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Middle Bit: Wells Fargo adds card-free feature to Omaha ATM’s

October 13, 2017

Omaha-area Wells Fargo customers can use their phones to withdraw cash from the bank’s ATMs, according to a story Thursday in the Omaha World Herald.

According to the story, the bank this week activated a new card-free feature that lets account holders use mobile wallets on smartphones to verify their account credentials at ATMs. To use it, customers must open up their mobile wallet, place their phone near the NFC reader on the ATM and then enter their pin to proceed.

Compatible machines are identified with an icon on the front of the ATM. Of the 77 ATM location in Nebraska, 32 are equipped with the technology; 21 of those are in the Omaha area.

Remaining machines in the bank’s 13,000-machine network will be upgraded by 2019 with new technology.

Target works with Google for voice-assisted shopping, delivering

Minneapolis-based Target will begin taking orders from customers who use Google’s voice-activated assistant devices, according to a story in the Star Tribune Thursday.

In using Google’s voice assistant, shoppers are able to shop for nearly 100,000 items from Target with the exception of perishable food. The items are fulfilled from local Target stores and Google’s fleet of drivers deliver them to customers’ doorsteps two days later.

In New York City, Los Angeles and San Francisco, same-day delivery is also an option.

Delivery is free on orders of more than $35.

According to the story, shoppers are able to say commands out loud while using Google’s voice assistant, either through a Google Home device or a smartphone. Earlier this year, Google introduced voice shopping as a feature through Google Home in partnership with Costco, Walgreens, Petsmart and others.

Denver-based Welltok acquires Georgia’s Tea Leaves

Welltok expanded into hospitals on Wednesday with its purchase of Tea Leaves Health—a Georgia digital-health company—that uses data to help hospitals connect with patients and doctors, according to a story Wednesday in The Denver Post.

According to the story, the acquisition gives the Denver firm access to Tea Leave’ more than 400 hospitals, plus customers in 30 percent of the nation’s top health systems.

The company said it paid $83 million for Tea Leaves.

What else happened…

Illinois

Chicago companies launch plans for business in outer space – Chicago Tribune

Rauner says Illinois has ‘Great chance’ to snag Amazon HQ2 – Chicago Tribune

Iowa

Iowa struggles to fill high-tech STEM jobs – The Des Moines Register

Planting a Des Moines flag on “Data” – Gravitate Blog

Michigan

Amazon HQ in Detroit? It has its pros and cons – Detroit Free Press

Shuttling Detroit into the future – The Detroit News

Missouri

Is K.C enough for Amazon? – StartlandNews.com

SixThirty Cyber will bring five South Korean companies to St. Louis – STLtoday.com

Venture capital pitch event seeks high-growth applicants – StartlandNews.com

Wisconsin

Amazon headquarters pitch extends beyond Milwaukee – Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Middle Bit: Wells Fargo adds card-free feature to Omaha ATM's | Clay & Milk
A central Iowa ag-tech accelerator has secured more backers and finally has a name. The Greater Des Moines Partnership first announced the accelerator last year, naming four initial investors. On Monday, the Partnership said the program will be called the "Iowa AgriTech Accelerator" and named three new investors. The new investors include Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corp. and Sukup Manufacturing, all Iowa companies. They join investors Deere & Co., Peoples Co., Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Co. and DuPont Pioneer. Each investor has agreed to put up $100,000 for the first year of the accelerator. Startups entering the program will receive $40,000 in seed funding in exchange for 6 percent equity. Tej Dhawan, an angel investor and local startup mentor, is serving as interim director until the AgriTech Accelerator names a permanent leader. Dhawan held a similar role with the GIA before Brian Hemesath was named as managing director. As interim director, Dhawan said his main job includes hiring the accelerator's executive director, establishing a business structure and initial recruiting for the first cohort. The accelerator will place few filters, such as location and product, on the applicant pool, Dhawan said. "When you’re seeking innovation, innovation can come from every corner of the world so why restrict ourselves," he said. One area the the AgriTech Accelerator won't recruit from is biotech. For its first cohort, the AgriTech Accelerator will work out of the GIA's space in Des Moines' East Village, Dhawan said. A future, permanent home is still to be decided. The accelerator's program will host startups from mid-July through mid-October, ending with an event connected to the annual World Food Prize. The GIA, which the AgriTech Accelerator is based on, also ends with presentations at an industry event. The accelerator has also started lining up a mentor pool. The Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Pork Producers Association have agreed to provide mentors, as has Iowa State University. While the AgriTech Accelerator is loosely based off of the GIA, it will differ in its business structure, Dhawan said. The GIA runs through a for-profit model for both operations and its investment fund. The AgriTech Accelerator will have a nonprofit model for its operations and a for-profit setup for its fund. Dhawan said the nonprofit model is being used so the accelerator can better work with other nonprofit partners, such as trade associations. "These are all organizations that are nonprofits and can be amazing stakeholders without ever having to be investors in the accelerator," he said. "It becomes easier to work with trade associations in their nonprofit role when we are also a nonprofit." When it's up and running, the AgriTech Accelerator would be one of a handful of ag-focused startup development programs in Iowa. Others include the Ag Startup Engine out of Iowa State University and the Rural Ventures Alliance from Iowa MicroLoan. Matthew Patane is the managing editor and co-founder of Clay & Milk. Send him an email at mpatane@clayandmilk.com.
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