Des Moines Part of what makes our Thinc Iowa conference more than a conference is the time around the keynotes. In these moments, magic happens – people connect, inspiration strikes and ideas mature. The first opportunity for that magic is Oct. 9 at our Thinc Iowa Opening Party with the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation. The venue for this party is Wooly's, a music hot spot in the historic East Village of downtown Des Moines. … read more

Des Moines Earlier this week we announced our final additions to this year's Thinc Iowa lineup, including Steve Case, co-founder and former CEO of AOL and current chairman of the Startup America Partnership. Today, we're excited to reveal the full event schedule, complete with parties and speaker times.* Find speaker bios, photos and event details on thinciowa.com and stay tuned to Silicon Prairie News for the most up-to-date information on … read more

Des Moines To round out our Thinc Iowa 2012 speaker slate, we couldn't be more excited to announce the addition of three entrepreneurs, including Steve Case, co-founder and former CEO of AOL. Case, a pivotal figure in the evolution of the internet, led AOL to its peak and negotiated the company's merger with Time Warner, a deal that catapulted Case as a leader and "one of the nation's greatest entrepreneurs," according to CNBC. Case is currently the chairman of the Startup America Partnership, and co-chair of the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship. In addition to his role with Startup America, Case is the chairman and CEO of Revolution – an investment firm that has backed more than two dozen companies, including LivingSocial, Zipcar … read more

Last week, we announced that the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the top sponsor of Thinc Iowa 2012, would give away six tickets to our upcoming event. To enter, individuals were asked to answer this question: "How can the Silicon Prairie region (in and around Omaha, Des Moines and Kansas City) better collaborate to improve conditions for all entrepreneurs in the area?" With the regional community in mind, tickets are being awarded to two individuals … read more

We're thrilled to have investor, entrepreneur and author Brad Feld join us in Des Moines in a little more than two weeks to present at Thinc Iowa 2011, our conference on innovation and entrepreneurship. Brad's work in Boulder, Colo. has served as a model for what we've been building within the Silicon Prairie News community since 2008. In looking to a city like Boulder, one that has not only branded … read more

Des Moines Innovator or instigator. Entrepreneur or wantapaneur. Startup founder or startup fan. No matter how you identify yourself, we invite you to join us at Thinc Iowa 2012, our sixth conference on innovation and entrepreneurship. The two-and-a-half-day event kicks off with an opening party at 8 p.m. on Oct. 9, which is just a little more than two weeks away. Tickets still remain, with friendly discounts available for entrepreneurs, startups, students and non-profits. … read more

The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, the premeir sponsor of Thinc Iowa 2012, wants to hear your ideas to make the Silicon Prairie a more collaborative region for entrepreneurs and startups. In exchange, they want to send you to Thinc Iowa and, while you're there, buy you dinner. The six individuals who submit the best answers to the question below earn a free ticket (a $449 value) and … read more

Des Moines Today, we're adding two skilled entrepreneurs to our Thinc Iowa lineup who will share their story, provide guidance and lend pointers to give attendees perspective with what they're working on. At Thinc Iowa Oct. 9-11, we're spinning a web of support for hustlers, entrepreneurs, investors and doers … read more

Des Moines It's hard to believe, but we're just three weeks out from our second annual Thinc Iowa conference. Our team is heads down, working hard to execute the small details that go into putting on our Silicon Prairie Series events. We do our best to make sure everything fits into the overall experience: from the parties to the speakers to the venue. As we look forward to the event kicking off October 9, however, we're most excited about the things that will happen that … read more

Des Moines During the two and a half days of our Thinc Iowa event, Oct. 9-11, the parties play into the full conference experience. From the opening party Tuesday to the closing party Thursday, they're just as integral to an attendee's experience as what happens in our main venue, The Temple for Performing Arts. Highlighted below are the four local venues where we will host our parties – two of which are open … read more