In 2014, the Global Insurance Accelerator was a first for Iowa in many ways, including how it brought together seven local insurance companies to partner and invest in an accelerator dedicated to advancing innovative ideas for the insurance industry. Those founding investors were Principal Financial Group, Delta Dental of Iowa, FBL Financial Group, IMT Insurance, […]
The Iowa State University Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, Small Business Development Center, and the Ames Chamber of Commerce will host the fall Smart Start Workshop, a comprehensive workshop focused on the essentials of starting a business. The workshop is a community-wide event open to existing business owners as well as anyone interested in or considering […]
Finding the resources to start a business is one of the first tasks new entrepreneurs will always need to navigate, and a new tool from the Greater Des Moines Partnership is aiming to provide an “easier on-ramp” to the existing pathways and resources. The Resource Compass is an online platform of entrepreneurial resources available from nonprofits or […]
Hank Harris, co-founder of Genvax Technologies, and professor emeritus at Iowa State University, is the 2023 recipient of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization’s (BIO) George Washington Carver Award for Leadership in Agriculture and Environmental Biotechnology. The George Washington Carver Award recognizes individuals who have advanced biotech innovation to make supply chains greener and have worked successfully […]
The ISU Startup Factory has named local entrepreneur Andrew Kirpalani as the newest entrepreneur-in-residence for the incubator program. Kirpalani will serve as a member of the teaching team to facilitate industry connections and provide mentorship for cohort members. Kirpalani’s background includes more than 15 years of entrepreneurial experience. An alumnus of Iowa State, he began working for […]
Bunker Labs Des Moines, a nonprofit supporting veterans and military spouses starting their own businesses, is looking for a new volunteer entrepreneur ambassador. According to the Bunker Labs website, the Entrepreneur Ambassador program includes a 12-month training for individuals who are already established leaders in their community and well-positioned to build their local business ecosystem. Ambassadors […]
Grace CEO Drew Allen shares plans for Quad Cities location A passion for entrepreneurship in Iowa shared by two industrial technology leaders — Drew Allen in Eastern Iowa and Hank Norem in Central Iowa — formed a bond that kindled the idea of a new Maple Studios location. The new branch of the startup studio, a […]
Entrepreneurs’ Organization Iowa (EO Iowa), the Iowa chapter of a global peer-to-peer network of over 18,000 business owners, is inviting business owners and entrepreneurs to its first “A Taste of EO Iowa” event for prospective EO members on Sept. 21. According to a news release, EO Iowa exists to support entrepreneurs to achieve their full […]
Denim Social, a software provider helping elevate how financial and insurance professionals connect and sell on social media, has been acquired by Capacity, a platform that automates customer support tasks. Based in St. Louis, Denim Social was formed in April 2020 with the merger of St. Louis startup Gremlin Social and Des Moines-based Denim. With Denim Social integrated […]
Iowa State University’s Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and the Start Something College of Agriculture and Life Sciences program will host the seventh annual ISU Innovation Prize. The Innovation Prize is a weekend-long competition for Iowa State students, faculty, staff as well as the local entrepreneurial community. Participants will work in small teams to develop innovative […]