The work of the Iowa State University Computation + Construction Lab can pop up anywhere. An art piece called Bluestem at the Iowa Arboretum in Madrid pays homage to Iowa’s tallgrass prairies; 80 student-designed, 3D-printed clay vases given to Iowa State donors for President Wendy Wintersteen’s inauguration likely sit scattered…
How Iowa suppliers contributed in the race to build personal protective equipment Early on in 2020, headlines of product shortages began hitting the screens and newstands. Consumers worried about finding diapers, toilet paper and disinfectant spray; organizations employing essential workers were suddenly seeking personal protective equipment for their staff. Chris…
Edtech startups evolve through COVID-19 to reach students, teachers Early in the COVID-19 pandemic, Yen Verhoeven, CEO of the STEM learning startup Qi Learning Group, saw the workload increase overnight for teachers her company supports with professional development training. It was not just that teachers had to redesign their curriculum…
An Iowa neuroscientist steps up to advance progress on treatment for neurological disorders The human brain lives its days in milliseconds. In 1,000 milliseconds — one second — we may blink or feel our heart beat once. In that same second, our brains send one or more signals from each…
Founders who target millennial and rising Gen Z consumers with app services have a design challenge. Apps are competing for engagement and interest against the likes of leisure giants Snapchat, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok — now, upcoming financial and insurance startups are taking a design cue from these platforms to…
A Central Iowa electronic medical record startup finds opportunity among small practices and university education A Central Iowa startup built its business helping speech-language pathologists and audiologists communicate effectively with their patients’ health care insurance providers. Now, ClinicNote’s management of electronic medical records is reaching private practitioners and medical students…
Flint Hills making NextPro protein at Shell Rock ethanol plant A Kansas-based ethanol producer is tapping into the byproducts of the production process at one of its Iowa plants to create a higher-protein ingredient that can be used in livestock feed and pet food. Flint Hills Resources LLC is producing…
Company’s ‘Farm of the Future’ model helps drive innovation If you were to put three or four generations of Americans in a room and ask for a show of hands for whoever milked cows as a farm kid, the oldest hands would surely dominate that contest. As people migrate farther…
How the sudden transition to online learning in 2020 pushed four Iowa school districts to arrange internet access for students in need in a matter of months. “Broadband internet should be widely available like any other utility.” Four Iowa school districts from across the state echoed this declaration after reviewing…
Holmes Murphy a founding co-leader of initiative BrokerTech Ventures is breaking new ground in bringing a more entrepreneurial mindset to the insurance brokerage industry. Conceptualized by Iowa-based insurance brokerage Holmes Murphy in 2019, the technology solutions and innovation initiative rapidly set up its operations and began producing tangible outcomes in…