The Business Record announces today the recipients of the 2023 innovationIOWA awards.

Ames-based manufacturer Colorbiotics has been selected as the winner of the Corteva Agriscience innovationLEADER of the Year Award. Jeff Reed, owner of several Des Moines-area businesses, is the recipient of the innovationENTREPRENEUR of the Year Award.

The recipients of the annual innovationIOWA awards are nominated by members of the community and selected by Business Record leadership.

Colorbiotics, led by Vice President Kent Rotert, manufactures colorant for mulch and recreational surfaces, and recently launched a new line of bio-based asphalt products using a soybean-based technology.

Jeff Reed

Reed is founder and CEO at Momentum Studio, a strategy and innovation consulting company he started in May. Momentum’s services include strategy development and supporting innovation projects and culture change. He is also an owner of AR Workshop, an art studio in Ankeny.

Profiles of each winner will appear in the 2023 innovationIOWA Magazine. Here is one question we asked them:

Where are the opportunities for growth in your industry?
Rotert:
As we continue to innovate and develop new technologies, we will continue to grow in the markets we serve. Continually finding better ways to do something has helped us maintain our leadership in the landscape and recreation markets. Whether it be a better product color or a better application tool, we intend to continue improving, and to continue being a leader.

In the asphalt and roofing markets we serve, the growth opportunities are immense. We have fantastic new products for these markets that improve asphalt-shingle roofs, parking lots and highways. Our ability to beat the competitors in product performance while also being “100% USDA Biopreferred” positions Colorbiotics’ asphalt business perfectly for the future. And, when you pair unmatched product performance with a team of employees who continue to push that performance even further, our growth potential is exponential.

Reed: Innovation consulting is a field that is constantly evolving, and the opportunities for growth are vast. However, in order to achieve sustained growth, collaboration and partnership are essential. By working closely with clients to understand their needs and challenges, we can identify opportunities for growth and help their clients achieve their goals. Collaborating with other industry leaders is also critical to driving growth and innovation in the industry. By sharing knowledge and insights, innovation consultants can stay ahead of the curve and identify emerging trends and best practices.

Overall, the opportunities for growth in the innovation consulting industry are best realized through collaboration and partnership. By working closely with clients and other industry leaders, we can identify opportunities for growth and innovation, establish best practices and standards, and create value for all stakeholders involved.

Pick up a copy of the 2023 innovationIOWA Magazine and, new this year, hear from a panel of innovation stakeholders about the future of innovation in Iowa.