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Neapolitan Labs launches vaccine appointment solution for COVID-19
Neapolitan Labs, a full-service web development, marketing, and advertising company based in Des Moines, recently announced that it has created a vaccine appointment and scheduling system for public health entities and other organizations. The system, titled "VANILLA", is an appointment, notification, reporting, and management solution. The idea for the vaccine appointment system first came when…
Healthtech Company Navigate Providing Free Mental Health Resources in response to COVID-19
Navigate Wellbeing Solutions, a provider of technology-enabled wellbeing engagement solutions for organizations, is growing as employers embrace the mental health of their employees during COVID-19. In response to the wellbeing challenges many are facing due to COVID-19, Navigate is sharing tools and content from their platform with human resources professionals and offering access to…
65 organizations receive $4.3 million in Employer Innovation Funding
Awards have been announced for the Coronavirus Relief Fund Employer Innovation Fund Grant. More than $4.3 million in total was awarded to the 65 winning applicants.  The program will assist Iowa employers, nonprofits, community colleges, high schools, and universities to provide postsecondary training and education to Iowans whose employment has been impacted by the Coronavirus pandemic.  …
ISU awards Covid-19 seed grants to 7 research projects
The Iowa State University Office of the Vice President for Research has awarded COVID-19 Research Seed Grants to seven research projects in an effort to help combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Each of the teams will receive $15,000 to pursue projects rapidly for up to six months. The funding will support the initial stages of high-risk,…
Online events happening this week: May 26 – May 29
Here are some of the online events happening this week that might be beneficial to local businesses and organizations. If you know of any event happening this week that we haven’t included let us know and we’ll add it to the list. Salesforce — Tips During COVID-19 on How to Increase Productivity + Boost Engagement…
Online events happening this week: May 18 – May 24
As in-person events around the world are canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a number of online events are popping up far and wide. Here are some of the online events happening this week that might be beneficial to local businesses and organizations. If you know of any event happening this week that…
Online Events happening this week: May 11 -17
As in-person events around the world are canceled or postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak, a number of online events are popping up far and wide. Here are some of the online events happening this week that might be beneficial to local businesses and organizations. If you know of any event happening this week that…
Middle Bit: ‘Des Moines Emerge Stronger Virtual Fair’ set for May 14-15
Next Thursday and Friday Curated Growth will be hosting a virtual fair for business to share stories about how their businesses have pivoted and share insight about how they plan to emerge stronger. Throughout the event will be several live sessions including yoga, laugh therapy, business pivot inspiration, in-home fitness training, cooking at home classes,…
New grant program launches for Des Moines area businesses
More than 30 businesses and organizations have partnered to launch the DSM Small Business Recovery Grant program to help small businesses in the Des Moines area that have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. The grant program will be available to businesses with 0 – 30 employees that have had restrictions placed on their…
How to keep growing your business during COVID-19
Guest post by Michael Brook. We don’t know how long this is going to last, or what the long term implications will be. What we do know is that we have a business on the line, and we have to do everything we can to survive. Unless you’re one of the lucky ones whose business…
COVID-19 Archives | 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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