Introducing the Central IA Entrepreneurship Coalition For the last two years, a group of 12 stakeholders from Des Moines and Ames participated in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Regional Entrepreneurship Acceleration Program, also known as MIT REAP. MIT REAP is a global initiative that uses frameworks designed by the university to help regions assess the […]
Before entrepreneurs turn their focus to building a business with economic impact, many start with an idea sparked by a passion for a cause or industry. It’s often a driving factor for the innovation and growth their companies can achieve. With so many different influences inspiring entrepreneurs, it’s important to understand what drives people and […]
The Innovation in Action story format aims to demonstrate that developing, implementing and executing innovative ideas is a process — and not typically a linear one. These stories seek to highlight that throughout the ups and downs of innovation, each move is a lesson for the organization. Kreg Tool Co. was born out of an […]
Founder Geoff Wood recounts Gravitate’s journey, early days of Des Moines startup ecosystem To build a startup ecosystem, young companies and founders need infrastructure that allows them to start building and connects them with resources. Geoff Wood, who describes himself as an implementer, was poised to put structural pieces into place from the time he […]
Angel investors are individuals who provide seed capital to new businesses or startups, usually in exchange for convertible debt or ownership equity. They are often one of the first sources of funding that founders seek out when starting their companies. The requirements to qualify as an accredited investor, according to the U.S. Securities and Exchange […]
Entrepreneurship takes many forms, but there is a growing recognition of an entrepreneurial mindset that students and professionals alike can develop to think more innovatively, whatever their career. As president of Iowa State University since 2017, Wendy Wintersteen has strived to instill a campuswide entrepreneurial mindset and cultivate a culture where everyone — students, faculty […]
Pictured above, Members of the On With Life team at its Ankeny campus. Pictured from left: Sam Williams, director of nursing; Emily Theisen, occupational therapist; CEO Jean Shelton; Pat Stilwill, executive director of programs and services; Lindsay Maltas, physical therapist; and Megan Ihrke, speech language pathologist/team lead. Photo by Duane Tinkey The Business Record’s 2024 […]
IEDA awards $2.6M to 5 startups, one Entrepreneurial Investment Award grant 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 are: Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR), […]
Pi515 AI Challenge opens door for exploration of new AI tools Pi515’s AI Challenge was an event four years in the making for founder and executive director Nancy Mwirotsi. With the rapid development of new artificial intelligence tools, she wanted to make it easy for high school and college students to learn about the variety […]
Anne McMahon, who has served as BioConnect Iowa’s SBIR and STTR program coordinator since 2017, announced on LinkedIn that she has started a new role as business development manager at the Iowa Economic Development Authority. Two recent college graduates have joined Midwest venture studio Novy to work in market research and customer discovery, according to LinkedIn. Stephanie McClelland graduated from Iowa […]