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University of Iowa joins NSF I-Corps Hub
The University of Iowa is joining the NSF I-Corps Hub: Great Lakes Region as a partner institution. On Sept. 8, the National Science Foundation announced the expansion of the National Innovation Network. This included several new hubs across the country and the addition of partner institutions to existing hubs, including the University of Iowa to…
Entrepreneurial events happening at the University of Iowa this fall
The Iowa Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship is hosting several events this fall for student entrepreneurs. Here are some of the entrepreneurial events happening at the University of Iowa this fall. Startup Incubator Open House The Startup Incubator Open House is an open house for students interested in entrepreneurship or starting their own business. Iowa JPEC…
University of Iowa launches new incubator program for graduate students
The University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) has opened its first business incubator designed specifically for University of Iowa graduate students interested in commercializing their research. While JPEC has maintained an undergraduate business incubator for some time, this is the first designed with the needs of the university’s graduate students in mind, said Kurt Heiar,…
UIowa spin-off company hC Bioscience raises $24 Million Series A to develop protein-editing therapies
hC Bioscience, a drug discovery and development company focused on tRNA-based therapeutics targeting protein dysfunction, has closed a Series A financing of $24 million led by ARCH Venture Partners, Takeda Ventures and 8VC. hC Bio is advancing two complementary platforms. One is directed at restoring protein function when “nonsense mutations,” or premature termination codons (PTCs),…
ISU and University of Iowa named top entrepreneurship schools by Princeton Review
The Princeton Review and Entrepreneur today announced the results of The Princeton Review's 16th annual ranking of undergraduate and graduate schools for entrepreneurship studies. Iowa State University and the University of Iowa both made the list of top 50 undergraduate schools, ranking at no. 11 and no. 28, respectively. The results are based on a survey the education services company…
Boston Scientific acquires University of Iowa startup Farapulse for $295M
Boston Scientific has exercised its option to acquire the remaining shares of University of Iowa startup Farapulse, which has developed a method for precisely and safely treating abnormal heart rhythms. Last September, Boston Scientific signed an investment agreement with an option to acquire Farapulse. Boston Scientific has been an investor in Farapulse since 2014 and currently holds an…
university of iowa 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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