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Cameo Secures Massive Series B Round
Cameo is a Chicago-based startup that makes it possible to buy personalized shout-outs from celebrities and influencers. In June 2019 they received $50 million in a round of series B funding led by American venture capitalist firm, Kleiner Perkins. After the injection of funds, the company has increased its valuation from $250 million to $300 million. …
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Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) Provides Funds
The Iowa Economic Development Authority (“IEDA”) announced that five companies had received demonstration funds from IEDA last week The five companies funded by the IEDA are: Home Painter received a proof of concept loan of $25,000, Lender Close received a Propel Loan of $250,000 from the Iowa Acceleration Fund, MakuSafe received a…
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Minneapolis-Based Upsie Raise Big Series A Round
Upsie, a tech company that focuses on supplying warranties for various devices based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, received $5 million in Series A Early Stage Venture funding from a group of venture capitalists headed by Silicon-Valley based tech investors, True Ventures, In May. Upsie provides a consumer-friendly platform for the purchase of affordable warranties. Clarence Bethea, CEO said “We want consumers…
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3E Software Raise Late-Stage VC
In June 2019, 3E Software, a Fayetteville, Arkansas company that simplifies and improves financial systems through the use of their online platform, received $300 thousand in a round of late-stage venture capitalist funding sponsored by Community Bank Investors of America and Cadron Capital Partners. 3E Software provides its financial software through its platform, Teslar. Teslar is based…
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Live Undiscovered Music (LÜM) closes seed funding round
In May, Live Undiscovered Music, or LÜM received $750,000 in seed round funding. LÜM is a music streaming service that is based in Madison, Wisconsin. This platform is different than Spotify or Pandora because as the name suggests, it features music of artists who are undiscovered. LÜM’s steaming service is unique because its platform…
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Silicon Prairie Tech offers a Slack community for all Prairie innovators
Creator Geoff Arnold and collaborator Sean Richardson of Flyover Technology based in Sioux City, Iowa, announced this week the creation of a Slack-based entrepreneurial community, Silicon Prairie Tech. “There are vast amounts of smart and talented people in Silicon Prairie doing great things. SPT will be the place where if you need some help on…
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White House Demo Day announces Year of the Startup among SBA prize winners
Omaha based startup house program Year Of The Startup has been included as 1 of 80 winners in the second annual Growth Accelerator Fund Competition. “This award will allow us to have a runway as we continue our expansion,” said Sebastian Hunt, Founder of Year Of The Startup. Founded in 2014, Year Of The Startup began…
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Do we really need Silicon Prairie News?
Three months ago I was hired by AIM to be the new managing editor of Silicon Prairie News. Since then, nearly every day, I’ve listened to entrepreneurs across the region. I’ve met college students with a kickstarter and a dream. I’ve met mid-career professionals who hit the restart button and are risking everything with kids…
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Building the Silicon Prairie: Where we go from here
“As one of the few seed venture capital firms in the Silicon Prairie, Dundee Venture Capital has been lucky enough to see first-hand some of the incredible changes happening here the last several years, and to invest in many of the companies driving those changes. We are witnessing an era where the next Fortune 500s…
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What’s in a name? Lightbank’s Lee gives two cents on ‘Silicon Prairie’
What’s in a name? Would the Silicon Prairie by any other name smell as innovative? That question — or a less wannabe-Shakespearian rendition thereof — is one we frequently encounter in our coverage of the entrepreneurial landscape in the heart of the Midwest. Some people welcome use of the phrase “Silicon Prairie” with open arms.…