The Department of Commerce’s National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA) has approved Iowa’s Initial Proposal for the Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) program. The NTIA allocated over $415 million to fund the buildout of broadband infrastructure to all unserved and underserved locations throughout Iowa. The approval allows Iowa to…
A few weeks ago, innovationIOWA shared that local investors Tej Dhawan and JD Geneser are launching a new statewide venture capital fund targeting early-stage startups. Last summer, Plains Angels created the Plains Angels Investment Fund, which was designed so members of the angel investor could pool funds together to fund startups and diversify…
The fund stems from recent efforts to clarify startup funding needs, says managing partner Two local investors are launching a new statewide venture capital fund designed to bolster Iowa’s early-stage startup funding continuum. Managing Partner Tej Dhawan and General Partner JD Geneser told the Business Record they plan to raise…
The application window is now open for a new round of Rural Innovation Grants. This round of grants, called Boost for Business, will have three different focus areas to support innovation for rural Iowa businesses: rural independent grocery stores, small food producers and second-stage growth companies. The deadline to apply…
InnoVenture Iowa is now accepting applications for its third annual InnoVenture Challenge, a pitch competition that awards $100,000 to one early-stage Iowa startup. The application window closes at 5 p.m. Sept. 30. Judges will select 10 semi-finalists from the pool of applicants, which will then be narrowed to three finalists who…
The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board recently approved awards to five Iowa startups from Iowa’s State Small Business and Credit Initiative Innovation Fund. Awards approved by the IEDA board on Friday were: Genvax Technologies, an animal vaccine company based in Ames, has developed proprietary next-generation RNA and nanoparticle vaccines. Its…
IEDA awards $2.6M to 5 startups, one Entrepreneurial Investment Award grant The Iowa Economic Development Authority awards funding to startups in the form of low-interest loans through its Innovation Continuum, which includes five funds that are designed to offer companies non-dilutive funding at every stage of business growth. The funds are:…
A new national survey from Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Voices released Thursday showed a lack of affordable and accessible child care is a significant barrier to small-business growth. A majority of small-business owners surveyed from 47 U.S. states, including Iowa, reported that there are insufficient affordable child care programs in their…
IEDA also approves five awards to startups A Meta subsidiary’s plan for an $800 million data center project in Davenport will receive a $161 million local property tax exemption through the state’s High Quality Jobs program. The Iowa Economic Development Authority board voted Friday to approve the tax exemption request…
Fund will support software startups in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota The Idea Fund of La Crosse, a venture capital firm based in La Crosse, Wis., has raised $31.5 million for a second venture capital fund targeting pre- and early-stage revenue startups in the three-state region of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. According to…