Iowa’s innovation ecosystem had another busy year that made for plenty of news to report and stories to tell across the state. Some highlights from the year include the announcement of a new $6 million early-stage VC fund, Iowa City-based Merge Coworking renovating and expanding services and the launch of the Quad Cities Manufacturing…
Repaint Studios, a Hampton-based startup, won the $100,000 cash prize at the third annual InnoVenture Challenge on Dec. 5 at the Loft DSM in Des Moines. Repaint Studios founder and CEO Billie Asmus invented the Repaint Tray, a reusable and resealable paint tray with the goal of reducing the environmental…
In a recent interview about the third annual My City My Health conference in Des Moines, an event dedicated to discussing local health equity needs and building community connections, co-founders Corey Dion Lewis and Larry Twitty Jr. shared about how their efforts reflect the entrepreneurial spirit. Dion Lewis: 100%. We saw a problem…
Investor interest in the startup’s recent growth spurred its third funding round, says co-founder Charise Flynn Des Moines-based startup Hummingbirds announced Wednesday it has raised $5.4 million in new venture capital funding for a total of $10 million raised since its first fundraising round last year. Hummingbirds’ platform aims to…
Linda Tong, founder of Linda Tong Planners, was a panelist at the Business Record’s recent Power Breakfast on thriving in a multigenerational workforce and shared her perspective as a member of Gen Z and an entrepreneur. She was asked: A lot of members of Generation Z are opting to start…
Plus, meet the fund’s first Iowa portfolio company Wisconsin-based venture capital firm Idea Fund of La Crosse recently made its first investment in an Iowa startup since announcing a new fund in May that would reach more Midwest states. The $31.5 million fund is targeting startups in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin that…
Editor’s note: IdRamp is the first Iowa company to receive investment from Idea Fund of La Crosse, a Wisconsin-based venture capital firm. The firm announced a new fund this spring that would expand its geography to Iowa. Read more about the new fund and Idea Fund in this story. While Mike…
5 startups receive more than $1.5 million in loans from SSBCI program The Iowa Economic Development Authority awards funding to startups in the form of low-interest loans through its Innovation Continuum, which includes five funds that are designed to offer companies non-dilutive funding at every stage of business growth. The funds…
Gravitate Coworking is opening a second coworking space in Windsor Heights, the company announced last week. The new location, called Gravitate Windsor Heights, is located at 6611 University Ave., Suite 200. Gravitate Midtown, the current location in Windsor Heights located across the intersection of University Avenue and 66th Street, will…
ABI conference shares top cybersecurity needs on the horizon Before an organization can use technology as an asset to support innovation, it should have a foundation of cybersecurity protections and defenses in place to help prevent a breach of company data. This was one key of the message shared during the Iowa…