Several events this spring will focus on helping startups learn what they need to raise capital for their business. The Greater Des Moines Partnership is holding the one-day Raising Capital for Startups event on April 4, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event is designed to help startup founders learn about what options they have when looking […]
Ag Startup Engine, an Ames-based program that offers seed investment and investor connections to early-stage agriculture startups, announced Feb. 21 it has added Indianapolis, Ind.-based Croft to its portfolio companies. According to a news release, Croft has developed an online Agribusiness Workforce Platform to help address challenges around seasonal labor, worker productivity and farm operations optimization. Croft founders Scott […]
Des Moines-based venture capital firm Next Level Ventures (NLV) has announced the promotions of Liz Keehner and Wyatt Powers. Keehner has been promoted to vice president from senior associate. She joined NLV in 2021 and has led investments in several companies, including Tractor Zoom, hummingbirds and iotaMotion. Powers has been promoted to associate from senior […]
InnoVenture Iowa, the first public venture capital fund in Iowa, has added three new companies to its investment portfolio since the second quarter, it has announced. The fund began co-investing in early-stage, Iowa-based startups in bioscience, advanced manufacturing and information technology in 2023. A list of all of InnoVenture Iowa’s investments to date is available here. The […]
Nora Springs-based startup ReEnvision Ag was selected Wednesday evening by a panel of judges as the winner of the 2023 InnoVenture Challenge, a $100,000 pitch competition co-hosted by InnoVenture Iowa and BioConnect Iowa. ReEnvision Ag is creating a new category of planter for farmers called SeedSpike, which extends the planting window, reduces soil compaction and […]
The studio, Novy, will focus on health care software companies Novy, Iowa’s first venture studio, was officially launched this week by its three founding partners, David Tominsky, Krista Martin and Eric Engelmann. Novy will co-found, fund and grow software companies starting in the health care industry, according to a news release. Each company will receive […]
West Des Moines-based PE firm marking third fund, 10 years in business Midwest Growth Partners, a private equity fund manager based in West Des Moines, is about six months into deploying its latest investment fund, which is the firm’s third fund since opening for business in 2013. At the close of fundraising for Fund 3, MGP announced that it exceeded […]
“It’s been about a year since I’ve been capturing the Startup Iowa Hotlist showing those actively raising companies and just companies to watch, and that subscriber list has grown. Maybe 30% of the list is out-of-state subscribers. For instance, Idea Fund just came to Des Moines. It’s based in La Crosse, Wis., and they’re now actively […]
Plus, meet the startups pitching in Best of the Midwest showcase Supporting active and aspiring Iowa angel investors and continuing to build the state’s connections and presence with risk capital stakeholders across the Midwest is the goal behind the second annual Iowa Angel Investors Summit, a one-day event scheduled for Nov. 14 in Des Moines. The […]
InnoVenture Iowa has announced the 10 semi-finalists for the InnoVenture Challenge, a $100,000 pitch competition hosted by InnoVenture Iowa and BioConnect Iowa. Three finalists will be announced on Nov. 15 ahead of the event on Dec. 6, where each company will give a live pitch to a panel of judges and be considered for the […]