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McClanahan Studio owners tell their story, discuss photography style
One positive of a recessing economy is that it enables some would-be entrepreneurs to take the risk and launch out on their own. That was the case for Dan and Alex McClanahan, who in 2009 were recent graduates of Iowa State University in journalism and graphic design, respectively. The pair, who are married, thought they…
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TAI’s Prometheus Awards highlight innovation throughout Iowa
Playing on its reputation as the “Academy Awards of Iowa’s high tech industry,” the fifth annual Prometheus Awards took place last night with a Hollywood-style theme, complete with a celebrity photo booth, award statues, plenty of tuxedos, and even a red carpet. The awards are a production of the Technology Association of Iowa (TAI) meant…
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Hatchlings founder talks about the success of his Facebook app company
When you put together a list of the fastest growing technology companies in Iowa, you probably don’t include Hatchlings, Inc., but you should. I recently had the chance to sit down with Brad Dwyer the company’s founder, who is also a senior in Computer Science and Entrepreneurial Studies at Iowa State University, to learn about…
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Christian Renaud talks about the needs of a startup community
In the second part of my interview with Christian Renaud, CEO of Palisade Systems, we discussed the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Des Moines. Christian’s broad experience in the entrepreneurial space, including nearly eight years targeting and vetting new markets for Cisco Systems at the company’s San Francisco headquarters, gives him the unique perspective to benchmark the…
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TAI announces Prometheus Award finalists
The 2010 Prometheus Award finalists were announced Thursday, honoring the best technology companies and professionals throughout Iowa. This year’s awards are co-sponsored by LWBJ Financial and are the fifth annual recognition by the Technology Association of Iowa. Winners will be announced in a ceremony at The Meadows Convention Center in Altoona on April 6th.
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Christian Renaud of Palisade Systems talks technology, raising capital
Christian Renaud has years of experience working in technology companies up and down both coasts but now chooses to dedicate his time to growing a company in his hometown of Des Moines. His venture, Palisade Systems, Inc., is a provider of security solutions for regulatory compliance. Their products monitor data leaving an organization through a…
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Iowa professor named ‘Innovator of the Year’ by national magazine
Dr. Hans van Leeuwen, an Iowa State University professor of Environmental and Biological Engineering, was recently named “Innovator of the Year” by R&D Magazine. Dr. van Leeuwen’s research has led to technologies that allow for pure drinking water to be derived from wastewater, that eliminate bacteria and pests from ballast water used in shipping, and…
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Iowa Women of Innovation awards recap
On Tuesday evening, November 10th, I had the opportunity to attend the second annual Iowa Women of Innovation Awards as the guest of the Technology Association of Iowa. The Women of Innovation awards recognize the achievement of female Iowans in one of several categories ranging from leadership in large companies to education in the University…