Upvote, an AI-native software company, has announced partnerships with Iowa’s House of Representatives and Governor’s office to use AI-powered tools to streamline the legislative process. Iowa House caucuses and the office of Gov. Kim Reynolds implemented Upvote’s Legible platform to develop, evaluate and publish legislation, starting with the 2025 legislative session, according to a news […]
Iowa founders should ‘dream bigger’ Kaylee Williams, investment director at InnoVenture Iowa, Iowa’s first publicly backed venture capital fund, recently shared this advice for startup founders: “I would just say, dream bigger,” said Williams during a panel event at Maple Studios on April 2. “Seriously, my biggest critique of Iowa founders is we don’t dream […]
The Iowa Go-To-Market (G2M) program, a collaboration between the ISU Pappajohn Center, BioConnect Iowa, and VentureNet Iowa, has announced three startups that will participate in the G2M accelerator. The program aims to help Iowa startups accelerate their commercialization efforts and secure equity investment or generate initial revenue. The participating startups include Upvote, a platform providing […]
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 and prairies. The company was […]
New pitch competition to award funding to 3 agtech startups The World Food Prize Foundation, in collaboration with America’s Cultivation Corridor, is launching the Innovate for Impact Challenge, a pitch competition for early-stage agricultural technology startups. The foundation announced the initiative Wednesday during the 2024 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue. The challenge aims to support […]
The fund stems from recent efforts to clarify startup funding needs, says managing partner Two local investors are launching a new statewide venture capital fund designed to bolster Iowa’s early-stage startup funding continuum. Managing Partner Tej Dhawan and General Partner JD Geneser told the Business Record they plan to raise $6 million from Iowa investors […]
InnoVenture Iowa, Iowa’s first publicly backed venture capital fund, announced it has invested just over $6 million in 22 companies since launching in 2022. It has made six new investments since December 2023, bringing its total portfolio companies to 21. The new portfolio companies are: To read Investment Director Kaylee Williams’ summer update on InnoVenture’s recent Heartland […]
InnoVenture Iowa, Iowa’s first publicly backed venture capital fund, announced it has invested just over $6 million in 22 companies since launching in 2022. It has made six new investments since December 2023, bringing its total portfolio companies to 21. The new portfolio companies are: To read Investment Director Kaylee Williams’ summer update on InnoVenture’s recent Heartland […]
Fund will support software startups in Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota The Idea Fund of La Crosse, a venture capital firm based in La Crosse, Wis., has raised $31.5 million for a second venture capital fund targeting pre- and early-stage revenue startups in the three-state region of Wisconsin, Iowa and Minnesota. According to Pitchbook, a resource for data, […]
Novy, which became Iowa’s first venture studio when it launched in Cedar Rapids in November, announced Tuesday that it is “open for business” with the hiring of two new team members and launch of a push for startup idea applications. Process Leader Sarah Wallace and Vice President of Marketing Jess Greiner have joined Novy’s three founding partners […]