The growth of Iowa-based Sukup Manufacturing Co. has always been tied to farmers and the land, and ever-increasing crop yields over the past couple of decades have fueled rising demand for grain handling and storage products. That need — and the imperative for innovation — has driven the growth of…
Manufacturers ranging from recreational vehicle makers to distilleries and injection-mold companies — as well as companies outside the manufacturing industry — rapidly shifted their organizations’ talents toward producing critically needed personal protective equipment for front-line health care workers in their communities across Iowa. Among the largest manufacturers that jumped into…
At Drake University, associate professor Alanah Mitchell saw students with an interest in artificial intelligence combining a computer science major with classes in philosophy. At the tech education nonprofit Pi515, founder Nancy Mwirotsi saw a chance for her students, who come mostly from immigrant or low-income households, to dip their…
Weld, executive director of the Governor’s STEM Advisory Council, has been a driving force behind developing a successful and thriving science, technology, engineering and math program in Iowa. Through his leadership and guidance, STEM has emerged from the depths of obscurity in Iowa to play a prominent role in Iowa’s…
Sharon Jaeschke knows that the more students are exposed to science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the more likely they are to pursue a STEM-related career. This can be a challenge in rural communities where there are fewer major industries represented. But if Jaeschke, a math teacher and robotics coach at…
James Gruening is the co-founder and senior vice president of Mechdyne Corp., a virtual reality and technology company. Based in Marshalltown, Mechdyne was founded in 1996 by Gruening, Chris Clover and Kurt Hoffmeister, who had all recently graduated from Iowa State University. Mechdyne’s very first project focused on creating a…
In Altoona, one of the widest-reaching corporations in daily life relies on a team of about 400 to keep basic functions of the Facebook social media empire running. “Anywhere in the world that you are that you wish to engage and connect with family and friends, this is where it…
Gene editing technology has an untapped potential to influence the agricultural industry — from drought and insect resistance to nutrient supplementation and a range of other benefits, the tools unlock potential that many academics, businesses and consumers are only beginning to understand. The Business Record met with Carmen Bain, rural…
For this year’s innovationIOWA magazine, we too are fittingly pivoting from our normal in-person unveiling party to a virtual interactive event aimed to help you and your organization learn from others who have been reactively innovating in the face of new challenges and needs. Join our virtual gathering on May…
EMC Insurance Cos. and Iowa State professor Lisa Schulte Moore are winners of the innovationIOWA awards, the Business Record announced today. EMC is the recipient of the Corteva Agriscience innovationLEADER Award for its efforts to take a company value of innovation to the next level. Lisa Schulte Moore — professor…