Startup Life
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Zero to Acquired: the PicklePlay Story with Blake Renaud
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee interviews Blake Renaud, the founder of PicklePlay, a startup capitalizing on the global popularity of pickleball. Blake, based in Cedar Falls, Iowa, discusses her journey as an entrepreneur, starting with her casual involvement in pickleball which led to identifying several pain points in the sport.…
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Joel Harris: CEO and Co-Founder of Genvax Technologies
The Iowa Tech Podcast, hosted by Kaylee, features an interview with Joel Harris, CEO and co-founder of Genvax Technologies. Joel shares insights about his journey into entrepreneurship and how he transitioned from the venture capital side to founding Genvax. He details his upbringing as the son of veterinarians, his education in economics, and how he…
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Are accelerators dead?
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, Kaylee interviews Dan Israel from the Global Insurance Accelerator (GIA) to discuss the unique role and success of the accelerator in Iowa’s tech ecosystem. Dan shares insights into his background, highlighting his transition from large corporate organizations to leading the GIA. He emphasizes the importance of innovation…
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A Veteran of the Des Moines’ Startup Community, John Jackovin
In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews John Jackovin, Executive Director of BrokerTech Ventures Accelerator, about his extensive experience in the Des Moines startup ecosystem. John recounts his journey from founding his first company in 2000 to his current role, including the lessons learned from his ventures, such as…
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From Founding to Funding: Kirps on Building WorkHound and Shaping Iowa’s Startup Scene
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, we welcome Andrew Kirpalani (affectionately known as “Kirps” in the Des Moines startup community), a seasoned entrepreneur and skilled technologist to discuss his journey and insights into building a successful startup company and flourishing in an entrepreneurial ecosystem. Kirps, who graduated from Iowa State with a background…