Iowa Tech Podcast

Iowa Tech Podcast

Welcome to the Iowa Tech Podcast, your gateway to the vibrant world of technology and innovation right here in Iowa. Each week, we dive into the dynamic landscape of Iowa’s tech industry, showcasing the brilliant minds, groundbreaking startups, and transformative ideas that are shaping the future. Join our host, Kaylee Williams, as we sit down with tech entrepreneurs, industry experts, and thought leaders who are driving change and pushing boundaries in fields ranging from artificial intelligence and cybersecurity to agtech and clean energy. Whether you’re a seasoned professional, a budding innovator, or simply tech-curious, the Iowa Tech Podcast offers insider insights, inspiring stories, and practical advice to keep you at the forefront of the digital revolution. Tune in to explore how Iowa is making waves on the global tech stage and discover how you can be a part of this exciting journey.

Episodes

August 12, 2025 34 mins

In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Micah Walker sits down with Joun Lee, the founder of PaniClean, a woman-owned company that originated from the University of Iowa's Chemical Engineering Department. PaniClean is tackling the pressing issue of nitrate pollution, particularly in North America, by developing innovative, economically viable solutions for water purification. The company's roots trace back...

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The Iowa Tech Podcast, hosted by Micah Walker, recently featured an engaging episode with Cole and Cam from Spock Sanctuary, an exotic animal rescue startup. Originating as a project during their time at Iowa State University, Spock Sanctuary has grown into the largest reptile rescue in Iowa. The duo shared their journey from a college apartment operation to a full-fledged sanctuary, highlighting the challenges of spac...

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In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Micah Walker, listeners are introduced to Joe Sweeney, a fractional leader from Jennings Kallen Advisory, currently associated with BioAxis. Sweeney, who grew up on a family farm in North Central Iowa and attended Iowa State for ag business, shares his journey into fractional leadership, highlighting the influence of his entrepreneurial parents. His career traje...

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In a recent episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Micah Walker welcomed Roberta from Layer One Ag, a promising startup in the agricultural insurance space, to discuss their innovative approach to managing crop risk. Recorded from the Jethro's Barbecue Studio, the episode delved into how Layer One Ag is leveraging AI to reimagine risk assessment at the farm and field level, enabling precision underwriting for farms tha...

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In a recent episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Micah Walker engaged in a compelling conversation with Nigel Reuel, the founder of Zymosense, a pioneering company emerging from Iowa State University. Nigel, an innovator and entrepreneur at heart, shared his journey of establishing Zymosense to revolutionize enzyme activity measurement. With a robust background in chemical and biological engineering, Nigel explained ...

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The Iowa Tech podcast episode features an engaging conversation between host Micah Walker and guest Russell Goerend, a key figure in the Waukee APEX program, which stands for Aspiring Professional Experience. Broadcasting from the Jethro’s Barbecue Digital Studio, the episode dives into the innovative educational model at Waukee, designed to provide high school juniors and seniors with authentic career experiences. Rus...

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In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Micah Walker welcomes Gabe Howard, the third fellow of the InnoVenture Iowa Fund, to discuss his experiences and insights into the Iowa entrepreneurial ecosystem. Gabe, a finance major at Drake University, shares how his background in a small town and family business sparked his interest in venture capital. He recounts his journey from a high school student dabbling in the...

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The Iowa Tech Podcast, hosted by Micah Walker, recently featured an insightful discussion with Megan Grettinger, the Program Director of the Cystarters Business Accelerator at Iowa State University. In this episode, they explored the intricacies of the Cystarters program, which is designed to support student entrepreneurs in developing their business ideas. Megan shared her journey from being an undergraduate at Iowa S...

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In a recent episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Micah Walker, the spotlight was on Henry and Nikhil, co-founders of Casmium, a baseball analytics app created by a group of high school students. The app originated from a school project aimed at transforming paper-based statistics into a digital format, prompted by their high school varsity baseball coach. Initially, the project was just a means to secure a good ...

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In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, Micah Walker takes over as host while Kaylee Williams is on maternity leave. Micah introduces Julio Delgadillo, an entrepreneur born in Des Moines, Iowa, who has a passion for creativity and design. Julio shares his journey from growing up in Iowa, developing his artistic skills in school, to eventually founding Buoyclub, a clothing brand he started during the COVID-19 pandemic...

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In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams converses with Matthew Rooda, CEO and co-founder of SwineTech, about his entrepreneurial journey and the evolution of his company. Matthew shares his background in pig production, emphasizing the challenges he encountered, such as labor shortages and piglet crushing, a significant issue leading to billions in losses annually. SwineTech originally tackled pi...

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In this episode of The Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams engages with Alyx Coble-Frakes, the founder and CEO of The Agenda, at the Jethro's Barbecue Studio. Alyx shares her unexpected path from aspiring educator to businesswoman, highlighting her early experiences with the Girl Scouts and her educational background in social entrepreneurship. Her pivotal moment came from an observation about her sales conversions...

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In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee engages in an insightful conversation with Buddy Lyons and Dr. John Cromwell, the co-founders of ENTAC Medical. The discussion delves into the innovative journey of ENTAC Medical, a company that has pioneered the use of acoustic biomarkers and artificial intelligence to predict adverse medical events. Buddy and John share the fascinating origin story of their compan...

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In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams sits down with Ryan Gerhardy, the co-founder and CEO of Pitchly, a company revolutionizing the way content is created from data. Recorded in the vibrant Jethro's Barbecue Studio, the conversation explores the exciting new developments at Pitchly, including the introduction of a freemium model that allows users to experience the power of Pitchly's auto...

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In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams welcomes Lana Fox, co-founder and CEO of ClinicNote, to discuss her entrepreneurial journey. Lana shares her story of how she became involved with ClinicNote, initially starting as an unpaid girlfriend helping her now-husband Tyler Fox with the business. She talks about her initial experience managing an exterior painting business and how those skills trans...

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In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Clayton Mooney, the Co-Founder and Chief Farmer at Clayton Farms, discussing his journey from a small family farm in Iowa to creating a successful indoor farming business. Clayton shares his experience with ultra-marathon training and compares the perseverance required in athletics to that of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of tenaci...

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In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Russel Karim, CEO and Founder of SourceEazy, about his entrepreneurial journey and the evolution of his company. Originally from Bangladesh, Russel has been part of the Iowa startup ecosystem for 14 years, beginning with his first venture, Solver Iowa, during his time at the University of Northern Iowa. Russel's background in the clothing manufac...

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In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee interviews Curt Nelson, President and CEO of the Entrepreneurial Development Center (EDC), and Ben Clark, Entrepreneur in Residence at EDC. The discussion focuses on the role of EDC in supporting Iowa's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Curt, who founded EDC 22 years ago, explains the organization's mission to accelerate the formation and success of new companies, th...

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The latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee Williams, comes to life from the Jethro's Barbecue Studio in the East Village, where Kaylee chats with Clair Williams-Vavra, the Chief Operating Officer at SI Delivery Consulting. Clair, the recent winner of this year's Des Moines' Startup Weekend, shares her eclectic journey from hospitality to technology and entrepreneurship. She reflects on her past ventu...

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The Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee, is a vibrant exploration of the startup ecosystem in Des Moines, Iowa. Recorded from the unique atmosphere of the Jethro's Barbecue Studio, Kaylee brings listeners into the heart of entrepreneurial innovation by featuring dynamic interviews with key figures, such as Colleen Kinsey, co-founder of SoftVoya and co-organizer of Startup Weekend Des Moines. This episode captures the e...

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