The Iowa Economic Development Authority board has approved funding for four startups. Ames-basedBitCorn Technologies Inc. is developing a new system to help agricultural producers and businesses complete transactions faster and more efficiently. The company’s technology is designed to improve how financial transactions are settled while continuing to work with existing…
Greg Lagan Vice president of sales delivery, Paragon IT Professionals Age: 36 Education: Bachelor of Arts in interdepartmental health science, University of Iowa; minor in chemistry Wife: Kaitie Lagan Children: Charlie, Harper and Palmer What are you still working on to improve as a leader? Being a leader requires constant…
Catherine Tran has stepped down as executive director of Immigrant Entrepreneurs Summit to accept a new opportunity. Her last day was May 8. Tran was the organization’s first executive director and oversaw much of its expansion beyond the national event in Iowa. Justin Hollinrake started as the new executive director…
SmartphonesPLUS, a Hiawatha-based electronics resale business, in partnership with An Enduring Legacy, a Mount Vernon-based business that works with individuals and corporations to design and implement philanthropic initiatives, has announced the launch of Tech for Good, a new initiative designed to transform used electronics into funding for nonprofit organizations. The…
Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield has been named a 2026 Foundry CIO 100 award winner. For more than 40 years, the CIO 100 Awards have recognized innovative organizations that exemplify the highest level of strategic and operational excellence in IT, according to a press release. Wellmark was recognized for…
Tucked in the middle of the Sherman Hill neighborhood in Des Moines is a community kitchen that is nurturing a cadre of food entrepreneurs. The 1,000-square-foot kitchen is located in the Robert Mickle Center, a former nursing home turned community center that has office space for nonprofits and small businesses….
America’s Cultivation Corridor announced that David Cook, president of Iowa State University, was elected to its board of directors, effective April 13. Cook will also serve as secretary of the board, joining the slate of board officers for the 2026-27 leadership term. “At the heart of Iowa’s agricultural strength are…
Lyndsey Mekelburg earned first place and $500 at the University of Iowa IdeaStorm Applied AI Case Competition on April 27 at Merge Iowa City. A total of $1,500 and mentoring sessions were awarded to student innovators. Eleven teams pitched business ideas built around real-world applications of artificial intelligence. Mekelburg’s winning…
The Great Outdoors Foundation has announced the launch of Convergence: The Conservation Ag Accelerator, a pitch competition designed to advance innovative solutions at the intersection of agriculture and conservation. Convergence is part of the Athene Watershed26 conference, taking place June 30–July 1. Convergence aims to bring together entrepreneurs, farmers and…
Iowa-based venture capital firm Next Level Ventures has announced the promotion of Liz Keehner to partner. In her new role as partner, she will continue to lead investment strategy in Iowa, manage Iowa investor relations, work with portfolio company founders and help shape the firm’s long-term strategic direction. She joined…
As part of a refresh of the Business Record’s Innovation Iowa brand, we have created a new landing page on the Business Record website to house all Innovation Iowa coverage and more stories from the Business Record covering innovation and technology.
Visit www.businessrecord.com/innovation-iowa to view all Innovation Iowa stories, including the 2026 Innovation Iowa Magazine, out now.
-Sarah Diehn, Business Record Editor