innovationIOWA Weekly 3.23.23

The renovated Maple Studios space on the campus of factory automation equipment distributor Ramco Innovations is now open. It's designed to support early-stage industrial technology companies and founders during their startup to growth stages.

Since 2018, Maple Studios, formerly Maple Ventures, has filled gaps for industrial technology companies by providing support services, collaboration and workspace as founders built their products and their businesses.

Following the renovation, Maple Studios is continuing and expanding its offerings and embracing a the startup studio business model, which is loosely defined as a site where an established company supports new businesses.

Ramco President Hank Norem said the company remodeled one of its three buildings to dedicate to Maple Studios. The 10,000-square-foot space offers desks and offices available to rent as well as workbenches, private tinker labs and warehouse space.

The expansion means Maple Studios is now welcoming as members any companies building a physical product. Before, member companies were more aligned with Ramco’s lines of business, including sensors and electrical components.

Maple Studios Director Megan Brandt said she doesn’t aim to fill the space entirely but to have a few companies of different sizes join and allow them to grow.

Growth is also the focus behind offering fractional services from the Ramco team. Members pay to have Ramco employees provide administrative and other services when they are not large enough to support their own employees.

"If your team grows, that's on purpose. That's what we hope to do. You can always take services off, hire a team member for that if you're at the point where that makes sense," Brandt said during a 1 Million Cups presentation held at Maple Studios.

Alongside the physical upgrades, Brandt has spent her first six months as director polishing Maple Studios’ mission and identity.

She sought to change the organization’s name after discovering it generally fit the definition of a startup studio, a place housing early-stage companies and providing support from a larger established company.

Brandt said Maple Studios’ ability to pull from Ramco’s skills and expertise to advise and mentor companies sets it apart from other structured entrepreneurial programs.

Norem said Ramco’s 60 years in manufacturing helps companies when they have a product idea but "don’t know what they don’t know" about navigating the industry.

"We have team members here with lots of years working with manufacturing cycles, sales cycles, distribution cycles, they're able to get that full picture with the experience that's in this building," Norem said.

Getting founders out of their basements

Before coming to Maple Studios, entrepreneurs Gabe Glynn and Brandon Hart were both working out of their homes.

Glynn, CEO of MākuSafe Corp., worked out of Ramco’s space before Maple Ventures was a formal offering and the company remains a tenant. Glynn said having a home base for the company outside of his home lent legitimacy to the business when talking to investors.

"In those early days when we were bringing investors not to my living room and not to my son's bedroom to show them like, ‘Hey, here's what we're working on,’ but we brought them into a space like this — that went a long way in helping us get capital," Glynn said.

Brandon Hart, CEO and owner of HartSmart Products, was looking for ways to grow his 3D printing company when Norem spoke at 1 Million Cups about Maple Ventures.

In the few months Hart was a member, he said he learned what his next steps were.

"All the other resources that they made available to members of Maple Ventures really showed me what I was missing out on by continuing to operate out of my basement, so it was the kick in the pants that I needed to realize I have to get a commercial space," Hart said.

He found a small space initially and in 2021 moved to a retail center located at 9850 Douglas Ave. in Urbandale. The company now sells and assembles 3D printers, designs and prints projects for clients, repairs 3D printers, and sells 3D-printing supplies.

Those interested in learning more about Maple Studios or becoming a member can find information at maplestudios.com.

As National Agriculture Week is recognized March 21-27, Iowa Secretary of Agriculture Mike Naig said the agricultural industry, including Iowa, has numerous opportunities to innovate and solve problems.

Issues stemming from disrupted supply chains in recent years have brought more attention to where "food, fiber and fuel" come from, Naig said.

He credits Iowa’s reputation for managing the risks of raising crops and livestock to a continuous focus in the state on making operations more productive and efficient throughout the supply chain.

Naig shares more below.

This Q&A has been lightly edited and condensed for clarity.

What is distinct about innovation in the agriculture industry?
In agriculture, we've got this approach of we value our heritage, we value our history. We celebrate century and heritage farms in Iowa 100 years or 150 years in the same family. How things used to be done very much matters to us. It's part of our history and heritage, and yet, uniquely in agriculture, we're always looking for the next thing, the new and improved, the new variety, the new piece of equipment, the new technology. I think putting together those two concepts of valuing our history … [while also trying] to put the latest and greatest technology to use on that farm, I think that is unique to agriculture.

Now, how does that play out in Iowa? I think that when I look at this space, I think we've got large, industry-leading, multinational companies in the same space as a really healthy startup ecosystem, and there's a lot of mentoring I think that happens and partnerships that happen there. Those things can happen, and yet do you have something that really matters to agriculture? Do you have something that matters to a producer? Well, we can find that out very quickly too, because we also have some of the most progressive, productive farmers in the world. You don't have to travel very far from Iowa State University or from the headquarters of one of these companies or from one of these startups to a farm and you can find out very quickly whether you've got something that matters or is applicable in agriculture in Iowa, and I think that's so valuable. Not everywhere can say that they can do that.

What does creating an ecosystem that supports ag innovation look like?
You've got to be intentional about it. I think the state of Iowa has made investments, but again, there's a couple of categories here. One is it's the nature of agriculture where we are pursuing innovation all the time so even those established companies are looking for new innovation and new approaches. We've got some challenges that we need to address: global food security, sustainability, reliability, resilience. They're going to take some new approaches to doing things and so I do think that's something that's unique to agriculture — just flat out the number of issues that we need to be addressing and the opportunity for innovation there.

What is the Choose Iowa program, and why was it started?
The whole concept of Choose Iowa or a local branded program really did take on new momentum coming out of COVID where there was a disrupted supply chain, where there was already a trend of wanting to shop local or interest in shopping local. Local means different things to different people, but conceptually wanting to incorporate local into their food purchase decision. Then you had a disrupted supply chain and generally an effort to shorten the distance between the farm and the plate, so you laid those two together and you say, there's never been a time like now to try to bring this forward, so we did it. I took this to the Legislature last year, and it was funded. We're in the process of creating the program and it'll launch later this year.

There's benefits at both ends of the chain — consumers getting something that they want and have been asking for, and then match that up with a tremendous opportunity for producers. I think it does give us an opportunity to diversify agriculture, but also try to capture more of that margin here. If it's produced here, it's processed here, it's sold and consumed here, then that whole supply chain exists within the state of Iowa, so there's an economic upside to that as well.

Continue reading on innovationia.com

Pi515, a youth- and community-based nonprofit in Des Moines, has announced the recipients of its 2023 Community Awards, which recognize corporations or organizations that demonstrate a consistent commitment to supporting youths and their academic journey with innovation and entrepreneurship through mentorship. The 2023 Community Awards will be awarded to John Deere ISG, Principal Financial Group, Meta and the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Centers. Connie Wimer, founder and chairman of Business Publications Corp. (parent company of the Business Record), is the recipient of Pi515’s 2023 Legacy Award. "Connie Wimer has been an exceptional trailblazer and advocate for women in business. Her remarkable career is characterized by her commitment to breaking down barriers and empowering women and young people," Pi515 Executive Director Nancy Mwirotsi said in a prepared statement. "Connie’s unwavering advocacy efforts have left a remarkable and enduring legacy for women, making a positive impact in our community." John Pappajohn received the nonprofit’s Legacy Award in 2022. Recipients will be recognized on April 27 during the Day of Innovation event, which celebrates the conclusion of Pi515’s Girls Entrepreneurship Summit.

Scale DSM accepting applications for second cohort
Applications are open now through May 7 for the second Scale DSM Minority Business Accelerator program offered by the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Participants complete the Streetwise MBA (minority business accelerator) curriculum from Interise to gain access to knowledge, management know-how and networks needed to increase revenue, create jobs and have a positive impact on the community. The second cohort begins June 13 and ends Dec. 12. Participants must be minority-owned and meet other requirements. More information about the program and requirements are available on the program page. To apply, visit this link. The Scale DSM program is sponsored by Wells Fargo.

ProCircular, ServiShare partner to improve hospitals’ cybersecurity
Corridor Business Journal: ProCircular and ServiShare, a subsidiary of the Iowa Hospital Association, announced a three year partnership March 13 to meet cybersecurity needs of Iowa hospitals. The Coralville-based cybersecurity company was selected by ServiShare because of its connection to the state as the largest Iowa-based cybersecurity and compliance firm, according to a release. "Their extensive experience protecting valuable data, providing proactive solutions, and meeting compliance requirements is necessary for members so they can focus on delivering high-quality healthcare to Iowans," said ServiShare Executive Vice President Perry Meyer in a statement. ServiShare gives Iowa hospitals management resources and partners who make the business of healthcare more efficient.

Other news:
- Pitchly closes $7 Million Series A funding round (Clay & Milk)
- Iowa City launches $4 million inclusive economic program (Corridor Business Journal)
- Some SVB borrowers get the best of both worlds following bank's collapse (Pitchbook)

ONE GOOD TECH READ
An Iowa high schooler invented an infection-detecting suture. Now she’s a CEO.

DES MOINES REGISTER: Dasia Taylor’s hand was up before her brain registered what she was doing. Her AP chemistry teacher at Iowa City's West High School had just asked which students might be interested in competing at an upcoming science fair, and Taylor was volunteering — or so that hand was telling her. A humanities-focused high school junior — who was already overextended in student senate, on the district’s diversity and equity committee, and through myriad other anti-racism focused activities — Taylor had no background, or interest, frankly, in science fairs. But she lives by a simple code: Be curious. With purses in the thousands and competitors honing ideas and tactics since elementary school, today’s science fair projects are far from the slapdash papier-mâché volcanoes of yore. The odds were so stacked against her that taking home a win would be the STEM equivalent of Rudy scoring a last-second touchdown. But Taylor didn’t just win that competition, she won the next one and the one after that, too. Eventually, she made her way to the final stage of the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Super Bowl of high school science competitions.

IN OTHER NEWS: Microsoft is integrating a generative AI tool called Copilot to help businesses write low-code apps (AI BUSINESS). Telehealth patients are expressing concerns about how they will access health care and medications after expanded rules under the federal public health emergency end in May (FAST COMPANY).

By Michael Crumb | Senior Staff Writer

Alliant Energy and the Iowa State University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences are partnering on a project that will research the potential for adding value to sites where solar arrays are built by planting crops in their shadow.

The idea is to see if that space beneath the panels can be used to grow high-value crops, such as tomatoes, peppers or onions, and if in return those plants can help the solar panels operate more efficiently. The concept is known as agrivoltaics, or using solar power sites for agricultural purposes to make more efficient use of the land and create value for communities where solar arrays are located.

"We’ll be able to get down to the granular data level and see under the panels and say whether you get more energy production out of growing, let’s say, jalapenos under this panel rather than tomatoes, cucumbers or onions and be able to understand what the difference is in energy production and then what thrives in that shaded area," said Nick Peterson, strategic partnerships manager with Alliant Energy. Read more

BUSINESS RECORD CALENDAR
UPCOMING EVENTS

April 11-12: Iowa Rural Summit 2023
Rural communities are once again being asked to bring a three-person team to the seventh annual Iowa Rural Summit, an approach that has helped generate post-summit momentum in previous years for those places that were represented.

The 2023 Rural Summit will feature keynote addresses from two powerful speakers. Danielle Nierenberg is the opening speaker on Tuesday, April 11. In 2013, Nierenberg founded Food Tank, a nonprofit organization focused on building a global community for safe, healthy, nourished eaters. Carrie Henning-Smith will provide the closing keynote on Wednesday, April 12. Henning-Smith is an associate professor at the University of Minnesota School of Public Health and deputy director of the UM Rural Health Research Center and Rural Health Program.

WHEN: All day
WHERE: Gateway Hotel & Conference Center, 2100 Green Hills Drive, Ames
Register on the event page

View our full calendar to see the latest curated business and community events, or suggest an event.

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