The World Food Prize has named 40 scientists, policymakers, community builders and innovators transforming food systems across the world the 2026 Top Agri-food Pioneers. Now in its third year, the list honors individuals driving bold and innovative solutions to the most pressing challenges in global food security, a news release…
Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig announced that 11 Iowa dairy farms and businesses have been awarded Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grants. The announcement was made during a Dairy Month visit to Gav-n-view Farm near Lansing, one of this year’s grant recipients. The Choose Iowa Dairy Innovation Grant Program, administered…
The Great Outdoors Foundation has announced the launch of Convergence: The Conservation Ag Accelerator, a pitch competition designed to advance innovative solutions at the intersection of agriculture and conservation. Convergence is part of the Athene Watershed26 conference, taking place June 30–July 1. Convergence aims to bring together entrepreneurs, farmers and…
America’s Cultivation Corridor announced that David Cook, president of Iowa State University, was elected to its board of directors, effective April 13. Cook will also serve as secretary of the board, joining the slate of board officers for the 2026-27 leadership term. “At the heart of Iowa’s agricultural strength are…
The Iowa State University Research Park and the Crop Science division of Bayer have announced the opening of the Seed Production Innovation (SPI) Innovation Center on the research park campus. According to a news release, the innovation space will host producer education, innovation workshops and foster collaboration with partners, with…
BioConnect Iowa and the Iowa Biotechnology Association have announced that they have reached an agreement to share leadership through a joint service arrangement. Through the agreement, Jessica Hyland, who has served as executive director of IowaBio since 2019, will now also lead BioConnect, the state’s public-private partnership for economic development…
The Iowa Biotechnology Association recognized Brent Shanks, Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering and Jean Steffenson Faculty Chair in Chemical and Biological Engineering at Iowa State University, as the recipient of the 2026 Biotech Leader Award. The award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated exceptional leadership within their organization and…
Ag Startup Engine, an early-stage venture firm focused on technologies across the agriculture and food value chain, has closed its third fund, a $7 million seed fund. The fund builds on Ag Startup Engine’s mission of bridging the gap between innovation and real-world agricultural adoption, the firm said in a…
Radicle Growth, a food- and ag-focused venture capital firm, announced the launch of the Radicle Corn Challenge sponsored by US Corn Farmers, a global call for startups developing technologies that create new, durable demand for corn through innovative products, materials and value chains. The challenge will invest a total of…
America’s Cultivation Corridor recently hosted a webinar on advances in renewable fuels innovation, moderated by Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig. Naig said that the state of Iowa is a leader in the production of both ethanol and biodiesel, as well as a leader in developing the feedstocks for those…
As part of a refresh of the Business Record’s Innovation Iowa brand, we have created a new landing page on the Business Record website to house all Innovation Iowa coverage and more stories from the Business Record covering innovation and technology.
Visit www.businessrecord.com/innovation-iowa to view all Innovation Iowa stories, including the 2026 Innovation Iowa Magazine, out now.
-Sarah Diehn, Business Record Editor