Skip to content Skip to footer
Schedule and speaker lineup for 2022 Iowa Technology Summit
The Iowa Technology Summit will return in-person next month on April 12 at the Community Choice Credit Union Convention Center. This year’s summit will be divided into four separate tracks—cybersecurity, technology innovation, leadership and industry 4.0. Ian Khan, a future readiness pioneer, will be this year's Keynote Speaker and will lead a discussion on the…
Middle Bit: Rantizo expands its drone spraying into Wisconsin
Iowa City agtech startup Rantizo has received approval from Federal Aviation Administration to provide drone spraying services in Wisconsin, broadening its approved operating territory in the Midwest. Last month, Rantizo became the first company in the state of Iowa approved for drone based agricultural spraying.  “Since announcing our approval for drone spraying in Iowa, just…
TechBrew: Bryce Hemme, Director of Platform Engineering at Granular
On the second Friday of each month, the Technology Association of Iowa hosts an informal networking event at West End Salvage in downtown Des Moines for entrepreneurs, educators, technologists, business leaders and government professionals. During each event, Brian Waller, President of the Technology Association of Iowa, does a sitdown Q&A with a local tech executive. This month, Waller…
TechBrew: Matt Behrens of the Office of the Chief Information Officer
On the second Friday of each month, the Technology Association of Iowa hosts an informal networking event at West End Salvage in downtown Des Moines for entrepreneurs, educators, technologists, business leaders and government professionals. During each event, Brian Waller, President of the Technology Association of Iowa, does a sit down Q&A with a local tech executive. This month, Waller spoke…
TechBrew
TechBrew: Martina Schubert of Continental Western Group
On the second Friday of each month, the Technology Association of Iowa hosts an informal networking event at West End Salvage in downtown Des Moines for entrepreneurs, educators, technologists, business leaders and government professionals. During each event, Brian Waller, President of the Technology Association of Iowa, does a sitdown Q&A with a local tech executive. After each interview,…
TechBrew
TechBrew: Q&A with Luke Tingley of Hy-Vee
On the second Friday of each month the Technology Association of Iowa hosts an informal networking event at West End Salvage in downtown Des Moines for entrepreneurs, educators, technologists, business leaders and government professionals. During each event, Brian Waller, President of the Technology Association of Iowa, does a sitdown Q&A with a local tech executive. After each interview,…
TechBrew
TechBrew: Q&A with Nicole Chesmore of Grinnell Mutual
On the second Friday of each month, the Technology Association of Iowa hosts an informal networking event at West End Salvage in downtown Des Moines for entrepreneurs, technologists, funders, business professionals and government leaders. And during each event, Brian Waller, the President of the Technology Association of Iowa, sits down with a local tech executive for a…
TechBrew
TechBrew: Q&A with Iowa Lottery CEO Terry Rich
On the second Friday of each month, the Technology Association of Iowa hosts an informal networking event at West End Salvage in downtown Des Moines for entrepreneurs, technologists, funders, business professionals and government leaders. And during each event, Technology Association of Iowa President Brian Waller sits down with a local tech executive for a Q&A. After…
Technology Associationn of Iowa
TechBrew: Linc Kroeger on Pillar Technology, The Forge and video games
One Des Moines tech executive announced his love for video games Friday morning during the Technology Association of Iowa's monthly, "TechBrew AM." On the second Friday of each month, the Technology Association of Iowa hosts a networking event at West End Architectural Salvage in downtown Des Moines with a Q&A between a local tech executive and Brian Waller, President of the Technology Association of Iowa. Linc Kroeger—Vanguard of Future Ready Iowa…
TechBrew
TechBrew AM: A Q&A with John Bertrand of Kreg Tool
On the second Friday of every month the Technology Association of Iowa hosts a morning networking event in Des Moines with coffee and an interview with a local tech executive. This month–John Bertrand, Vice President of Information Technology for Kreg Tool–took turns answering questions on his career path, information technology at Kreg Tool, the impact technology is…
You searched for techbrew | 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
Purchase Now