Jessica Hyland, executive director of the Iowa Biotechnology Association, or IowaBio, recently sat down with me to share about the association’s priorities and its new STEM committee and future leaders fund and what’s new in the biotech industry. Below, she answers our innovationIOWA Leader Q&A. What does innovation mean to you?I would define innovation as game-changing. […]

Mazen, an animal health company developing oral vaccines administered through animal feed, announced the closing of its Series A funding round, in which it raised $11.2 million. According to a release, Mazen’s technology eliminates issues associated with injectable vaccines like higher costs and the need for labor. “Our investors are seeing the tremendous potential of the technology […]

OpenLoop, a Des Moines-based provider of white label telehealth services, announced Tuesday its physicians are covered by more than 90% of nationwide insurance payers. “OpenLoop’s in-network clinicians can now serve patients covered by over 600 payers including Medicare, Medicaid and every major private insurer,” CEO and co-founder Dr. Jon Lensing said in a release. According […]

Global ingredient manufacturer Kemin Industries announced Wednesday it has recently launched KeminConnect, a cloud-based data management platform that connects Kemin’s liquid application systems with its internet of things (IoT) tool. According to a release, the platform is leading the company’s digitization efforts in its services for its animal nutrition and health, rendering and pet food markets. It “improves […]

Heartland Forward, a nonprofit Arkansas-based think tank that looks at technology, entrepreneurship and economic development in states in and around the Midwest, has published a report evaluating research universities nationwide and which ones are “most proficient at creating new knowledge; embedding it in their STEM graduates; and transferring both to new and existing enterprises.” The […]

Superstorm Restoration prepares for nationwide launch of end-to-end platform for contractors Comparing storm pictures and damage with neighbors and co-workers after weather strikes is a frequent occurrence among Iowans, but sometimes Iowa’s weather events demand more intervention. Iowa-based roofing and exteriors contractor Superstorm Restoration has been making strides with technologies to simplify the evaluation and repair process for […]

President Joe Biden announced Monday the commitment of 20 internet service providers to provide discounted internet to low-income households under the Affordable Connectivity Program, which passed as part of the infrastructure package, the Associated Press reported. The program creates $30 monthly subsidies for low-income households and $75 per month for tribal areas to pay for internet […]

Ahraz Husain has been appointed vice president of data at Growers Edge, the agriculture financial technology company announced Monday. Husain most recently led a team of data product managers and data and analytics engineers at Corteva Agriscience. He started at Corteva in 2016 focusing on the company’s digital solutions platform before moving over to research and […]