Basi Affia, founder of the Des Moines-based comic book production company Sensi’il Studios, took second place in the 2025 Athene Black & Brown Business Summit Pitch Competition, held in West Des Moines April 16-17. “It’s an honor to be on stage with so many high-caliber business owners and people who are doing so many cool […]
The NIACC John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center hosted the second annual Iowa Student Entrepreneurship Summit on April 11-12 in Mason City and Clear Lake. The event brought together business majors and student entrepreneurs from Iowa’s community colleges, private colleges and the University of Northern Iowa. The Student Entrepreneurship Summit included a student pitch competition followed by […]
The Iowa Rural Development Council, a statewide nonprofit focused on small-town and rural vitality, awarded the 2025 Rand Fisher Rural Leadership Awards at its recent Iowa Rural Summit. The summit brought together leaders from small towns across Iowa. The awards recognize nominees in rural economic and community development, philanthropy, the arts and utilities. Honorees are nominated […]
Editor’s note: This is the third of three features profiling winners of the 2024 Prometheus Awards and going behind the scenes of how the winners are selected. Read Part 1 and Part 2. At the 2024 Prometheus Awards, the Technology Association of Iowa debuted seven new award categories, a move the industry association said was in response to marked […]
Applications are now open for Iowa Tech Connect, a professional development program designed for early-career technologists looking to accelerate their growth and deepen their engagement in Iowa’s tech ecosystem. The program, put on by the Technology Association of Iowa, is tailored for professionals in their first two to eight years and builds leadership and interpersonal […]
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce has announced seven finalists for the 2025 pitch competition at the fifth annual Athene Black & Brown Business Summit. Seven finalists were chosen from over 400 applicants from across the world. These finalists will each present a five-minute pitch to the judges. An additional competitor will be randomly […]
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce has announced Rachelle Long, founder and executive director of Taste of the Junction, as the recipient of the 2025 Mel Essex Entrepreneur of the Year Award. The award recognizes community members who have made an impact by fostering and supporting small business success and inspiring others. Long will […]
The Greater Des Moines Partnership will host a Raising Capital for Startups Seminar on May 1 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Partnership’s office in downtown Des Moines. The seminar will include topics such as the process of raising capital, the financial model, capitalization tables, pitching investors and term sheets. The Partnership will […]
Women-accredited investors are invited to join FIN Capital Investor Association to learn about angel investing and how to become an aspiring changemaker in the startup community. The event is at 8:30 a.m. on April 10 at the State Historical Building. To reserve a spot, go to eventbrite.
Polk County, in association with the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund, is launching a new initiative where it will connect small business owners to free financial counseling. The Small Business Boost Initiative was created after the CFE Fund, along with funding from the Principal Foundation, awarded Polk County a $90,000 grant. The grant supports new […]