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Simple Strat – solving a not so simple problem for marketers everywhere
Last week, SPN had the chance to speak with Ali Schwanke, founder and CEO of Simple Strat. In short, Simple Strat is a Lincoln-based marketing agency that helps B2B companies with growth marketing through a variety of services including inbound and digital marketing, video, and sales enablement. However, Ali and her co-founder Tyler are also…
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Iowa State Fair hosts Iowa State University pitch competition
More than 200 Iowa State University student and alumni entrepreneurs representing 168 business ventures gathered to pitch their products and services as part of Iowa State University’s exhibit in the Varied Industries Building at the Iowa State Fair. The event took place from August 8-18. Each pitch contestant competed for $1,000 to $5000 awards in the “Great Iowa State University STANDING innOVATION…
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Rantizo: improving the ag industry one drone at a time
Last week, SPN had the chance to speak with Michael Ott, founder and CEO of Rantizo – a company offering a unique, easy-to-use and cost-effective solution to agrichemical spraying via drones. Rantizo sells agricultural drones and drone spraying services. These drones deliver targeted sprays precisely where they are needed for various agricultural applications. Rantizo’s upgraded…
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FanFood announces partnership with Samsung
Last week, SPN had the chance to speak with Carson Goodale, founder, and CEO of FanFood. FanFood was originally formed in Iowa but the company has since moved to Chicago to pursue their business. FanFood is a mobile ordering and concessions management platform designed to improve the fan experience while streamlining the concessions management and…
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Fourstarzz Media: fueling the growth of influencer marketing
Over the past 50 years, business marketing strategies have changed substantially. But there has always been one constant – the power of word-of-mouth marketing. People talking to people has always been one of the most impactful marketing methods. The rise in social media personalities has hence sparked the interest of many businesses. Now marketers can…
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BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation – enticing graduates and companies to stay native to the state of Wisconsin
BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation, or “BrightStar”, celebrated their sixth anniversary in July of this year. The organization has come quite far since its founding. So, what do they do? BrightStar Wisconsin Foundation is an entity looking to fill the early-stage funding void by providing charitable foundations, corporations, and wealthy individuals with a vehicle to help fund…
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Tstud ™ – saving energy has never looked so good
Roosevelt Energy Technologies, Inc., the exclusive North American licensee of the entire Tstud ™ product lineup and the Tstud ™ wall assembly, announced that it received two funding tranches totaling to $1m. $500k was allocated to the company in July; the other $500k will be given in the month of April. Roosevelt Energy offers an…
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Omaha-based GrainBridge helps farmers maximize profits
Farming has advanced substantially over the last 50 years, with faster and more efficient equipment, advances in fertilizer and pest management, GPS technology, and precision planting – to name only a few. These production innovations have helped farmers operate more efficiently, increase yields, and ultimately be more profitable. GrainBridge has added to this list of…
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Ideawake raises $780k in funding
Ideawake, a Milwaukee based provider of cloud-based management software, announced this summer that it raised $780k in funding. The company’s most recent round of $780,000 (according to Pitchbook), in the second quarter, continues its strong fundraising efforts. Current funders include BrightStar Wisconsin, a state-wide funding source for funding early stage companies as a mechanism to…
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Player’s Health striving to create the safest environment possible for athletes
Many of us can relate to reminiscing over our “glory days” on the field. Today, there are over 46.5 million children (aged six to 17) participating in youth sports who are creating memories of their own. This week, I had the chance to interview a former professional athlete-turned-entrepreneur who is striving to level the playing…