Venture Capital
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Iowa Startup Week
What is Iowa Startup Week? Kaylee is joined by Safiya Lee-Evans and Tej Dhawan, co-organizers of Iowa’s inaugural Startup Week, taking place September 29 through October 1st in Des Moines. The three discuss the vision, structure, and significance of bringing a Startup Week model to Iowa for the very first time. Tej explains why the…
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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…
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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…
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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…
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Navigating the Entrepreneurial Landscape: An Insightful Journey with Micah Walker
In the first episode of 2025 of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Micah Walker, an analyst at the InnoVenture Iowa Fund. Micah shares his entrepreneurial journey, which began at a young age due to his desire to create shoes for people with flat feet. Raised in a family with a real estate…
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How to Raise Venture Capital with Liz Keehner
On this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, we welcome Liz Keehner from Next Level Ventures to discuss her journey and insights into the venture capital (VC) industry. Liz shares her background, starting from her upbringing in Iowa, education in finance and entrepreneurship, and her venture capital experience in Austin, Texas, before returning to Iowa.…