Mike Colwell

Iowa’s startup mentor Mike Colwell reflects on career lessons

After Mike Colwell retires at the end of this month as executive director of entrepreneurial initiatives at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, he’ll help lead one more session of the Partnership’s Raising Capital Seminar Series, a twice-yearly power course for entrepreneurs learning how to fund their business. Colwell, himself a private investor, is preparing to enjoy a “semiretired” life with his wife in Colorado but plans to continue supporting Central Iowa startups

Iowa AgriTech Accelerator seeks new executive director after Vollstedt joins Successful Farming

Former executive director Megan Vollstedt has left the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator to begin as the Agronomy & Technology Editor at Successful Farming, a Meredith Corp. publication. Vollstedt, who began at Successful Farming last week, was the first director at the Iowa AgriTech Accelerator. The accelerator launched the first cohort in 2017 and selects six international agtech startups a year to take part in the summer accelerator and present during the