The Iowa Chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organization is hosting a Global Student Entrepreneur Award (GSEA) competition this Friday at Iowa State University’s Student Innovation Center, featuring six Iowa college students and entrepreneurs as finalists for Iowa’s first GSEA award. The GSEA awards program is designed for students who own and operate businesses while pursuing higher education. The winning student will receive an all-expenses paid trip to the national GSEA competition.
entrepreneurship
October 7, 2020
Entrepreneurs Organization, ISU to host Global Student Entrepreneur Award competition
October 1, 2020
Greater Des Moines Partnership, BrownWinick Law, LWBJ launch Raising Capital Seminar Series
The Greater Des Moines Partnership, BrownWinick Law and LWBJ launched the Raising Capital Seminar Series, a new series of interactive education modules for small businesses looking to raise equity capital. Raising Capital Seminar is a five-part series launched in place of the in-person events normally held annually at the BrownWinick Law Firm and Partnership offices. Registration for events is available online.
October 1, 2020
Free webinar on legal issues for people planning startups
A free webinar for people planning to start new businesses will be held from noon to 2 p.m. Oct. 8. The webinar, sponsored by Dickinson, Mackaman, Tyler & Hagen law firm, will cover topics such as whether to have outside or inside counsel; issues surrounding intellectual property and founding a business; and multistate tax considerations. The featured speaker will be Michael Ott, founder and CEO of Rantizo. For more information
September 16, 2020
Venture School begins with new partnerships, opens applications
The University of Iowa’s Venture School, developed by the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC), is expanding to Mason City, Cedar Falls, Iowa City and Des Moines next month, the Venture School announced this week. JPEC centers at the Northern Iowa Area Community College, the University of Northern Iowa, Drake University and the Small Business Development Centers at University of Iowa and Kirkwood Community College will be offering the seven-week
September 16, 2020
Ames Seed Capital names new director
Mike Upah has been named the director of Ames Seed Capital, an organization that provides seed funding for startup companies in the Story County area. According to a news release from the Ames Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development Commission, Upah began his new duties last month. He will oversee and manage all Ames Seed Capital operations. In the news release, Upah said Ames Seed Capital, an affiliate of the
September 3, 2020
BLK & Bold co-founders named Entrepreneur of the Year by Official Black Wall Street
Co-founders Pernell Cezar and Rod Johnson of Des Moines-based BLK & Bold Specialty Beverages have been named Entrepreneurs of the Year by the Official Black Wall Street App’s Black Entrepreneur of the Year Awards and received $5,000. BLK & Bold pledges 5% of its profits to initiatives aligned with youth programming, workforce development and eradicating youth homelessness. BLK & Bold’s coffee and tea products recently began retailing in Target, Whole
August 6, 2020
ISU CYstarters announce awards for 2020 cohort
ISU CYstarters held its 2020 Demo Day virtually, live streaming announcements on YouTube and Facebook last week with more than 160 community members tuning in. The event announced three categories of awards, including the first Ted Bair Cystarters Awards in memory of Ted Bair, former Iowa State regional director at America’s Small Business Development Center. CYstarters gave $6,000 to cohort participants and $1,500 to three program alumni. Ted Bair Cystarters
July 23, 2020
Roboflow’s new smart house
At the start of 2020, Roboflow co-founders Brad Dwyer and Joseph Nelson were not used to working in the same city. Funny enough for this startup, the COVID-19 pandemic brought them under one roof. After launching in August 2019, the pair had set into a rhythm of remote work: Nelson took turns alternately visiting Des Moines and hosting Dwyer in Washington, D.C. In February, the pair worked together in Taiwan
July 22, 2020
Amazon names Iowa top state for digital entrepreneurs
A new analysis by Amazon finds that Iowa leads the nation in the per-capita number of small and medium-sized businesses selling through the tech giant’s online platform, reports the Corridor Business Journal. Iowa is home to nearly 10,000 small and medium-sized sellers on Amazon, earning it the top ranking for the most digital entrepreneurs per capita. In February, Amazon announced the start of construction of a new fulfillment center in Bondurant.
July 9, 2020
BrokerTech Ventures announces new accelerator partners
BrokerTech Ventures announced four new regional and national insurance firms as partners to support the broker-focused platform and accelerator program, and a new sponsored partnership with Leader’s Edge Magazine this week. The Cincinnati Insurance Cos., RT Specialty, Amerisure Mutual Insurance Co. and AmWINS Group Inc. will be featured during the InsureTech Connect, Agency Connect: Virtual event on July 16 as part of the Innovation Curve panel. With Leader’s Edge, BrokerTech
