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UPshow raises $6 million in venture funding
UPshow closed a $6 million Series A venture funding round on March 14. TDF Ventures and Jump Capital led the round with other undisclosed investors participating. The company plans to use the funds to fuel growth and enhance product development. The company, based in Chicago, was founded in 2015 by Adam Hirsen and Matt Gibbs.…
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BioSTL receives grant to launch new agtech solution validation program
With the help of a $100,000 grant from the Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator (IN2), BioSTL is moving forward with a first-of-its-kind solution for moving Agtech ideas from concept to production by directly connecting innovators with Missouri growers. As part of this new Early Adopter Grower Innovation Community (EAGIC), BioSTL will convene a community of Missouri…
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How one startup benefited from leaving L.A. and moving to St. Louis
SwipeSum CEO Michael Seaman didn’t know what to expect when he moved to St. Louis from Los Angeles in January 2018. But what started with Michael and his brother Stephen in a downtown coworking space has grown into a twelve-person team. Michael said that Stephen had been living in St. Louis and convinced him to…
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SPN Community Survey: Milwaukee survey report
The Milwaukee community finished first among Tier 2 cities according to the 2018 SPN State of the Silicon Prairie Report. Here are a few tidbits of information from the SPN community survey about how the local residents view their ecosystem. What are the best features of your ecosystem? Connecting activities Great food and entertainment Inclusive…
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FanFood closes $2 million Series A round
Fret not, fans! All eyes on the game – no need to worry about missing the big play or maneuvering through rows of knees and elbows to stand in line for a hotdog. FanFood can bring it right to your seat. Iowa City-based startup FanFood has raised $2.05 million in Series A venture funding, in…
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Evolve Additive Solutions closes $19 million equity deal
Evolve Additive Solutions raised $18.99 million in venture funding in a deal lead by Stanley Ventures and other undisclosed investors on March 4. The company is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota, and in 2017 spun out of Stratasys, a provider of 3D printing services, based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota. Evolve was created to bring the Stratasys…
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Lawn Buddy revolutionizing lawncare
Sometimes the grass is greener, and other times, it’s overgrown. Wichita-based Lawn Buddy can help with the latter. Steven Werner grew up on a small ranch in Wyoming, enlisted in the Marine Corp as a junior in high school, toured in Afghanistan, and found his way back to Wyoming in 2013. Throughout his military career,…
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Retail Aware raises early stage round
Retail Aware has announced the completion of an early stage funding round – receiving dollars from both angel and strategic investors. Retail Aware is a developer of business intelligence software and hardware designed to help brands maximize every opportunity in the aisles. The company collects data intelligence through its patent pending micro sensors. These sensors…
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Milwaukee, St. Louis, and Kansas City lead the Midwest in first fundings of female-founded companies
A new report signals that St. Louis, Kansas City, and Milwaukee excel compared to the rest of the Silicon Prairie when it comes to first fundings of female-founded companies. The report, published by the Center for American Entrepreneurship and Research Director Ian Hathaway, details the pathway for many early-stage companies and the continued relative scarcity…
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St. Louis-based Tunespeak innovates in the music industry
St. Louis-based Tunespeak is a win-win for musicians and their fans. Have you entered to win tickets to see Old Dominion in Cedar Rapids, IA on March 31? Or Hunter Hayes in Madison, WI on May 2 including a meet and greet? Or how about The Maine right here in Omaha on May 26? Huh…what…you…