For the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator, 2020 was a program success, executive director Nadilia Gomez said this week. In January, the accelerator received “unprecedented numbers” of applications for the 2020 cohort. At the onset of a global pandemic in the spring, IATA transferred the entire program virtually for the four participating startups. “We were able to do it with everyone’s wellness and health in mind. These are all tremendous successes for
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator
January 21, 2021
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator leaves behind strengthened industry ecosystem at program closure, director says
July 2, 2020
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator announces four startups in 2020 cohort
The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator announced four startups located in Ames and India as members of the accelerator’s 2020 cohort. The 100-day program is headquartered in Des Moines and typically hosts founders in the East Village, starting with a networking event to introduce founders and community members; this year’s program launched via Facebook livestream on July 1. The startups are N-Sense, Digital Spring and Curiosity Labs, all of Ames, and Sensegrass,
April 1, 2020
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator extends program application deadline to May 1
The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator is extending the deadline for applications to its annual AgTech Startup Program from March 31 to May 1, the accelerator announced this week. The board also announced a new member, Grant Kimberly, who serves as the senior director of market development for the Iowa Soybean Association and as executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. More information and applications are available online.
March 31, 2020
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator extends program application deadline to May 1
The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator is extending the deadline for applications to its annual AgTech Startup Program from March 31 to May 1, the accelerator announced this week. The board also announced a new member, Grant Kimberly, who serves as the senior director of market development for the Iowa Soybean Association and the executive director of the Iowa Biodiesel Board. More information and applications are available online.
February 12, 2020
New investor joins Iowa AgriTech Accelerator board of directors
Jim Towey, president of Onset, will join the board of directors of the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator, the organization announced this week. Towey most recently served as a mentor for the accelerator, helping past participants develop their business ideas and build their storytelling skills to gain support for innovations. Based in Cape Cod, Mass., Onset is a data logger and monitoring services provider used to manage data for improving the environment
January 2, 2020
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator opens for applications for agtech startups Monday
The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator opens its application process on Monday to global agtech startups for the 2020 cohort. The accelerator, which hosts office space in the East Village, selects up to six global ag startups to spend 100 days of networking and mentoring in Des Moines. Applications will be closed on March 30, and the new cohort begins on June 1, director Nadilia Gomez said. Applications will be available at
October 24, 2019
October marks announcements of three major accelerators coming to Central Iowa
Kerty Levy (standing), newly named managing director of Techstars Iowa, at Tuesday’s launch announcement with Jainen Thayer, chief investment officer for Grinnell College, and Claudia Reuter, managing director of the Stanley + Techstars Additive Manufacturing Accelerator. Photo provided Tuesday was a good day for Mike Colwell in Des Moines. It capped off quite the season so far for the region’s startup community. “I’ve got a big old smile on my
October 3, 2019
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator to host Demo Day during World Food Prize
The Iowa AgriTech Accelerator will host its third Demonstration Day at the Des Moines Embassy Club Oct. 15 in conjunction with the World Food Prize and 2019 Borlaug Dialogue and International Symposium. Doors open at 5 p.m. and presentations will begin at 5:30 p.m. More than 120 volunteer mentors worked with the accelerator’s four agtech startups during the 2019 cohort: Raks International Technology, Otrafy, Farmatronix and droneSAR. Registration to attend
July 22, 2019
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator announces new executive director
Nadilia Gomez will join the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator as executive director beginning on Aug. 1, the accelerator announced. Gomez joins the accelerator from Corteva Agriscience, where she served as a senior research scientist in Predictive Ag, and a digital pillar leader of the Disruptive Business Innovation Portfolio. At Corteva, Gomez was responsible for tactical and strategic planning of digital solutions for breeders, agronomists and farmers. She has been a mentor
May 15, 2019
Iowa AgriTech Accelerator announces new cohort
Five agtech startups have been selected to the 2019 cohort of the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator, the accelerator announced this week. The program will run from June 3 to Aug. 30 in the East Village, with final Demonstration Day pitches during the World Food Prize in October. Participants are Otrafy (Vancouver, Canada); droneSAR (Des Moines); Vitalgia (Heerlen, Netherlands); Raks Agricultural Technology (São Leopoldo, Brazil); and FarmatroniX (College Park, Md.).
