Des Moines computer vision startup Roboflow raised $2.1 million in a new seed round led by Craft Ventures and Lachy Groom, months after graduating from the Y Combinator’s Summer 2020 batch, Roboflow announced today. The funding round is in addition to $500,000 raised by Roboflow from angel investors following the Y Combinator Demo Day presentation. The […]
Bioconnect Iowa is debuting a new brand two years after shifting its mission toward the state’s biosciences, the organization formerly known as the Iowa Innovation Corp. announced this year. The change in name is just the start: Bioconnect Iowa partnered this year with Iowa State University’s Startup Factory and VentureNET Iowa to launch the Go-to-Market Accelerator in […]
Dwolla is releasing Drop-In Components, a new low-code offering designed to shorten the development time on customers’ payment integration services, the company announced on Tuesday. When a business uses a payment API for online transactions, sensitive user information must be provided to the business to create an end user account with the business. Drop-in Components […]
BrokerTech Ventures is launching the first step in international expansion with a partnership between the BrokerTech Ventures U.S. Accelerator and the newly formed Israeli InsurTech Accelerator, based in Tel Aviv. The accelerator will use BrokerTech Venture’s accelerator program to help local Israeli insurtech supporters build its own regional accelerator, while developing a connecting bridge between Israeli […]
Iowa founder Nancy Mwirotsi and philanthropist John Pappajohn. Pappajohn committed $100,000 and support from staff at the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center network to help Mwirotsi expand the 6-year-old tech education nonprofit Pi515 in Iowa. Contributed photo Early this fall, Des Moines founder Nancy Mwirotsi was surprised to take a call from noted philanthropist and Iowa […]
Des Moines-based BrokerTech Ventures and founding company Holmes Murphy closed a co-leading funding effort to raise $4 million in capital for Highwing, a Denver-based insurtech company focused on changing data processing and management for brokers and carriers. Commercial insurance is expected to reach $900 billion by 2021. Highwing intends to use the $4 million in […]
Applications are open to broker-focused startups for the Des Moines-based BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator’s 2021 program, the accelerator announced Oct. 29. The accelerator offers more than $500,000 in seed funding, up to $50,000 each to accepted startups. Submission deadlines for BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator is Nov. 30; selected startups will be notified in early February 2020. The […]
Smart-building technology firms Igor and Somfy announced a new partnership to allow business owners the means to connect and control natural and manufactured lighting. Igor’s Nexos IoT platform enables automation of smart devices such as Somfy smart shading; both companies will host a webinar on Nov. 5 to cover technology requirements and use cases of […]
Des Moines nonprofit founder Nancy Mwirotsi received a $10,000 Nation of Neighbors grant from Royal Neighbors of America for a new initiative dedicated to building entrepreneurship skills among young women, the Royal Neighbors of America announced. Mwirotsi, founder of tech education Pi515, is developing the Girls Entrepreneurial Summit Program, which focuses on educating young women […]
Four award-winning businesses and three honorable mentions were awarded between $4,000 and $40,000 in the 15th Annual John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition, held digitally in September, the Iowa State University and University of Iowa JPEC centers announced last week. 3D Health Solutions of Ames received $40,000 and first place, FBB Biomed of Iowa City […]