For all of you who scoffed at my ability to publish the Iowa Startup Power Rankings at the beginning of the month, I present you with the following: the December post on the last day of November. Boom.
Fostering a Global Community in downtown Des Moines: Meet Gravitate’s International Members
As the holiday season approaches, it’s important to take time to reflect and remember all the reasons we have to give thanks. At Gravitate, we’re thankful to be part of Des Moines’ strong, vibrant entrepreneurial community. We’re thankful for innovative ideas, supportive community partners, and a diverse collection of passionate members. So as Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we’d like to introduce you to some Gravitate members who originally hail from outside of the United States.
Geoff's Blog: "It’s pretty much the same everywhere"
Paul Singh shared something on his blog this week with regards to comparing many of the 38 startup communities (including Des Moines, Cedar Rapids and Ames) that he had visited throughout the last year: "In short, it’s pretty much the same everywhere."
Hatchlings
It isn’t uncommon to still be searching for your passion in life several decades in. Many of us are still asking ourselves what we want to be when we grow up far into our 30's, 40's and beyond. Some of us, though, find that spark so quickly it is electrifying and it drives us further than anything we ever dreamed.
Brad Dwyer first started programming at an age when many of us hardly knew how to use a computer, and has continued to push boundaries and challenge himself since then. I had the opportunity to chat with Brad about his Des Moines based startup Hatchlings, his background, and why he has decided to call Gravitate home.
Geoff's Blog: Back from Montreal
Geoff's Blog: Startup Champions in Baltimore, Coworking in Montreal
Geoff's Blog: Cedar Rapids #Flood2016
Much respect to the hard work put in by our friends on the eastern side of the state this week in dealing with #Flood2016 preparations. As of this morning, it looks like the Cedar Rapids community did what needed to be done to avoid another disaster like the 2008 flood and that is such a relief (unfortunately, some smaller communities didn't fare as well).
The best coffee shops to work from in Des Moines
Caribou, Panera, Scooter's and Starbucks (Chain Edition)
There’s a lot to love about working from a coffee shop. From cozy corners and steaming handmade mugs to local art on the walls and neighborhood connections, you won’t be hard pressed to find a Des Moines cafe where it’s unpleasant to get at least some aspect of your work done.
But when it comes to coffee shop coworking, we also recognize that your local favorite isn’t always an option. Sometimes you’re across town and in need of some free wifi, or you’re working during the late hours or weekend days your go-to joint is always closed. When that happens we fully understand that you need to take all of the caffeine and free wifi you can get, and head to a coffee shop chain.
While there are pros and cons to each major chain we see in the metro, their common appeal remains the same—predictable hours, consistent offerings, and a general acceptance of patrons who camp out all day long.
Minimum Viable Podcast—Episode 25
Matt Patane, technology and innovation reporter for the Des Moines Register and Geoff Wood, community builder at Gravitate, sit down for an in-depth discussion of the companies, events and ideas making news in the Iowa innovation community.
Topics discussed on this episode: 20 years of The Centers Pappajohn, catching up on Iowa's growing crop of accelerators and looking back at the TelePharm acquisition
Feedback, thoughts or suggestions? Hit us up on Twitter or email the show at mvp@gravitatedsm.com