The Iowa Rural Development Council, a statewide nonprofit focused on small-town and rural vitality, awarded the 2025 Rand Fisher Rural Leadership Awards at its recent Iowa Rural Summit. The summit brought together leaders from small towns across Iowa. The awards recognize nominees in rural economic and community development, philanthropy, the arts and utilities. Honorees are nominated […]
Clayton Farms, an urban farming company, is partnering with Ames High School to bring urban farming curriculum and technology to the classroom. In a new course offered at Ames High School, students will learn about “sustainable food systems, supply chain, and everything that goes into urban farming,” said Clayton Mooney, co-founder and chief farmer of […]
The North Iowa Area Community College John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center is accepting applications for the 2025 Youth Entrepreneurial Academy, a weeklong summer camp held on the NIACC campus. The academy will take place June 16-20. A concluding pitch competition will be held on June 23, where students will present their business ideas for a chance […]
The American Farm Bureau Federation, in partnership with Farm Credit, is seeking entrepreneurs to apply online by June 9 for the 2026 Farm Bureau Ag Innovation Challenge. Now in its 12th year, this national business competition showcases U.S. startup companies developing innovative solutions to challenges faced by America’s farmers, ranchers and rural communities. The overall winner […]
The 2025 John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition application portal is now open. The 20th annual statewide competition will award $100,000 in cash prizes to Iowa startups and entrepreneurial ventures. The $100,000 in seed funding includes a $50,000 contribution from the late John Pappajohn, matched by $50,000 from the Iowa Economic Development Authority. The goal […]
Applications are now open for Iowa Tech Connect, a professional development program designed for early-career technologists looking to accelerate their growth and deepen their engagement in Iowa’s tech ecosystem. The program, put on by the Technology Association of Iowa, is tailored for professionals in their first two to eight years and builds leadership and interpersonal […]
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce has announced seven finalists for the 2025 pitch competition at the fifth annual Athene Black & Brown Business Summit. Seven finalists were chosen from over 400 applicants from across the world. These finalists will each present a five-minute pitch to the judges. An additional competitor will be randomly […]
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce has announced Rachelle Long, founder and executive director of Taste of the Junction, as the recipient of the 2025 Mel Essex Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The award recognizes community members who have made an impact by fostering and supporting small business success and inspiring others. Long will […]
The Greater Des Moines Partnership will host a Raising Capital for Startups Seminar on May 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Partnership’s office in downtown Des Moines. The seminar will include topics such as the process of raising capital, the financial model, capitalization tables, pitching investors and term sheets. The Partnership will […]
Innovative Captive Strategies, a subsidiary of Holmes Murphy providing insurance consulting and management, has announced a strategic partnership with Innovative Program Solutions, a full-service managing general agent. The partnership includes the launch of CaptiveXS, an umbrella excess insurance product designed for ICS captive clients. According to a news release, CaptiveXS was developed in response to […]