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Finalists announced for 2019 Prometheus Awards

March 7, 2019

The Technology Association of Iowa released the finalists for the 2019 Prometheus Awards.

The winner in each of the 14 award categories will be announced during the Prometheus Awards celebration on Thursday, April 11, 2019, at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center in Des Moines.

This year features several new award categories including Fintech & InsurTech Company of the Year, Creative Technology Solution of the Year, Best Technology Company Culture and Emerging Leader of the Year.

Reserve a table or purchase individual tickets here.

Here are the 2019 Prometheus Awards finalists:

FinTech and InsurTech Company of the Year

  • Dwolla 
  • Gain Compliance 
  • Jack Henry and Associates 
  • Kingland 
  • LenderClose 

AgTech and BioTech Company of the Year 

  • Granular 
  • GVL 
  • PowerPollen
  • Renewable Energy Group 
  • Sukup Manufacturing

Manufacturing Technology Company of the Year

  • Kreg Tool 
  • Pella Corporation 
  • Thombert, Inc. 
  • Vermeer Corporation 
  • Wells Enterprises 

Software Development Technology Company of the Year

  • Performance Livestock Analytics
  • Pillar Technology
  • Swine Tech
  • Telligen
  • The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative

IT Service Provider Technology Company of the Year

  • Circle Computer Resources
  • Involta
  • ImOn Communications
  • LightEdge Solutions
  • Paragon IT Professionals

Startup Technology Company of the Year

  • Denim
  • Firefly Photonics
  • Gain Compliance
  • Gross-Wen Technologies
  • MakeuSafe Corp

Creative Technology Solution of the Year

  • DSMHack 
  • Global Reach Internet Productions
  • Granular
  • UnityPoint Health
  • Voxello

Best Technology Company Culture

  • Blue Compass
  • CUNA Mutual Group
  • Far Reach
  • Geonetric
  • Pillar Technology

Emerging Technology Leader of the Year

  • Samantha Dahlby, The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative
  • Scott Seeliger, Cognizant 
  • Jeremiah Terhark, Web-spec Design
  • Tiffany Williamson, Collins Aerospace 
  • Ada Woo, ACTNext by ACT 

CEO of the Year

  • Jim Masterson, LightEdge Solutions
  • Ben Milne, Dwolla
  • David Nelson, Pratum
  • Hank Norem, Maple Ventures
  • Beth Trejo, Chatterkick

CIO/CTO/CiSO of the Year

  • Harry Aller, Innovative Lighting
  • Allen Bierbaum, Priority 5 Holdings
  • Casey Decker, FBL Financial Group
  • Brett Taylor, UnityPoint Health
  • Scott Zogg, Collins Aerospace

Technology Community of the Year

  • Cedar Falls
  • Greater Des Moines
  • Story County
  • Urbandale
  • West Des Moines

Technology Company of the Year – Small/Medium

  • The Art of Education University
  • Dwolla
  • GVL
  • LenderClose 
  • Performance Livestock Analytics

Workiva Large Technology Company of the Year

  • Involta
  • Kingland
  • Marco
  • Pillar Technology
  • Scientific Games
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Finalists announced for 2019 Prometheus Awards | 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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