A lot of people encouraged Billie Asmus, founder and CEO of Repaint Studios, which sells reusable paint trays, to apply to ABC’s hit show Shark Tank. Her thought? What’s the worst that could happen? She wouldn’t make it. That’s not that bad. Well, she not only made it on the…
BrokerTech Ventures, a platform and accelerator program focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker, carrier and wholesale community, announced it will open applications for its 2026 Accelerator cohort on Friday, inviting insurtech companies to apply for the chance to pilot and test their solutions across the BTV network. Since…
Dream City, an Iowa City-based nonprofit that offers leadership programs and opportunities for youths, families and entrepreneurs, started as a response to young boys who were growing up without fathers and needed a safe space. Frederick Newell, executive director of Dream City in Iowa City, had his first child at…
The World Food Prize Foundation announced the winners of the inaugural Innovate for Impact Challenge on Oct. 22 during the foundation’s annual Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. The three winners are: First place ($50,000): APOLO Biotech, Argentina | RNA technology. APOLO Biotech addresses the challenges of climate change impact on…
Futurist Mike Bechtel visited Des Moines Tuesday to speak at an event hosted by Holmes Murphy and Bankers Trust Co. Bechtel recently left his role as chief futurist for the business consulting firm Deloitte. He held it since 2019. At Deloitte, he and his team worked to make sense of…
Mindr, an Urbandale-based company that offers safety technology in substance detection and monitoring, announced the launch of its latest innovation, Keepr Drive, an advanced accountability and measurement platform designed to promote safe driving and responsible decision-making among drivers, including teens. Keepr Drive integrates the Keepr pocket-sized breathalyzer, which measures a…
America’s Cultivation Corridor, which develops and markets Iowa’s agricultural and bioscience economy, recently hosted a virtual roundtable with three Iowa-based agricultural startups called Startup Success Stories. The panel featured three speakers: The panel was moderated by Billi Hunt, executive director of America’s Cultivation Corridor. The following are four takeaways from the…
Registration for the 2026 Global Insurance Symposium is now open. The event will be April 14-15, 2026, at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. The event aims to bring together industry professionals, company executives, entrepreneurs, government representatives and innovators. This year’s theme is “Insurance in an ERA of Possibilities,” which…
The Wells Fargo Foundation has awarded a $250,000 grant to the Iowa Rural Development Council to continue its support for businesses, startups and entrepreneurs through its Rural Business Initiative program. The Rural Business Initiative, which started as a pilot program in 2024, will provide grants of at least $30,000 to community organizations…
AgCulture Marketing is hosting She Creates: Rural, a one-day conference for rural women entrepreneurs as well as service providers. The conference is for rural women at every stage of business, whether they are running a Main Street storefront, growing a side hustle, building a service-based enterprise or preparing to take the leap into full-time…