Tom Chapman

Tom founded Chapman and Company in April 2016. He has worked with hundreds of startups - including roles as a founder, funder, early executive, and sales person. He has expertise in the startup world from many different angles and has been successful frequently, but not every time - that means he can also empathize with the challenges and emotions that are encountered as a company is starting. Tom is also regarded as one of the leading entrepreneurial ecosystem leaders in the world. He has particular expertise in measuring and creating metrics for entrepreneurial ecosystems. His work has been referenced, cited, and quoted in numerous publications around the world, and he is an active speaker on entrepreneurial ecosystems and their importance. Beyond his work for Chapman and Company, Tom helped grow Beehive Industries (a Lincoln based government technology company), Nebraska Global (a Lincoln based funding organization), and is an alum of Enron and American Electric Power in the energy industry. Tom has both a J.D. and an M.B.A from the University of Nebraska and undergraduate liberal arts degrees from Creighton University.

Anika Horn

Ecosystem Builder for Social Change, Lead Storyteller at Zebras Unite

Tom Chapman

Tom founded Chapman and Company in April 2016. He has worked with hundreds of startups - including roles as a founder, funder, early executive, and sales person. He has expertise in the startup world from many different angles and has been successful frequently, but not every time - that means he can also empathize with the challenges and emotions that are encountered as a company is starting. Tom is also regarded as one of the leading entrepreneurial ecosystem leaders in the world. He has particular expertise in measuring and creating metrics for entrepreneurial ecosystems. His work has been referenced, cited, and quoted in numerous publications around the world, and he is an active speaker on entrepreneurial ecosystems and their importance. Beyond his work for Chapman and Company, Tom helped grow Beehive Industries (a Lincoln based government technology company), Nebraska Global (a Lincoln based funding organization), and is an alum of Enron and American Electric Power in the energy industry. Tom has both a J.D. and an M.B.A from the University of Nebraska and undergraduate liberal arts degrees from Creighton University.

Tej Dhawan

Tej facilitates Plains Angels, an angel network based in Des Moines. The network of 60+ investors was established in 2012 and has invested primarily in Central Iowa companies, occasionally extending to companies shared with them via the Midwest Angel Syndicate and their network of investors outside Iowa. He is also an advocate for startups in the region, mentoring and advising where there is a need and fit, as well as participating in various accelerator programs.

Geoff Wood

Geoff Wood is the founder, connector and space captain at Gravitate Coworking, a workplace community for entrepreneurs, freelancers and remote workers in Downtown Des Moines, Windsor Heights and Jefferson. As part of his role as a community builder, he's the publisher of entrepreneurial news blog Clay & Milk and a frequent conference speaker and event organizer. He's been helping share the story of the Iowa startup community since 2009.

Eric Engelmann

Thomas Swartwood

Tom Swartwood is the inaugural Entrepreneurship Fellow at the Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship and an Associate Professor of Practice of Entrepreneurship at Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa. He is the founder of The Pointer Group LLC, a Des Moines-based small business advisory firm.  Prior to starting his academic career, he was CEO of Dickinson & Co., a Des Moines-based investment banking company, and a Managing Director of Swartwood Hesse Inc., a New York-based investment banking firm that specialized in financing entrepreneurial ventures. He has helped raise more than $120 million for innovative small businesses and has advised hundreds of startup entrepreneurs. He graduated from Dartmouth College with a degree in American history, earned a J.D., from Georgetown University Law Center, and his M.B.A. from Drake University.

Sid Juwarker

Client development manager for the Terracon Des Moines office by day. Comedy Club owner and standup comedian by night!

Antoinette Stevens

Antoinette Stevens is security engineer, professional comedian, and writer in Des Moines, IA. As a technology professional, Antoinette has a passion for tech education and serves on the board of dsmHack, a local nonprofit that hosts a 48-hour annual hackathon where over 100 participants create solutions to technical problems for selected non-profits. Her comedy career began in February 2020. She has since hosted, produced, and featured on multiple shows across the Midwest. As a writer, she works as an external contributor for Raygun and has written for the 48 Hour Film Project in Minneapolis and Madison.

Nicole Gunderson

Alex Taylor

Alex Taylor is the Managing Director for the Iowa Startup Accelerator where he helps a portfolio of startup businesses accelerate their growth, profitability, and success. His prior experience includes 10 years with the University of Iowa managing the Exec. MBA programs and developing custom business and leadership instruction for area businesses. Startups he’s worked with include: Digital Diagnostics (formerly IDx), eFunds, Dell Computer Corp., LIVEware5, Parsons Technology and Telecom USA. He’s got experience in Executive Leadership, Business Development, Corporate and Marketing Communications, and HR. Alex has extensive non-profit experience, teaches in the Tippie College of Business, and with his wife, co-owns and operates Woofables Gourmet Dog Biscuit Bakery. Alex holds a BA in English and an MA in Higher Ed. Admin. (University of Iowa). He’s a passionate father of four, husband of 32 years, friend, reader, writer, runner, and recountour.

Kerty Levy

John Jackovin

Nadilia Gomez

Tom Chapman

Tom founded Chapman and Company in April 2016. He has worked with hundreds of startups - including roles as a founder, funder, early executive, and sales person. He has expertise in the startup world from many different angles and has been successful frequently, but not every time - that means he can also empathize with the challenges and emotions that are encountered as a company is starting. Tom is also regarded as one of the leading entrepreneurial ecosystem leaders in the world. He has particular expertise in measuring and creating metrics for entrepreneurial ecosystems. His work has been referenced, cited, and quoted in numerous publications around the world, and he is an active speaker on entrepreneurial ecosystems and their importance. Beyond his work for Chapman and Company, Tom helped grow Beehive Industries (a Lincoln based government technology company), Nebraska Global (a Lincoln based funding organization), and is an alum of Enron and American Electric Power in the energy industry. Tom has both a J.D. and an M.B.A from the University of Nebraska and undergraduate liberal arts degrees from Creighton University.

Danny Laudick

Tej Dhawan

Tej facilitates Plains Angels, an angel network based in Des Moines. The network of 60+ investors was established in 2012 and has invested primarily in Central Iowa companies, occasionally extending to companies shared with them via the Midwest Angel Syndicate and their network of investors outside Iowa. He is also an advocate for startups in the region, mentoring and advising where there is a need and fit, as well as participating in various accelerator programs.

Jordan DeGree

Jordan is the founder and executive team member of the Rural Ideas Network (ruralideas.net), a nonprofit that amplifies entrepreneur support capacity among rural economic development partners. Through a growing portfolio of plug & play tools and services, the Rural Ideas network is helping more than 50 rural partners, across six states, provide on-demand business support services and launch rural coworking & innovation spaces.

In 2020, Jordan was selected by the governor to serve on the Empower Rural Iowa Taskforce, with a specific focus on supporting entrepreneurial development. He has also served on the Iowa Commission for Volunteer Service and various nonprofit and service organization boards. In 2018, he received a Governor’s volunteer award for his various community service efforts in Iowa.

Sue Gehling

Sue Gehling is a Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner from Carroll, Iowa. She is an experienced children’s mental health clinician and a tireless advocate for families living in rural communities. She is also the founder of Classroom Clinic, a school-based telehealth business providing rural school districts with timely and convenient access to children’s mental health services using telehealth and related technologies.

Her vision is to improve children’s access to mental health care in rural Iowa by utilizing technology and integrating services into nontraditional places. She has been a champion of establishing cross-sector partnerships with educators, and a leader within the school-based telehealth movement here in Iowa. Sue lives on an acreage with her husband and four children.

Ethan Pitt

Ethan Pitt is the Technology Client Advisor for the Iowa SBDC. He assists tech and innovation start-ups with developing their business models by helping them understand the customer perspective and by working with them one-on-one. Prior to working for the SBDC, Ethan worked in Economic Development and Marketing. He has recently completed his Masters in Economics and co-owns a hiring agency out of Chicago.

Diana Wright

Diana Wright is the Startup Community Builder for the Greater Des Moines Partnership. In this role, Wright engages with the existing startups and high-growth businesses in Greater Des Moines. She also helps new and diverse startups connect with the community and its mentors, advisors, investors, and other community leaders and feeders. Wright works to proactively create opportunities to bring the startup community together physically and virtually while leveraging existing services and resources across the entrepreneurship community in Iowa. Active in the investor community, Wright is involved in both FIN Capital (the first women’s angel investing network in Iowa) and Plains Angels. Diana is focused on a single purpose: to help entrepreneurs build real, impactful businesses in Iowa.

Jake Slobe

I write about Iowa's tech, startup and entrepreneurial communities.

Geoff Wood

Geoff Wood is the founder, connector and space captain at Gravitate Coworking, a workplace community for entrepreneurs, freelancers and remote workers in Downtown Des Moines, Windsor Heights and Jefferson. As part of his role as a community builder, he's the publisher of entrepreneurial news blog Clay & Milk and a frequent conference speaker and event organizer. He's been helping share the story of the Iowa startup community since 2009.

Erik Dominguez

As an immigrant who grew up between two cultures and mixed messages, the familiarity I have with speaking fears fueled me to learn and share the tools to overcome those obstacles. For nearly 25 years, my team-oriented speaking and teaching style has centered around shared experiences, a philosophy that everyone has a unique story, and a belief that everyone can share their minds and hearts through powerful presentations.

Mo Collins

Mo is a founder at Entrepreneurial Communities, a ten-year-old consultancy delivering support to communities and individual community leaders as they navigate change. She develops and delivers training across more than a dozen states annually in support of the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the Economic Development Institute (OUEDI) and creates custom training for senior Chamber of Commerce executives in multiple communities. Mo is a popular speaker in the entrepreneurship ecosystem space and counsels/coaches multiple women-owned startup/scaleups across industry each year.

Mo held multiple, senior-level roles at the University of Northern Iowa between 1997-2014. She was tapped to lead university-wide technology transfer, two business incubators, the SBDC and statewide outreach to entrepreneurs. She launched multiple award-winning technology innovations to support entrepreneurs and small business including MyEntreNet, Connections, the Iowa Business Concierge and Dream Big Grow Here.

Mo has earned personal and professional awards for her field work from the International Economic Development Council (IEDC), the University Economic Development Association (UEDA), the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO), The Technology Association of Iowa, MidAmerican Economic Development Association and multiple awards from the Association of Small Business Development Centers (ASBDC).

Jennifer Murphy

Dr. Jennifer Murphy is a social science researcher focused on the development of women in leadership. In 2021, she finished her doctoral research on women entrepreneurs in the Eastern Iowa Entrepreneurial Ecosystem. Jennifer has a background in diverse industries from the military to regulated and unregulated corporate industries, entrepreneurship, academia, and nonprofits. Jennifer teaches as a professor in the Organizational Leadership program at the University of Charleston and as Director of Innovation, Diversity, and Inclusion for a nonprofit in Cedar Rapids, IA. Jennifer loves spending time with her son Alexander, boyfriend Darrell, and their pack of two Labradors and a Belgian Malinois.

Nancy Mwirotsi

Nancy Mwirotsi has dedicated her life to advocating for underrepresented individuals, including refugees, young women, and people of color. Nancy courageously started something from nothing because she saw a need and an opportunity. She was helping refugee mothers in the community obtain jobs and realized that their children needed support, too. She understood that these students would perhaps be the first in their families to complete high school or attend college and wanted to create a pathway for their success. In 2014, her non-profit Pursuit of Innovation (Pi515) was born. Today, seven years later, Nancy and Pi515 has seen over 100 students graduate high school and seek post-secondary education. She has provided these youth with confidence and skills for the future. One thing that has remained constant from the beginning is Nancy's ability to create lasting personal relationships with Pi515 students and their families. This summer, she led a Digital Inclusion StateWide campaign that helped provide Free one-year wifi hotspots and basic digital literacy skills to over 300 Iowans.

In 2020 Nancy was given the Nation of Neighbors award by Royal Neighbors of America. Following this, she was recognized by Entrepreneur and Philanthropist John Pappajohn and received significant funding for the future of Pi515 and Building the Tech Pipeline. Currently, Nancy is working on expanding Pi 515 and launching Building the Tech pipeline platform to increase diversity in STEM careers, build a tech pipeline, and close the digital divide. She tirelessly pursues programming that will set her program apart from other STEM programs.


Nancy has received numerous recognitions for her work to increase opportunities for women, girls, and minorities in the tech industry such as participating in the White House Conference on Inclusive STEM Education for Youth of Color, being featured by the Technology Association of Iowa as a Catalyst and receiving the Iowa Educators award by the National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT).

ReShonda Young

ReShonda Young is the Co-Founder and Organizer of Bank of Jabez. Bank of Jabez is a de novo minority depository institution in the formation stage. It is set to open in 2022. She also currently serves as the Black Business and Entrepreneurship Accelerator (BBEA) Program Director in Waterloo, IA. This program assists minority business owners in developing, marketing, and scaling their business ideas. She is also the founder of Popcorn Heaven, a gourmet popcorn chain that opened in Waterloo in February of 2014. Before selling the chain in 2019, ReShonda licensed Popcorn Heaven locations in North Carolina, Maryland, Illinois, California, Missouri, and Iowa. She has also been a landlord for over 20 years and has run several online businesses.

ReShonda is a native of Waterloo, IA. She graduated with her BA from Wartburg College. She has been an active voice on Working Family issues, advocating for pay equity for women, and many other issues that will benefit working families. ReShonda is a founding member of the Iowa Main Street Alliance, a board member of the national Main Street Alliance, and was honored in April 2015 as a White House Working Families Champion of Change. She has been invited to testify before Congress on two occasions and was invited by Senate House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to speak in 2014 with the Women of Congress at an event putting forth an agenda for women’s equality, titled “When Women Succeed, America Succeeds.” In 2020, ReShonda was a member of a group of women and minority small business owners succeeded in compelling the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to enforce laws that ensure banks are not discriminating against women and minority business owners. She is now part of the CFPB oversight committee to ensure measures are in place to make sure banking laws are being enforced.

In her spare time, ReShonda is very active in her church. She also serves on the boards of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, Iowa Citizens Action Network, Waterloo Center for the Arts, Black Hawk Economic Development, Link Christian Community Development, and Try Pie. She also enjoys spending time with family & friends, teaching financial management principles, and gardening.

Joseph Nelson

Joseph is the cofounder and CEO of Roboflow, which creates developer tools for computer vision. Over 50,000 developers - including developers from half the Fortune 100 - build with Roboflow for things like accelerating cancer research, spotting leaks on oil & gas pipelines, and even keeping rabbits out of their backyard gardens. Roboflow has raised $22M+ and is backed by investors like Y Combinator, David Sacks's Craft Ventures, Lachy Groom, the cofounders of OpenAI, and others. Joseph previously built and sold a natural language processing company, Represently. Joseph enjoys riding his bike and has only had to get stitches once in the last year from doing so.

Dan Keough

Dan Keough is the Chairman & CEO of Holmes Murphy & Associates. His leadership within Holmes Murphy has led the company to become one of the nation’s largest independent insurance agencies. Dan also serves as co-CEO of BrokerTech Ventures, the first broker-led convening platform focused on delivering innovation to the insurance broker industry.

Prior to leading Holmes Murphy, Dan founded Innovative Captive Strategies, a subsidiary company of Holmes Murphy. His goal was to develop captive alternatives that would provide businesses with unexpected sources of revenue while alleviating unnecessary business expenses.

Dan earned an MBA with a specialty in Finance from Loyola University Graduate School of Business, and he holds an undergraduate degree in Business Administration from the University of Iowa.

Dan is a member of the Des Moines’ prestigious “Forty under Forty” business leadership hall of fame, the Greater Des Moines Leadership Institute Class of 2000, and the Young Presidents’ Organization Iowa chapter. Among his other achievements, Dan gives back to the community by coaching youth sports and is a member of several boards including the Kum & Go, L.C. Advisory Board, Bankers Trust Community Board, the Des Moines Art Center Board, and formerly a member of both the United Way of Central Iowa Board and the Dowling Catholic Foundation Board.

Ellen Willadsen

Ellen Willadsen joined Holmes Murphy in 1995. During her more than 25 years with the company, she’s played a key role in increasing Holmes Murphy’s profitability and providing invaluable counsel on major financial decisions.

From 1995 to 2021, Ellen served as Chief Financial Officer (CFO), assisting in all strategic and tactical matters as they relate to budget management, evaluation of potential acquisitions, cost benefit analysis, and Holmes Murphy’s overall vision of growth.

In 2021, Ellen transitioned to the role of Chief Innovation Officer (CIO) and serves as Holmes Murphy’s Executive Sponsor for BrokerTech Ventures. Ellen also serves on the Holmes Murphy Executive Committee and as a director on Holmes Murphy’s Board. In recent years, she has served on the perpetuation, compensation, and audit committees, providing insight and helping make informed decisions that affect the entire company.

Prior to joining Holmes Murphy, Ellen worked as an audit manager for a Certified Public Accounting
(CPA) firm.

A graduate of the University of Iowa and a CPA, Ellen continues to contribute her diligent work ethic and financial expertise to move Holmes Murphy forward in achieving dynamic growth.

Ellen is an active participant in the United Way’s Women United. She is also a member of the Iowa Society of CPA’s and was named the ISCPA’s Outstanding CPA in Business and Industry in 2019.

Mickey Davis

Mickey Davis currently works with the Des Moines Music Coalition and the international firm Sound Diplomacy measuring the economic impact and activity of the Des Moines music ecosystem. The result of this work will be a strategy and recovery plan to assist Des Moines’ growth as a music city.

Kuuku Saah

Kuuku is a Managing Director with nine years of investment management experience. Kuuku's primary responsibilities include portfolio management and analysis. Kuuku attended Drake University and double-majored in Finance and Economics. He is a holder of the right to use the Chartered Financial Analyst® designation.

Liz Keehner

Liz is the Venture Analyst at Ag Ventures Alliance, a farmer-owned cooperative focused on increasing farmer profitability through farmer-led innovation. Ag Ventures Alliance makes direct investments in early-stage AgTech startups. In her role, Liz is responsible for sourcing and evaluating potential deals, performing due diligence, making investment recommendations, and managing relationships with current portfolio companies. She has six years of prior experience in startup operations, venture capital and economic development. Additionally, she volunteers her time as a mentor to local accelerator programs and serves on the board and as an organizer for 1 Million Cups Des Moines.

Kevin Kimle

Kevin currently serves as the Rastetter Chair of Agricultural Entrepreneurship at Iowa State University, Director of the Agricultural Entrepreneurship Initiative, and Teaching Professor in the Department of Economics. He is also co-founder and co-director of the Ag Startup Engine, an investment fund and mentoring platform based in the Iowa State University Research Park. Prior to his appointment at Iowa State University, Kevin worked in a variety of capacities in agriculture ranging from agtech start-ups, the seed industry, venture capital, commodity risk management, and agricultural and trade policy.

Kyle McMahon

Kyle McMahon is the founder of Tractor Zoom and leads the company as CEO. Kyle is a 3rd generation entrepreneur and actively farms in southeast Iowa. Prior to starting Tractor Zoom, he was the Director of Acquisitions for Summit Agricultural Group where he led a team to buy and sell farmland across the Midwestern corn belt. Kyle co-founded Buch-McMahon Lawn and Landscaping and is a graduate of Iowa State Univerity.

Paulo Gregory

Inventor of Cohado and Founding CEO of COHADO, inc and Cohado Consulting

Steven A. Rodriguez

Steven A. Rodríguez is the Director for Latinx Programs for 1863 Ventures, Founder & Board for SUEGO™ and Innovate Coalition Inc., and partner for CrowdWork DC LCA. He previously championed Startup Programs across the US/Canada for Techstars and more than 170 countries for the Global Entrepreneurship Network, and is on the Advisory Board for the Tech Incubator at Queens College.

Steven has helped co-create the 2nd edition of the Bloomberg book best seller Exponential Organizations, now a global movement. He has been a Startup Advisor for the U.S. Department of State's Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) and the Entrepreneurship World Cup, and an implementing partner for nationally- and globally-renowned initiatives like 1 Million Cups for the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation and ExO Economy for OpenExO. Steven is an award-winning Community Professional (CMX Awards), distinguished CEmprende Ambassador (iNNpulsa Colombia) and rising Disruptive Innovation Specialist (OpenExO).

Tracy Singleton