Dave Tucker, partner at venture capital firm Next Level Ventures, was recently the featured guest at the Technology Association of Iowa’s Tech Brew event. Tyler Wyngarden, TAI’s vice president of strategic partnerships, interviewed him about how Next Level Ventures chooses portfolio companies, what technologies investment dollars are flowing to and…
About 10 years ago, Kaylee Williams was walking in the Austin airport when she saw a banner advertising the HBO television show “Silicon Valley,” a comedy series parodying the tech industry culture in the Santa Clara Valley. The poster featured five men wearing black turtlenecks. She posted a photo to…
Ag-tech fund raising new $10 million fund to provide scaling capital Ag Startup Engine, a fund for ag-tech startups, made six investments in new companies in 2024, bringing the fund’s total portfolio companies to 40, according to its latest annual report. The report also shows Ag Startup Engine made three investments…
Keehner promoted to principal, will manage new fund Next Level Ventures (NLV) is raising capital for a new fund that will be dedicated to investing in Iowa startups, the Des Moines-based venture capital firm told the Business Record. Next Level Ventures Fund 3 will be NLV’s fifth venture fund and…
The Iowa Biotechnology Association has announced that the Ag Startup Engine will offer a $25,000 investment to one company that pitches during IowaBio’s 2025 Iowa Biotech Showcase and Conference (IBSC) Showcase Competition. A panel of judges will select a winner of the showcase to receive $10,000, and Ag Startup Engine…
Over 120 participants from Iowa and neighboring states attended the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Iowa Angel Investor Summit at Landus’ downtown location on Tuesday. Now in its third year, the one-day summit was an opportunity for active and aspiring angel investors to come together to help accelerate entrepreneurship in Iowa. …
Investor interest in the startup’s recent growth spurred its third funding round, says co-founder Charise Flynn Des Moines-based startup Hummingbirds announced Wednesday it has raised $5.4 million in new venture capital funding for a total of $10 million raised since its first fundraising round last year. Hummingbirds’ platform aims to…
Plus, meet the fund’s first Iowa portfolio company Wisconsin-based venture capital firm Idea Fund of La Crosse recently made its first investment in an Iowa startup since announcing a new fund in May that would reach more Midwest states. The $31.5 million fund is targeting startups in Iowa, Minnesota and Wisconsin that…
5 startups receive more than $1.5 million in loans from SSBCI program 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…
The third annual Iowa Angel Investor Summit for active and aspiring angel investors is on Nov. 19 at the Landus Des Moines location. In addition to sessions on covering topics around investing in new startups in exchange for ownership equity, the summit will hold the Best of the Midwest pitch…