Lean Techniques, a technology and management consultancy based in Johnston, announced it has achieved SOC 2 Type II compliance. SOC 2 is a framework developed by the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants that reports on the controls a service organization has in place related to security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality and privacy. Through the […]

InnoVenture Iowa is now accepting applications for its third annual InnoVenture Challenge, a pitch competition that awards $100,000 to one early-stage Iowa startup. The application window closes at 5 p.m. Sept. 30.  Judges will select 10 semi-finalists from the pool of applicants, which will then be narrowed to three finalists who pitch to a panel of […]

Hudu, an Urbandale-based startup providing a marketplace to list and find odd jobs, has received a second $250,000 award from the Google Cloud Startup program, which provides resources like technical training, mentoring and AI-specific benefits to help startups scale. Hudu received its first award from the program in 2023, and is one of few companies to […]

Two SBDC Iowa regional directors, Michael Wampler and Jenica Johnson, have received awards from the national Small Business Development Center association America’s SBDC. Wampler, regional director of the SBDC location at Kirkwood Community College, is a recipient of the Top 40 Under 40 Young Professionals Award. The award recognizes SBDC staff who demonstrate innovation, leadership […]

Ryan Mulhall will serve as executive director of the Iowa Communications Network, an independent state agency that administers the state’s fiber optic telecommunications network. Mulhall begins his new role on Friday. Mulhall, who was appointed by Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, has worked at ICN since 2016, including serving as its chief information officer since 2021. Previously, […]

Samantha Dahlby, director of K-12 education at NewBoCo, has been selected for the reciprocal exchange component of the Mandela Washington Fellowship for Young African Leaders. As a reciprocal exchange participant, Dahlby will implement a co-designed project with Hasfa Mago of the Read to Learn Foundation in Uganda. Dahlby and Mago met during Mago’s 2023 fellowship visit to Iowa and […]

Repaint Studios, a Mason City-based startup focused on reducing the environmental impact of home improvement with reusable, recyclable and eco-friendly painting supplies, won first place and $40,000 at the 19th annual John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition. The final round of the competition was held on Aug. 22 in Ames, where 10 teams presented pitches […]

America’s Small Business Development Center Iowa has announced that Korey Smith is the new regional director for the Western Iowa Tech SBDC, located at Western Iowa Tech Community College in Sioux City. The Western Iowa Tech SBDC serves entrepreneurs and existing business owners in Cherokee, Crawford, Ida, Monona, Plymouth and Woodbury counties. Smith has a background in […]