The 10th annual Iowa Rural Summit, scheduled for April 9-10 in Dubuque, is now open for registration. The Rural Summit celebrates rural innovation, best practices and case studies. Keynote speakers will include Dr. Jeffrey Stamp, inventor of Baked Lays. He is a professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota…
Novy, a Midwest-based venture studio focused on building and scaling health care software companies, announced it is opening a third ideation cycle for innovators and entrepreneurs to submit early-stage venture ideas. This new ideation cycle comes as Novy is actively in creation of a company born out of its most…
The Iowa Center for Economic Success will expand investment in outreach and services for rural and micropolitan communities with a $250,000 grant from JPMorganChase. Outreach will focus on the micropolitan areas of Carroll, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Grinnell and Oskaloosa, as well as the surrounding rural communities. “The Iowa Center team…
The Iowa Economic Development Authority board approved assistance for six startups located in Ames, Ankeny, Boone and Des Moines at its meeting on Jan. 16. Ames-based agtech company Hermes Biomaterials develops tools that help researchers create stronger, higher-yielding crops. Its FGB device enables the precise delivery of genetic material into…
Radicle Growth, a food- and ag-focused venture capital firm, announced the launch of the Radicle Corn Challenge sponsored by US Corn Farmers, a global call for startups developing technologies that create new, durable demand for corn through innovative products, materials and value chains. The challenge will invest a total of…
Pi515, a nonprofit teaching technology skills to underserved youth, is set to receive a $50,000 contribution from Google to expand its youth-led AI education initiatives. The funding will support two programs: the AI Navigator Fellowship and the Educator Learning Cohort, positioning students and teachers as leaders in responsible AI integration….
The organizers of the 2026 Global Insurance Symposium (GIS) have announced this year’s agenda and topics. With the theme of “Insurance in an Era of Possibilities,” this year’s symposium celebrates the convergence of global capital, innovation, technology and human-centered strategy that’s reshaping the insurance industry. “We’re witnessing a renaissance in…
The Community Broadband Action Network Corp. announced that its board of directors has selected Curtis Dean to serve as the organization’s first full-time executive director. Dean, who co-founded CBAN alongside Jon Willow and Todd Kielkopf, has served as the organization’s volunteer executive director since May 2024. He began his full-time…
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce is now accepting applications for the 2026 Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit Pitch Competition. The application deadline is Monday, Feb. 9 at 5 p.m. All pitch competition applicants are invited to the Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit on April 14-15, at the Sheraton West…
The North Iowa Area Community College John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center will hold the IDEA Camp for sixth- through eighth-grade students on Feb. 16. IDEA Camp guides young innovators through the stages of business creation, from brainstorming ideas to crafting a solid business model. According to a news release, IDEA Camp…