Funding recap: IEDA awards $1.6 million to startups in first quarter of 2024

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…

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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…

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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….

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Funding recap: IEDA awards tax benefits, $350K in Innovation Continuum loans in Q4

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: Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR), Demonstration Fund and the Innovation Acceleration Fund,…

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3 Iowa CIOs discuss business, policy implications of AI at TAI forum

Four people, two men and two women, seated on a stage against a white wall

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…

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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…

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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…

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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…

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Funding recap: IEDA awards $2.7M to 10 Iowa startups in Q3

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: Proof of Commercial Relevance (POCR), Demonstration Fund and the Innovation Acceleration Fund,…

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