destructive, reusable, water-fillable ballast bag system at the heart of Tarpers' emergency roof tarping method — has been awarded the $10,000 top prize at the 2026 Volusia Innovation Challenge.
The annual pitch competition, organized by Volusia Business Resources, is designed to connect local entrepreneurs with essential resources, visibility, and funding to launch or grow their businesses. This year's event, held on March 25 at the Ocean Center in Daytona Beach, drew nearly 300 attendees and featured six finalists pitching their innovations to a panel of judges.
A System Born from Real-World Need
Inventor Steve Lofvers of Ormond Beach developed TarpBags to solve a persistent problem in the emergency tarping industry: the damage caused by traditional nail-down methods. When a roof is already compromised by storm damage, driving nails through it to secure a tarp only creates new penetration points — leading to additional leaks, further structural damage, and complicated insurance claims.
TarpBags eliminates that risk entirely. Each bag is filled with water on-site and placed strategically along the tarp's edges and seams, providing heavy, stable ballast that holds the tarp firmly in place — even in high-wind conditions — without a single nail, screw, or fastener touching the roof surface.
TarpBags' water-fillable ballast system was recognized as Volusia County's top innovation of 2026.
Why This Matters for Homeowners and Insurance Carriers
For homeowners, TarpBags means your roof won't sustain additional damage during the tarping process. For insurance carriers and adjusters, it means cleaner claims, fewer disputes over secondary damage, and documentation that shows a roof was protected — not further compromised — during the mitigation phase.
This recognition from the Volusia Innovation Challenge validates what our field teams have known for years:non-destructive tarping isn't just a better method — it's the standard the industry needs.
Volusia County's Entrepreneurial Ecosystem
The Volusia Innovation Challenge is more than a pitch competition. It's a showcase of the creativity and ingenuity growing right here in our community. Alongside TarpBags, this year's finalists included innovations ranging from educational rocket flight computers to mechanical suturing devices invented by an ER doctor.
Steve Lofvers expressed gratitude for the opportunity, acknowledging the supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem in Volusia County and the Challenge's role in highlighting local innovation. In addition to the $10,000 cash prize, TarpBags received one year of workspace and mentoring at the Volusia Innovation Hub — resources that will help continue advancing the technology.
What's Next for TarpBags®
This award is a milestone, but the mission hasn't changed. TarpBags will continue to be the backbone of every Tarpers installation — protecting roofs across the Southeast without causing additional damage. Our teams deploy TarpBags daily across Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and beyond, and this recognition only strengthens our commitment to doing emergency tarping the right way.
To learn more about TarpBags technology, visit TarpBags.com . To read the full article from Volusia Business Resources, visit their news article .