The 10th annual Iowa Rural Summit, scheduled for April 9-10 in Dubuque, is now open for registration. The Rural Summit celebrates rural innovation, best practices and case studies. Keynote speakers will include Dr. Jeffrey Stamp, inventor of Baked Lays. He is a professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Minnesota…
The Iowa Center for Economic Success will expand investment in outreach and services for rural and micropolitan communities with a $250,000 grant from JPMorganChase. Outreach will focus on the micropolitan areas of Carroll, Fort Dodge, Marshalltown, Grinnell and Oskaloosa, as well as the surrounding rural communities. “The Iowa Center team…
Pi515, a nonprofit teaching technology skills to underserved youth, is set to receive a $50,000 contribution from Google to expand its youth-led AI education initiatives. The funding will support two programs: the AI Navigator Fellowship and the Educator Learning Cohort, positioning students and teachers as leaders in responsible AI integration….
The Technology Association of Iowa has announced its 2026 state and federal principles and policy priorities ahead of the upcoming Iowa legislative session. Developed in partnership with TAI’s Public Policy Committee, these priorities will guide the association’s policy efforts in the year ahead. “We are excited to advance policies that…
The West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce has opened registration for the sixth annual Athene Beyond Boundaries Business Summit, presented by Chase Bank. The 2026 event will feature Coach Ken Carter and Reggie Love as the keynote speakers. Carter is a businessman, author and high school basketball coach best known…
The Iowa Rural Development Council has selected five projects for small business development grants, ranging from an Eastern Iowa community of 1,100 to a Northwest Iowa three-county region. In its second cohort, the Rural Business Initiative will provide grants of at least $30,000 to the recipients, who can use the…
The Des Moines City Council recently reauthorized the Small Business Impact Loan Program, which aims to help local entrepreneurs start, grow and strengthen their businesses. Launched last year, the program is designed to fill a financing gap for small business owners who may not qualify for traditional bank loans but…
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 Technology Association of Iowa recently hosted its latest TechBrew event at West End Salvage with guest Iowa Lt. Gov. Chris Cournoyer. The event was moderated by Tyler Wyngarden, vice president of strategic partnerships. Cournoyer has experience in the technology sector and artificial intelligence, according to her bio. She worked…
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…