-
Des Moines-based Pitchly doesn’t balk at raising funds during pandemic
Raising an investment round for a startup is never easy. Try doing it during a global pandemic. But it is possible with a combination of bold leadership, committed VCs and a good idea. Just ask Ryan Gerhardy, CEO and co-founder of Des Moines startup Pitchly. Earlier this month, the data-driven productivity platform announced it had…
-
IT support company REDiTECH plans Iowa expansion
Omaha tech support company REDiTECH, which provides clients with outsourced computer support around the clock, is expanding into Iowa, opening an office in Des Moines next month. REDiTECH is not letting the global pandemic disrupt plans to expand, company leadership said. With an existing client base already in place in Des Moines, the expansion will…
-
Developing Leadership When Things Are Not Good
Originally posted on the AIM Institute blog No one knows how the coronavirus pandemic will evolve, how long the economy will stay underwater, or even what recovery looks like. But the radical workplace upheaval and sudden ad hoc shift to remote technology over the past month suggest two truths: We need more tech talent. We…
-
“At Home in a Crisis Trying to Work”: Cheered on by the Startup Collaborative, Founders Face Grim Future with Hope
Erica Wassinger, Senior Director of Entrepreneurship & Innovation for the Greater Omaha Chamber, exerts considerable energy and influence helping entrepreneurs weather the storms of starting up. Her work as cofounder of The Startup Collaborative often brings her as close to founders as public health guidelines currently allow. For the past month, she’s been speaking with…
-
Hybrid85 passes profits onto farmers
At the very top of the Nebraska State Capitol building stands a 32-foot tall bronze statue of the Sower, a figure representing agriculture’s vital role in the development of modern civilization. Maybe it wasn’t the best fit for the state license plate, but the Sower is an undeniable symbol of Nebraska. According to the Nebraska…
-
Weekly Funding Report
The Silicon Prairie had an excellent week as deals appear to be closing before the holiday rush. St. Louis and Minneapolis had strong weeks. And we had a big round in Oklahoma. The Zero Card of Tulsa which provides an interesting software solution to healthcare costs received significant outside funding – including participation from the…
-
Research: Talent Attraction Case Study (Nebraska)
Last summer, the Aksarben Foundation approached Chapman and Company about creating a landscape analysis on talent for Nebraska. While this analysis is about Nebraska, there are many lessons for communities throughout the Silicon Prairie region. Here are some broad stroke lessons from the report: The United States is WAY behind on technology talent. This is…
-
Silicon Prairie Podcasts: A List
In honor of the IO Summit, which was born out of the IO Podcast, Silicon Prairie News has compiled a list of some of our favorite podcasts from the Silicon Prairie: The Inside Outside Podcast – http://insideoutside.io/ – With over 168 episodes bringing together entrepreneurship and corporate innovation, this podcast is a regional leader in…
-
Funding Round Up: Week of September 30
The funding round up is an aggregation of a variety of sources, including Pitchbook, Form Ds, and Crunchbase. After building a list from these sources, we look for press releases and other mechanisms to provide more information. If you are would like to appear in the funding round up next week, please email us at…
-
Flywheel founder Dusty Davidson at TechBrew
Last week, Dusty Davidson visited TechBrew in Council Bluffs, Iowa. We were in attendance and taped some of what he had to say. In particular, we thought that his response to a question about growing up in the Midwest was poignant. So, we thought that we would share it with you.