Global Insurance Accelerator announces new funding structure

The Global Insurance Accelerator announced changes to the funding structure affecting startups that are accepted to the 2020 cohort, which is now accepting applications. The GIA will increase the seed investment to $75,000 in the form of a post-money Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE), which converts to 5% of the company….

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Economic Development Board approves innovation funding to five startups

The Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Board approved innovation funding to support five Iowa startups located in Des Moines, Le Claire, West Des Moines and Iowa City.  HomePainter, based in Des Moines, has developed an online estimating tool that provides homeowners with an accurate paint estimate in less than five…

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CYstarters announce 2019 cohort, Community Kick-Off May 23

Fifteen student entrepreneurs are joining the 2019 CYstarters cohort, an 11-week intensive program managed by the Iowa State Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship. Businesses in the cohort are: AI for Microscopy, Camp Aramoni, CattleTech, Chess Utopia, Comic Sandwiches, Courselink, Flourish, Iowa Virtual Reality Labs, Jensen Applied Sciences, One Hop Shop, Pink Panda,…

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Predictive Health Partners seeks to slash health care prices

Predictive Health Partners, with founder Jim Lewis, is the only local startup represented in the Global Insurance Accelerator’s 10-member cohort for 2019. It’s also one of only three Iowa startups that have participated among 36 since the GIA’s first cohort in 2015.  Based now in West Des Moines, Lewis, a serial…

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Monetery opens One-on-Ones to venture capital firms for select startups

Monetery 2019, Dwolla’s second regional summit dedicated to creating value in the Midwest, is dedicating Day 2 of the summit (scheduled May 21-22 at the Temple for Performing Arts)  to One-on-One meetings between selected startups and representatives from at least five national venture capital firms traveling to Des Moines for…

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Ben McDougal steps up as regional 1 Million Cups representative

If the Kauffman Foundation’s 1 Million Cups initiative is “church for entrepreneurs,” Des Moines entrepreneur Ben McDougal is preaching the gospel – and his congregation is getting bigger. After leading the Des Moines chapter for five years – the second 1MC chapter in the country after Kansas City – McDougal…

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FUNDED LATELY: SwineTech

SwineTech: $1.5 million in the company’s second round, completed in June. Participating: AgVentures Alliance, Quake Capital and InnovaMemphis. The June round added eight additional full-time jobs to SwineTech, co-founder/CEO Matthew Rooda confirmed, adding that “a majority” of funding came from Iowa and Minnesota. SwineTech is planning an expansion through North…

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InsureTech Week presentations open to the public

Registration is open for the public interested in hearing from 16 insurance startups at this year’s InsureTech Week, hosted by the Global Insurance Accelerator. From 2:30-5:30 p.m., international insuretech startups will do a Q&A-style interview presentation with representatives from the GIA at the Science Center of Iowa; breaks are scheduled…

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Ramco Innovations launches Maple Ventures

Artist’s rendering of the Maple Ventures renovation design, expected to open on Oct. 1. Illustration provided by Ramco Innovations. At Ramco Innovations on Maple Street, the warehouse was not an immediate contender to house up-and-coming startups. In fact, renting space and offering administrative assistance from the 50-year-old Ramco business wasn’t even a…

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CYstarters turn out final pitches at 2018 celebration

“Diverse” would be one way to describe the field of 15 startups leaving their final impressions on the 2018 CYstarters cohort during Wednesday’s last pitch. “Distinctive” fits all 19 founders. From a wireless boombox design to the making of a wedding reception tablescape, Iowa State University graduates and students showed…

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