Skip to content Skip to sidebar Skip to footer

List of 2019 Prometheus Award winners

April 12, 2019

The Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) celebrated the growth and achievement companies, communities and organizations throughout Iowa last night at the 2019 Prometheus Awards.

This year featured 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.

Dwolla took home the most awards of the evening, winning two awards — the FinTech and InsurTech Company of the Year and the Technology Company of the Year.

Scientific Games took home the biggest award of the night, winning the Workiva Large Technology Company of the Year award.

Here is a list of 2019 Prometheus Award Winners:

FinTech and InsurTech Company of the Year: Dwolla

AgTech and BioTech Company of the Year: Renewable Energy Group

Manufacturing Technology Company of the Year: Vermeer Corporation

Software Development Technology Company of the Year: Performance Livestock Analytics

IT Service Provider Technology Company of the Year: Circle Computer Resources

Startup Technology Company of the Year: Gross-Wen Technologies

Creative Technology Solution of the Year: Granular

Best Technology Company Culture: Geonetric

LWBJ Impact Award: Ames Seed Capital

CEO of the Year: Jim Masterson LightEdge

CIO/CTO/CiSO of the Year: Casey Decker, FBL Financial Group

Emerging Technology Leader of the Year: Tiffany Williamson, Collins Aerospace

Technology Community of the Year: Greater Des Moines

Technology Company of the Year – Small/Medium: Dwolla

Workiva Large Technology Company of the Year: Scientific Games

Tags: Prometheus Awards

List of 2019 Prometheus Award winners | 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.

This Pop-up Is Included in the Theme

Best Choice for Creatives