TUESDAY, AUG. 29, 2017  |  IN THIS ISSUE  
 
The fall batch of ISA teams participate in a planning session. Photo NewBoCo/Ben Kaplan
Iowa Startup Accelerator has accepted two startups into the fall batch of its 2017 cohort -- Noviqu and Funeral Direct. This is the last batch of startups for the 2017 cohort.

Noviqu, of Columbia, Missouri, is an engaging application for safety, maintenance and training in the manufacturing and warehousing industries. It offers a way to gather information so that companies can provide better metrics and reporting in their facility, which will save time and money.

Funeral Direct, of New York, is a website where families can find, book, and review funeral homes in their area.

The two startups will begin the year-long program with a full week of orientation programming designed to provide insight into the resources offered in the Iowa Startup Accelerator. The teams will also be introduced to Agile and strategic planning during the orientation week. NewBoCo, the nonprofit powering the Iowa Startup Accelerator, is a regional leader in aggressively using Agile to align organizational strategy with performance.

Noviqu and Funeral Direct make up the third and final round of investments for ISA's 2017 cohort. All three batches in the 2017 cohort will have the opportunity to pitch their company at Launch Day on Dec. 7  at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids.

"Launch Day is a chance to celebrate the strides we've taken as a community to support entrepreneurship," Accelerator Managing Director David Tominsky stated in a press release. "Entrepreneurship is a community sport, and we have a lot to be proud of with what we've accomplished together this year."

Marshalls, an off-price retailer with more than 1,000 stores currently operating in 48 states and Puerto Rico, will open a new store in Coral Ridge Mall on Sept. 7. A grand opening celebration will be held from 8 a.m.-10 p.m.

"Our newest store in Coralville will offer an ever-changing selection of high-quality, on-trend and brand-name merchandise at the amazing prices that Marshalls is known for. Our buyers search the globe to discover the best in every department, and we're excited to bring those finds to a new neighborhood," Tim Miner, president of Marshalls, stated in a press release.

The new store plans to add approximately 60 full and part-time jobs to the area. Operating hours will be 9:30 a.m.-9:30 p.m. Monday-Saturday and 11 a.m.-8 p.m. Sunday.

In celebration of its new Coralville location, Marshalls will contribute to the local community by presenting a $10,000 donation to Domestic Violence Intervention Program at the ribbon-cutting ceremony at 7:30 a.m. Sept. 7. Marshalls also has national and local partnerships with charitable organizations around the country, including JDRF, Alzheimer's Association and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.

Clickstop has purchased Clean Laundry Licensing Co. from Waterloo-based Akin Enterprises Inc. The self-service laundry facilities offer multiload machines, as well as modern amenities like large-screen televisions, wireless Internet and cushioned seating.

Along with the acquisition, Clean Laundry's co-founders are now Clickstop employees. As announced earlier this month, Phil Akin has been hired as Clickstop's chief marketing officer. His son, Ethan Akin, previously the market manager for Clean Laundry, will oversee its continued growth and licensing opportunities as the brand's Business Unit Fanatic (BUF). Both started at Clickstop on July 17.

BUF, a term coined by Clickstop, refers to the leaders of its diverse suite of business units headquartered in Urbana. Clickstop owns and operates several e-commerce retailers, including EcoFoil, Fasteners Plus, Just Plastic Boxes, Pepper Joe's, SpaceSavers and US Cargo Control.

Under the purchase agreement with Clickstop, Akin Enterprises will continue to own and operate both existing Waterloo locations, now as licensed stores - one near Crossroads Mall at 2060 Sovia Drive, and the other at 709 Progress Ave., just off University Avenue near the Waterloo-Cedar Falls border. Also as part of the transaction, the Akins have committed to developing two more stores in the Waterloo-Cedar Falls area.

The Akins debuted their first Clean Laundry store in Waterloo in May 2014. A second Waterloo location followed in October 2015. The newest Clean Laundry store, owned and operated by Waterloo resident Marc Starks, opened Aug. 17 at 6600 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Ste. 200, in Cedar Rapids.

"The Akins reinvented the traditional-style, self-service laundry into one that's modern, clean, comfortable, energy-efficient and fast," Tim Guenther, Clickstop founder and CEO, stated in a press release. "It's a great fit for both companies because Clickstop can now help support the rapid expansion of the chain. There are already licensees pursuing locations in Minnesota and Florida."

Licensees pay an upfront fee and an ongoing royalty to use the Clean Laundry system and name.
 
The Corridor Business Journal (CBJ) is accepting nominations for its 2017 Workforce Awards. These annual awards, presented in partnership with Kirkwood Community College, recognize companies that are ahead of the curve in creating and maintaining their workforce talent edge.

Nominations are open to all companies in Kirkwood's seven-county region. An independent panel of industry experts will select honorees in the following categories:
  • Training for existing employment needs
  • Employment opportunities for target population
  • Employment opportunities for veterans
  • Internship program
  • Marketing and recruitment campaign
  • Hiring strategies of Iowa graduates
  • Retention campaign
  • Diversity workplace strategy
  • Employer and education workforce collaboration
  • Nonprofit talent engagement strategy
Nominations must include a signed (minimum) one-page explanation of why the company or organization should receive an award for each category in which it is applying. A company cannot win in the same category two years in a row.

The CBJ will recognize the honorees at a Dec. 7 awards breakfast and feature their best practices in a Workforce Leaders special publication. For more information or to download the nomination form, visit www.corridorbusiness.com/events/workforce-awards/. Nominations are due Sept. 6.
 
The nomination period is now open for the Iowa Women of Innovation Awards presented by the Workiva through Sept. 8.

The awards recognize and celebrate women in business, government or academia who are leaders in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Students at both the secondary (grades 7-12) and collegiate levels will also be recognized and are eligible for a $2,500 scholarship in two award categories.

2017 award categories  include:
  • Research Innovation and Leadership
  • Academic Innovation and Leadership
  • Entrepreneurial Innovation and Leadership
  • Leadership Innovation
  • Company Innovation and Growth
  • Rising Star
  • Diversity Champion
  • STEM Champion
  • Collegian Innovation and Leadership ($2,500 scholarship)
  • Youth Innovation and Leadership ($2,500 scholarship)
  • Legislative Advocacy Leader
Finalists and award winners will be recognized at the Iowa Women of Innovation Awards dinner and celebration Nov. 13 at Meadows Event Center at Prairie Meadows in Altoona.

To submit a nomination and for more information, visit www.technologyiowa.org/woinominations .
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EventHeadlinesShort-Term Event Planner

Aug. 29
Alive After 5: CBI Bank & Trust , by Washington Chamber of Commerce, 5-7 p.m., 1060 W. Monroe St., Washington. Alive After 5 brings together area professionals for casual networking over hors d'oeuvres and drinks, and is hosted by a different member business each month. Free.
 
Aug. 31
Tapping into Mobile Marketing , by Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance and TapOnIt, 8-9 a.m., Economic Alliance, 501 First St. SE, Cedar Rapids. Heather Gierut, of TapOnIt, will lead this session exploring the power of text marketing, which sends a message directly to current and potential customers. Free. Register at bit.ly/2hlHcNR.
 
Sept. 6
Siren Wednesday , by ImpactCR and Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, 5:30-7:30 p.m., Popoli Ristorante & Sullivan's Bar, 101 Third Ave. SW, Cedar Rapids. Siren Wednesdays are after-work social events at Economic Alliance member establishments for young professionals to network with each other in a relaxing environment. Free for members.
Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28  
 
Amana has been taken off of an anti-racism nonprofit's "hate map" that tracked activity of white supremacist and neo-Nazi groups. CBS2/FOX28 reported that the town appeared on the Southern Poverty Law Center's map earlier this month, saying that it was a location where neo-Nazi website/publication The Daily Stormer had been active. The map still says there are three neo-Nazi groups active statewide, but does not list a specific region where they are active. CBS2/FOX28 has reached out to the Southern Poverty Law Center asking why Amana is no longer on the map, and is awaiting a response.
 
T hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails'  Weather First Forecast

After a mid-week warm-up with highs around 80, temperatures should cool again Thursday and Friday with highs dropping into the mid- to upper 70s. However, Harvey's rains will remain well to the southeast of Iowa. Slowly but surely, temperatures will warm for the first half of the holiday weekend. Highs on Saturday should peak near 80 and warm to the low to mid-80s Sunday. A cold front Sunday night could bring scattered showers and storms and then another burst of cool air arrives for Labor Day.