The Iowa Democratic Party is taking public comments after proposing a new caucus plan that would offer virtual caucuses for registered Democrats, starting during the 2020 Iowa caucuses. The proposal, outlined in the 2020 Iowa Delegate Selection Plan, would allow registered Democrats to participate in one of six virtual caucuses “by phone or smart device,” […]

More than 150 of Iowa’s middle school students have a solution to stabilize city power grids in the event of a national disaster. Forty-two teams representing 16 Iowa schools and organizations presented their plans at the Future City Iowa Regional Competition at Prairie Point Middle School in Cedar Rapids on Jan. 26, NewBoCo announced this […]

In 2013, the Business Record launched innovationIOWA Magazine, an annual publication with a mission to spotlight innovative companies and technological achievements across the state. One year ago this week, our newsroom launched the innovationIOWA e-newsletter, updating our delivery from annually to weekly – right to your inbox. The mission remains the same: we seek out […]

Ruan, a Des Moines-based transportation company, has joined the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), the company announced Tuesday. BiTA claims to be the largest commercial blockchain alliance in the world, with nearly 500 members in more than 25 countries. Blockchain technology enables transactions to be identified and tracked digitally, and shared across a distributed network […]

Is Amazon entering health records? Will Apple offer more advanced health monitoring? Can Uber solve transportation for seniors and patients? What is Alphabet doing in health research? The Verge rounded up some of the more interesting partnerships over 2018 by tech companies and the healthcare industry.IN OTHER NEWS: A joint tech venture by agrigiants ADM and Cargill worries […]

Applications for $1.3 million in broadband grants will soon be available through Iowa’s Office of the Chief Information Officer, Gov. Kim Reynolds announced on Friday. The grant program allows communication service providers, including telecommunication companies and municipalities, to apply for up to 15 percent of their broadband project costs in targeted service areas to improve […]

Wireless communications company Electronic Engineering announced a donation of $20,000 in communications equipment and a work-study/tuition assistance program for students at Des Moines Area Community College with interest in electronic engineering, radio communications and robotics specializations. The work-study program will provide on-the-job experience for students with compensation for work, and funding assistance toward their education […]

Craig Ibsen, managing principal at Next Level Ventures, and Stephanie Atkin, vice president of marketing at Dwolla, at Thursday’s Power Breakfast: Innovation Acceleration. Des Moines talks a big game about Iowa being an innovation state, but at Thursday morning’s Business Record Power Breakfast, one audience member wondered: is this true in rural communities? Fair question, […]

Slow speeds, bad coverage and expensive service. These are just some of the concerns contained in nearly 300 public comments on Rural Broadband Pilot Program proposed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a review by the Midwest Center for Investigative Reporting found. Little has been done on the program since President Donald Trump’s January 2017 […]