The Iowa State University Research Park and the Crop Science division of Bayer have announced the opening of the Seed Production Innovation (SPI) Innovation Center on the research park campus. According to a news release, the innovation space will host producer education, innovation workshops and foster collaboration with partners, with…
Applications for the 2026 John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition are now open. The 21st annual statewide competition will award $100,000 in cash prizes to Iowa startups and entrepreneurial ventures. Iowa businesses that have been in operation for four years or less, or are not yet cash flow positive, are…
Bozz Prints, a gift shop in Valley Junction in West Des Moines, is seeking vendors for a new dedicated pop-up space in its shop. The area could be used for weekend pop-ups, Thursday nights during the Valley Junction Farmers Market or testing a new idea in a retail space. “Makers,…
The Greater Des Moines Partnership has opened applications for the 2026 Scale DSM Business Accelerator, a program designed to help small businesses strengthen operations, increase revenue and create jobs. Over the past four years, 56 small businesses have graduated from Scale DSM, gaining tools, management strategies and professional networks to…
The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Iowa District Office has announced two entrepreneurs from Emmetsburg as the Iowa Small Business Persons of the Year. The SBA is recognizing Groom Curriculum’s Sierra Elbert, founder and president, and Patricia Pierce, vice president and managing educational director. Groom Curriculum is the first standardized, college-accredited…
The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center hosted the University of Iowa Venture School Launch Day competition for its spring cohort on March 26. Seven teams pitched their ideas to a panel of judges after attending virtual classes on customer discovery and developing their business model alongside local entrepreneur coaches. Four…
Kathy Kay, executive vice president and chief information officer at Principal Financial Group has been named to the 2026 CIO Hall of Fame. Induction into the CIO Hall of Fame is one of the profession’s highest distinctions, recognizing leaders who have shaped the practice of IT leadership and supported the…
Seven Iowa-based small businesses received AI implementation service offers valued at $335,000 after completing the AI Services Challenge held Feb. 16–18 at the BioVentures Center in Coralville. The event was a partnership among Iowa JPEC, the Iowa Small Business Development Center, Amazon Web Services, and PREDICTif Solutions. The awards will…
Rise Energy has been selected for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) Embedded Entrepreneur Initiative, securing $340,000 in non-dilutive funding to accelerate the commercialization of its autothermal pyrolysis technology developed at Iowa State University. Autothermal pyrolysis is a novel process that converts underutilized or waste materials into refiner-ready feedstocks,…
The Iowa Biotechnology Association recognized Brent Shanks, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and Jean Steffenson Faculty Chair in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State University, as the recipient of the 2026 Biotech Leader Award. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership within their organization and…