Brian Hemesath, managing director at the Global Insurance Accelerator Four years after its launch, the Global Insurance Accelerator is kicking off a search for the program’s second managing director after Brian Hemesath announced plans to step down in 2019. Hemesath has committed to stay with the GIA through the 2019 cohort as a new managing director is trained, and will remain part time as an entrepreneur-in-residence to continue managing relationships
Des Moines
September 24, 2018
Dwolla’s new HQ will host a community meeting room, free of charge
A new home and anticipated hiring of 75 additional team members are in the near future for Dwolla, a Des Moines money-transfer startup that is starting to grow beyond the initial startup-phase. In Monday’s blog post, founder Ben Milne wrote that Dwolla’s new 22,000-square-foot office at 909 Locust will include a community meeting room to accommodate nearly 100 individuals, to be available free of charge for community-focused classes and meetups.
September 14, 2018
Dwolla discontinues consumer Transfer pay platform
Transfer, a direct-pay product that allowed users to pay each other through an app or website, will be discontinued starting in October 2018, Dwolla VP of Product Travis Ensley announced in a company blog post recently. In the process, Dwolla will stop accepting new Transfer accounts in October, and remove the ability to send or receive payments in December 2018.
September 13, 2018
Denim announces Denim Summit 2018 in Des Moines
Denim, a mobile advertising automation provider for financial services companies, announced four speakers for this year’s Denim Summit 2018, to be held downtown Des Moines on Oct. 24 and 25. Speakers include Scott Campbell, senior vice president and chief client officer at American National Insurance Company; Tim Hoskins, president of market research firm Quester; Jason Andrew, co-founder and CEO of Limelight Health; Derek Hyde, CTO and SVP of business development
September 13, 2018
InsureTech Week presentations open to the public
Registration is open for the public interested in hearing from 16 insurance startups at this year’s InsureTech Week, hosted by the Global Insurance Accelerator. From 2:30-5:30 p.m., international insuretech startups will do a Q&A-style interview presentation with representatives from the GIA at the Science Center of Iowa; breaks are scheduled to encourage networking. The public is also invited to connect with startup leaders at Peace Tree Brewing Co. from 5:30-8:30
August 31, 2018
GIA announces featured companies for 2018 InsureTech Week
The Global Insurance Accelerator released the names of 16 featured companies worldwide presenting at the 2018 InsureTech Week, scheduled for Oct. 22-26. Each company will present to the public on Wednesday, Oct. 24, and will be available to schedule 1:1 sessions with visitors throughout the week. This year’s international participants are: Album Health (Des Moines), Care Bridge International (Lakewood Ranch, Florida), Ebbie (Olathe, Kansas), Edmund Insurance (Brisbane, Australia), everyday life
August 30, 2018
Tesla shows off all-electric semi to Ruan, customers in Des Moines
Representatives from Tesla Motors visited with team members of Ruan Transportation Management Systems and several Ruan customers in Des Moines this week for a preview of Tesla’s electric-powered tractor-trailer. Ruan in January reserved five of the new semis for delivery and testing next year. Prototypes of the semi have been traveling the country, making stops with key companies that have invested in the all-electric semis expected to be released in
August 20, 2018
IPTV announces 2018-2019 Ready for School communities
Iowa Public Television’s (IPTV) Ready for School early-education STEM initiative will focus in on 13 Iowa communities this year. This is the sixth year Ready for School will implement STEM and literacy-based activities for children ages 2 through six years old, and the program has served more than 100 other Iowa communities. This year’s communities are: Bloomfield, Des Moines, Evansdale, Garwin, Marshalltown, Moulton, Oelwein, Perry, Schaller, Seymour, Tama, Toledo and
August 14, 2018
Pillar Technology to be acquired by Accenture Industry X.0
Pillar Technology has entered an acquisition agreement with Accenture Industry X.0, Accenture announced on Friday. Pillar Technology, based in Columbus, Ohio with offices in Des Moines, will integrate existing products into Industry X.0 following customary closing conditions. The agreement comes as Accenture simultaneously acquired electrical engineering and software development consultant Mindtribe. Financial terms were not disclosed.
August 9, 2018
ISU architecture revives 3-D pavilion for Iowa State Fair
Shelby Doyle, assistant professor of architecture at Iowa State University, assembles LED lights throughout the IM_RU2 pavilion on Monday in the midst of setup for the Iowa State Fair, which opens today. Photo by Kate Hayden Inside the Varied Industries building at the Iowa State Fair, about 4,000 recyclable pieces will tower over visitors at the Iowa State University exhibit. All together, the pavilion has 3,200 printed joints, 400 LED
