New MercyOne team expands maternal care in Iowa Parents across Iowa have to travel increasingly farther from their homes to access maternal health care. Forty-one birthing units closed in Iowa between 2000 and 2021. According to a report from the Center for Healthcare Quality & Payment Reform, 61% of rural Iowa hospitals no longer provide obstetrics services. Parents have to drive about 31 minutes on average to reach a hospital
July 10, 2025
Meet the women paving the way in Iowa venture capital
About 10 years ago, Kaylee Williams was walking in the Austin airport when she saw a banner advertising the HBO television show “Silicon Valley,” a comedy series parodying the tech industry culture in the Santa Clara Valley. The poster featured five men wearing black turtlenecks. She posted a photo to social media, tagged HBO and asked a simple question: “Where are the women?” The startup company industry has long been
July 10, 2025
The University of Iowa’s Driving Safety Research Institute research opens up autonomous driving options to rural Iowans
By Morgen Neuhauser A white van drove down a 47-mile stretch of rural Iowa roads. Three drivers sat in the car, all doing valuable work, but none actually touched the pedals or guided the vehicle. Instead, they were there to ensure a group of rural Iowans got where they needed to go in an autonomous vehicle. The University of Iowa’s Driving Safety Research Institute has conducted hundreds of test drives
July 10, 2025
Corteva’s big bet on ag innovation
By Lindsey Giardino A lot of innovation happens within the walls of Corteva. A lot happens outside, too. To tap into these external advancements, the organization launched Corteva Catalyst — an investment and partnership platform designed to bring to market agricultural innovations that align with Corteva’s research and development priorities and add value. Since its launch in March 2024, Corteva Catalyst has been partnering with entrepreneurs and innovators developing technologies
July 10, 2025
A small town’s dream to help entrepreneurs
There isn’t just one big dreamer in Corning, a town of 1,491 in Adams County, the smallest county in Iowa. “There’s a whole group of them,” said Raelynne Risser, executive director of the Adams County Economic Development Corp. “It’s more than an individualized thing. It is a culture here. … I have never been part of a community that believes in itself so much. It’s really refreshing to see.” The
July 10, 2025
How it works: Microloans
Iowa Center for Economic Success shares the big impact of small loans Microloans meet entrepreneurs where they are. Defined by the U.S. Small Business Administration as a loan of $50,000 or less, a microloan is one of few avenues open to new small businesses in Iowa, particularly in low-income areas, said Jose Venales, director of credit and loans for the Iowa Center for Economic Success, a nonprofit economic development organization
July 10, 2025
Iowa’s hidden hotbed of innovation
The Metal Casting and Foundry 4.0 centers employ students and solve industry problems Iowa has a hidden gem that provides practical learning for students and innovative advice for the metal casting and foundry industry, leaders said. They are talking about the Metal Casting and Foundry 4.0 centers, located on University of Northern Iowa’s campus and the TechWorks building in Waterloo, respectively. The Metal Casting Center is a “nationally recognized leader
July 10, 2025
New charter school opening in Des Moines’ East Village district
Des Moines Prep wants close ties with business community By Kathy A. Bolten Before high school students can graduate from Des Moines Prep, at least 40 hours of career exploration must be completed, a stipulation that will require strong ties with the business community, the new charter school’s principal said. The 40 hours can include internships, apprenticeships, employer visits and job shadowing experiences. “We have every intention of getting our
July 10, 2025
Innovating together
How corporations are partnering with entrepreneurs By Lindsey Giardino For years, Cabin Coffee used Inbru Coffee Flavoring to boost its coffee drinks. Say a customer ordered a small caramel-flavored coffee at one of Cabin Coffee’s multiple locations: The barista would then prepare it using Inbru, which infuses flavor through rice hulls added to ground coffee. Inbru’s flavorings were such a mainstay at Cabin Coffee that when Robert Barber, the second-generation
July 10, 2025
Pockets of innovation
Get to know 3 organizations supporting entrepreneurs in eastern Iowa “Iowa has pockets of innovation across the state” is a common phrase among leaders and other stakeholders in Iowa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. But what do those pockets look like? Across the eastern Iowa region, it includes a legacy company providing space for new hardware startups to grow, a provider of innovation services and coworking space, and an innovation hub with programs
