Startup Life
-
Inside ISU’s Startup Continuum: From Startup Factory to Iowa G2M with Hannah Kirkendall
Host Kaylee Williams welcomes guest Hannah Kirkendall, program manager of the ISU Startup Continuum under the ISU Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship. The Continuum comprises three linked, founder-driven programs designed as sequential on- and off-ramps along a startup journey: ISU Startup Factory (an incubator-style intro program), ISU Venture Mentoring Service (VMS), and the Iowa Go-to-Market Accelerator…
-
Inside the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses Program with Jacki Boldt
In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Jacki Boldt, the Executive Director of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses program in Iowa. Since its arrival eight years ago, the program has evolved from a “pop-up” initiative into a cornerstone of Iowa’s economic development landscape. More Than Just…
-
A healthcare-focused venture studio based in Iowa
Host Kaylee welcomes Krista Martin, Partner at Novy (Novy Ventures), a healthcare-focused venture studio based in Iowa. Krista shares her path from product management and growth leadership in Iowa and Indianapolis to hands-on company building at a studio—crediting exposure to High Alpha’s model for inspiring Novy’s approach and community mindset. Inside Novy’s model Company’s First…
-
Pivoting in Biotech with Dr. Tony Vanden Bush of Syntherna
On this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams welcomes back Dr. Tony Vanden Bush, CEO of Syntherna, for a candid look at how the biotech startup has navigated a shifting market. Since their last chat in August 2024, attitudes toward RNA vaccines have cooled and animal-health regulatory timelines have lengthened – two…
-
Welcoming the 12th GIA Cohort with Dan Israel
Host Kaylee kicks off the New Year on the Iowa Tech Podcast from Jethro’s Barbecue Studio with guest Dan Israel, Managing Director of the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA). The GIA has just begun its 100-day program for its most international cohort yet: six startups representing founders from Sweden, the UK, Germany, Wales, Canada, and the…
-
Poking Holes in Tradition: ReEnvision Ag’s Seed Spike and the Future of Precision Planting
Jayson Ryner, founder and CEO of ReEnvision Ag and entrepreneurship professor at NIACC, explains the Seed Spike planter—the first ultra–low soil disturbance planter built for the soil-health era. How Seed Spike Works Ryner explains how the simple “poke-and-place” mechanism lets farmers plant earlier with less power, improves emergence and spacing, and thrives in no-till and…
-
From ultra-marathons to urban farming: how to build a resilient startup with Clayton Mooney
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee interviews Clayton Mooney, Co-Founder and Chief Farmer of Clayton Farms. The conversation kicks off with Clayton sharing his preparation for an ultra marathon, highlighting the parallels between the perseverance required in both athletics and entrepreneurship. Clayton, an entrepreneur for most of his life, discusses his…
-
The impact of global tariffs on one Iowa startup with Russel Karim
In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee interviews Russel Karim, CEO and co-founder of SourceEazy. Russel shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) and highlights his roots in Bangladesh. Initially, he developed a startup called Solver Iowa, which, although it didn’t succeed, was nominated for Innovation…
-
Building Iowa startups with Curt Nelson and Ben Clark of the Entrepreneurial Development Center
This episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee, features a conversation with Curt Nelson, President and CEO of the Entrepreneurial Development Center (EDC), and Ben Clark, the Entrepreneur in Residence at EDC. The discussion takes place at the Jethro’s Barbecue Studio in East Village, with the focus on the role of EDC in…
-
From Bootstrapping to Big Business: Levi Rosol’s Journey with We Write Code
In a recent episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviewed Levi Rosol, the CEO and founder of We Write Code. Levi, who has over 20 years of experience in the tech industry, shared insights about his career journey and the evolution of his company. Initially, Levi’s company focused heavily on startups due…