Twenty-third Edition: Startup Iowa Hot List
Meet the startups to support and watch in Iowa + beyond
Every month, I write a newsletter for Iowa entrepreneurs to get more connected to the strong networks of support in the Midwest (and beyond). Investors, entrepreneurs, mentors, corporate leaders, economic developers, researchers, and educators in and outside Iowa can dial in on the startup activity happening across the state while finding the next business to support.
Welcome to the 6 new Startup Iowa Hot List members who have joined us since the last edition. Join 677 intelligent, curious, and supportive startup champions by subscribing below.
Spotlight Event: Iowa Angel Investor Summit in Des Moines
The Iowa Angel Investor Summit is a one-day summit on Tuesday, November 19, for active and aspiring angel (startup) investors to help accelerate the entrepreneurs who are changing the world.
The summit experience will share topics around:
Fundamentals on Angel Investing
Developing an Investor Strategy
The Midwest Advantage
Impact Investing
Investing in Consumer Package Goods
Bringing back The Best of the Midwest, a special investor pitch event featuring Midwest startups actively fundraising where angel investors and fund managers can jointly invest through a special investment fund created for just this event
Sponsored by Iowa Economic Development Authority, Dentons, UHY Advisors, and BrownWinick Law. Registration is now open!
Startups interested in pitching at the Best of the Midwest, apply before November 4 here.
Actively Raising
🚀HorizenAg
Highlights: Horizen is building the first AI-native, modern operating system for the agricultural supply chain that automates workflows, optimizes inventory, and streamlines communication.
Raising: $3,000,000
Backed by Bienville Capital
Founding team: Sam Herro & Kalyan Ganesan
Contact: sam@horizen.ag + web
HQ: Des Moines, IA
Can you help? The team is keenly interested in connecting with forward-thinking agriculture retailers and co-ops.
🚀MedDefend
Highlights: MedDefend is an AI powered tool designed to cut down diagnostic timelines, reduce physician workload, and increase care for chronic and autoimmune conditions. The software captures real time patient data to curate customized health reports and action plans for each patient, leading to faster diagnoses and better patient outcomes.
Raising: $750,000
Backed by: Techstars, JP Morgan Chase, Minerva Fund, MATTER Health, The Medical Alley, Quest Diagnostics
Founding team: Sarah Porter, CEO and Founder; Eric Rosa, Fractional CTO; Eric Regiani, Founding Developer
Contact: sarah@mymeddefend.com + web
HQ: Des Moines, IA
Can you help? The team is looking to meet investors, receive feedback on an upcoming B2B product launch, connect with founders in the healthtech space, and expand their network in the DSM area!
🚀Want to be featured? Looking for more Iowa businesses for investment?
For a list of more startups actively raising (that may not appear in this newsletter) or to be featured in the next edition, reach out!
Have you missed a monthly digest? Check out the Startup Iowa Hot List archives for companies raising here.
Mergers & Acquisitions
+ EnGeniousAg (Ames, IA) acquired by CropX
Upcoming Events
📅 October 16 - Entrepreneur Field Day: Haber Technologies (Ames)
📅 October 17- SheTalks (Ames)
📅 October 18- Community Catalyst Application Workshop (Harlan)
📅 October 22- ISU Lecture Series: Daymon John with SharkTank (Ames)
📅 October 23 - Entrepreneur Field Day: Hummingbirds (DSM)
📅 October 26 - Creatives’ Breakfast Club: Grant Writing (DSM)
📅 October 29 - Entrepreneur Field Day: Moglea (DSM)
📅 November 1 - Community Catalyst Application Workshop (Williamsburg)
📅 November 6 - Prometheus Awards (DSM)
📅 November 14 - Business Transition Planning Workshop (Mason City)
📅 November 19 - Iowa Angel Investor Summit (DSM)
📅 November 20 - Business Growth Series: Funding (Cedar Rapids)
📅 December 5 - InnoVenture Challenge (DSM)
Have an event to share that would be great for the entrepreneur community to know about? Reach out!
Story + Sound Bites
🔊Rise Energy: One man’s waste is another man’s jet fuel: Rise Energy offers solutions for biomass waste (Startup Stories DSM Podcast)
🔊Pryone Systems: The Global Impact of Bioscience Innovation (Iowa Tech Podcast)
✏️ What a job! What a life! What a joy! Remembering Roy Reiman (Cheryl Tevis)
✏️ The Iowa Writer’s Collective: Follow these foremost Iowa journalists in the country (Substack)
🗞️ NIACC Pappajohn Center honors founders, businesses at Entrepreneur Gala (innovationIOWA)
🗞️ BiLT Guitars makes music, one custom guitar at a time (Made in Iowa)
🗞️ 10,000 Small Business opens spring cohort registration, fall cohort announced (innovationIOWA)
🗞️ Local investors launching new $6 million early-stage venture capital fund (innovationIOWA)
What’s in a name? The Startup Iowa Hot List is specially curated with a rush of urgency to read just before the news cools. See a company you are interested in helping? Please act and support entrepreneurs who may be featured on this list and those close by, impacting our local communities and neighborhoods.
Entrepreneurship has always been a community sport.
The Startup Iowa Hot List is produced by the Greater Des Moines Partnership.
Want to be featured in the next Startup Iowa Hot List? Reach out to Diana at dwright@dsmpartnership.com.