Introducing the Rural Innovators Series

innovationIOWA to feature three rural entrepreneurs across the state In recent years, encouraging and supporting entrepreneurship and innovation in rural Iowa has been a priority for state leaders and other innovation stakeholders. It was the subject of a recent conference at Iowa State University and of keen interest to state leaders in Iowa that want…

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Applications open for 20th annual John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition

The 2025 John Pappajohn Iowa Entrepreneurial Venture Competition application portal is now open. The 20th annual statewide competition will award $100,000 in cash prizes to Iowa startups and entrepreneurial ventures. The $100,000 in seed funding includes a $50,000 contribution from the late John Pappajohn, matched by $50,000 from the Iowa…

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Des Moines, Coralville startups receive IEDA loans

UI biomanufacturing center awarded a $1 million grant to expand infrastructure Two startups in Des Moines and Coralville were approved for loans at the Iowa Economy Development Authority board’s meeting on Jan. 17, and a University of Iowa biomanufacturing center was awarded a grant of just over $1 million.  Coralville-based Reality…

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State awards more than $275,000 in Rural Innovation Grants

The Iowa Economic Development Authority is awarding Rural Innovation Grants, totaling more than $275,000, to 20 Iowa small businesses. The grant program, part of Gov. Kim Reynolds’ Empower Rural Iowa initiative, supports nontraditional ideas that address critical issues faced by communities that have both fewer than 20,000 people and are…

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IEDA board approves $400K in loans to 5 startups

Small business incubator receives CAT grant to renovate, expand The Iowa Economic Development Authority board approved Friday innovation funding for five Iowa startups and a Community Attraction and Tourism (CAT) grant, according to a news release. Ames-based robotics company Invasive Removal is developing tools to combat invasive species in forests…

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5 Iowa startups approved for SSBCI funding

The Iowa Economic Development Authority Board recently approved awards to five Iowa startups from Iowa’s State Small Business and Credit Initiative Innovation Fund. Awards approved by the IEDA board on Friday were: Genvax Technologies, an animal vaccine company based in Ames, has developed proprietary next-generation RNA and nanoparticle vaccines. Its…

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