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 nondilutive funding at every stage of business growth. The funds are: Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR), Demonstration Fund and the Innovation Acceleration Fund, which offers Launch, Propel and Innovation Expansion awards. These financing options are geared toward companies operating in the fields
Policy & Funding
May 2, 2024
State fiber optic network enters new partnership with Zoom
The Iowa Communications Network (ICN), a statewide fiber optic network that provides telecommunications services to education, government, health care and public safety entities, has partnered with Zoom to deliver cloud communications services to authorized users across Iowa. According to a news release, Zoom’s cloud-based communication platform will provide ICN’s fiber optic network with solutions for voice and communication needs. Zoom’s AI-powered collaboration platform Zoom Workplace will be available to ICN users. The platform
April 11, 2024
Guest opinion: The empty promise of march-in rights
Submitted by Heidi Sease Nebel, partner and patent attorney, McKee, Voorhees and Sease The concept of “march-in” rights, the federal government “marching in” to take back its intellectual property (IP) ownership of drugs made from federally funded research, and then presumably licensing the same to all comers, has an initial appeal. More players must mean lower prices, right? The reality, however, is that the Bayh-Dole Act, under which such march-in rights
February 29, 2024
Four projects receive USDA Rural Business Development grants
The U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Development is awarding Rural Business Development grants to four organizations across Iowa as part of a more than $29 million round of grants announced Feb. 20. The organizations that received business development grants are:
February 8, 2024
3 Iowa CIOs discuss business, policy implications of AI at TAI forum
Artificial intelligence is seen as a copilot and tool to help employees be more efficient, a panel of chief information officers said at the Technology Association of Iowa’s AI Public Policy Forum on Jan. 24. All three panelists — Kathy Kay of Principal Financial Group, Ryan Schaap of Wells Enterprise and Laura Smith of UnityPoint Health — emphasized the need to keep a “human in the middle” in the areas
January 18, 2024
Public comment period open on Iowa’s Digital Equity Plan
The Department of Management Division of Information Technology, formerly the Office of the Chief Information Officer, is requesting public comment on the state of Iowa Digital Equity Plan. The plan details Iowa’s proposed implementation of digital equity funding made possible through the Digital Equity Act of 2021, which is funded by the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act, also known as the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. It outlines the results of research
January 18, 2024
One Quick Quote: Thoughts from the Business Record’s 2024 Legislative Forecast
The Business Record recently hosted its 2024 Legislative Forecast event where business leaders discussed their group’s priorities for the 2024 session, which began Jan. 8. Mollie Ross, Technology Association of Iowa’s vice president of operations, was among the panelists. Here is some of what she shared about how TAI will navigate conversations around cybersecurity and artificial intelligence at the Capitol this session. “In cybersecurity, we’re going to continue to talk
January 11, 2024
Empower Rural Iowa updates mission to focus on innovative, scalable projects for rural Iowa
Empower Rural Iowa, an initiative under the Iowa Economic Development Authority created to advance growth and investment in rural Iowa, has adopted a new strategic focus centered on finding innovative ideas with potential to scale statewide. A new executive order signed by Gov. Kim Reynolds in October updated Empower Rural Iowa’s mission to be a group that “functions as a startup incubator for innovative rural policy.” Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg, who co-chairs Empower
