The Jacobson Institute for Youth Entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa and the Iowa Department of Education have partnered to provide all Iowa educators access to the BizInnovator Startup curriculum at no cost. BizInnovator Startup is an innovation and entrepreneurship curriculum designed for high school students. “BizInnovator Startup provides strategies and methods for educators to […]
The founder and CEO says he hopes to create a ‘movement’ of organizations meeting complex challenges with a curious, innovative mindset Jeff Reed’s entrepreneurial journey started almost six years ago when he left his job to start his first consulting company, the Elevate Co. Since then, he’s been evolving and developing his own vision for innovation […]
Corridor Business Journal: University of Northern Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (UNI JPEC) has appointed a new director following the retirement of former director Laurie Watje. Patrick Luensmann is a 2012 graduate of the economics and finance departments at the University of Northern Iowa. “We are fortunate and excited to have Patrick lead the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial […]
The Iowa Center for Economic Success is holding an event on Jan. 26 to share the details of its Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program (VITA), which provides tax preparation services to small businesses and low-income individuals and families. The session will cover background on the program, who is eligible for these services, how to access them and […]
Empower Rural Iowa, an initiative under the Iowa Economic Development Authority created to advance growth and investment in rural Iowa, has adopted a new strategic focus centered on finding innovative ideas with potential to scale statewide. A new executive order signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in October updated Empower Rural Iowa’s mission to be a group that “functions […]
The Global Insurance Accelerator has announced seven companies that will participate in the 2024 accelerator program beginning Jan. 10. The 100-day program will operate in a hybrid format with in-person and virtual portions, concluding with the companies’ presentations at the Global Insurance Symposium on April 17. The GIA has also hired Jenni Gruenisen as its […]
During 2023, innovationIOWA covered stories of innovation and entrepreneurship across Iowa, including the expansion of Maple Studios to the Quad Cities, Techstars Startup Weekend returning to Des Moines for the first time in seven years and the launch of Novy, Iowa’s first venture studio. Below are the five most-read innovationIOWA stories in 2023. Revisit more […]
The Iowa Biotechnology Association is accepting nominations for the Iowa Biotech Leader of the Year Award through Friday, Jan. 12. The Iowa Biotech Leader Award aims to honor exceptional individuals who have shown leadership within their organizations and the industry, consistently delivered innovative biotech solutions, and actively advocated for Iowa’s biotechnology sector. The winner of […]
As I was wrapping up 2023 and preparing for 2024 last week, I read through Diana Wright’s final Startup Iowa Hot List newsletter of the year. She included a story in her introduction reflecting on expanding entrepreneurial communities through one of her experiences participating in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program. Read more […]
innovationIOWA is sharing profiles of the current members of Maple Studios, a startup studio for early-stage industrial technology companies based on the campus of Ramco Innovations in West Des Moines. Laura Formanek is the creative director and owner of the Studio Process, a full-service video production company. She runs the business full time and currently works […]