May 29, 2013 by Megan Bannister
Des Moines Iowa State University student Brett Neese last week wrote a post for story-sharing platform Medium, unveiling … read more
May 29, 2013 by Megan Bannister
May 29, 2013 by Fred Bauters
Overland Park Residents of Moore, Okla., are still sorting through the debris and dealing with the aftermath of the EF5 tornado that killed 24 and damaged or destroyed an estimated 12,000 homes May 20. And a local startup is doing its part to let people know there's still a lot they can do to help. One way is to donate meals through Union, Iowa-based nonprofit Outreach Inc. using tools powered by RAZ Mobile in Overland Park, Kan., which is a five-hour drive from Moore. The startup creates mobile fundraising campaigns that allow nonprofits and causes to collect donations online or by mobile phone. The service also makes it easy for donors to share through text … read more
May 29, 2013 by Danny Schreiber
Entrepreneur magazine this month revealed its latest "100 Brilliant Companies" list. Among better-known companies such as GitHub, KISSmetrics and MakerBot are dozens of startups beginning to make their mark in one of 10 areas, including sustainability and gaming, highlighted by the magazine. Four Silicon Prairie-based startups made this year's edition: PlanetReuse, Opendorse by Hurrdat, AgLocal and Modern Meadow. It's fitting, of course, that half of the region's picks—the latter two—are in the publication's "Rural Life" category. And another startup in the category—Wide Open Spaces—is a Dundee Venture Capital portfolio company. Maybe next year the region will own that category. Here's a closer look at the honored companies … read more
May 28, 2013 by Megan Bannister
Urbandale Erin Rollenhagen, 33, had run six Dam to Dams when she was diagnosed with early onset Parkinson's disease. Now more than two years later, Rollenhagen is headed back to the race course, determined not to let the disease get in the way of her love to run. … read more
May 28, 2013 by Megan Bannister
Cedar Falls Cedar Falls today becomes the first city in Iowa to make the national shortlist of "gigabit cities"—locations where gigabit Internet service ... read more
May 28, 2013 by Fred Bauters
San Francisco Kansas City-based EyeVerify and Cedar Falls, Iowa-based Banno recently showcased their work at Finovate, a conference devoted to financial and banking technology. Their presentations, which took place May 14 in San Francisco, are now posted on the Finovate site, which we've linked to below. EyeVerify's Toby Rush, CEO, and Chris Barnett, executive vice … read more
May 28, 2013 by Megan Bannister
Pella As the first Central College "Startup Semester" draws to a close, students from two of the six companies formed will continue to pursue their business ventures full-time over the summer. This past spring, Wade Steenhoek, director of the college's Martin Heerema Entrepreneurship … read more
May 28, 2013 by Brittany Mascio
Omaha In one of the most memorable talks in Big Omaha history, the one and only Marc Eckō shared a syllabus of knowledge and transformed our stage into an academic environment complete with tweed jacket and intellectual specs. And to top it off, he had a stiff drink in hand. Drawing inspiration from The Notorious B.I.G., "Dr. Marc Eckō" deciphered the late-90s song, "Ten Crack Commandments," … read more
