TUESDAY, FEB. 27, 2018  |  IN THIS ISSUE
 
A look inside the Iowa Startup Accelerator work space in Cedar Rapids.  
One of the many things Lois Buntz learned in 12 years as CEO of the United Way of East Central Iowa was how hard it is for nonprofits to launch new and innovative programs or services.
 
It isn't due to any failure or resistance on the part of the organizations, said Ms. Buntz, who retired at the end of 2016. Rather, the issue is usually a lack of financial reserves to fund new programs or funding sources willing to bet on the unknown.
 
Nonprofits "don't get money to experiment like you would in a private startup," she said. "It is very categorical. You get money if you do this very specific thing."
 
A pilot program coming this summer to NewBoCo, the operator of the Iowa Startup Accelerator (ISA), could go a long way toward surmounting that obstacle. Supporters of the concept are raising $100,000 to fund two nonĀ­profit teams who will become the first subjects in a Social Good AcĀ­celerator, likely to begin with the Sept. 10 batch of ISA startups.
 
The ISA has traditionally invested $20,000 in each startup in exchange for a 6 percent stake. With the nonprofit program, each team will receive a $15,000 grant at the time they enter the program and, contingent on meeting certain goals, another $10,000 midway through the program and $10,000 at completion.
 
The social good accelerator will include the same network of mentors and the same workshops as the ISA with one main difference in focus.
 
"One of the major changes will be funding sources," ISA Managing Director David Tominsky said.
 
With a regular startup, it's possible to raise capital by taking in investors who receive shares of stock entitling them to a portion of future profits or proceeds from the sale of the business. Nonprofits, by contrast, rely primarily on grants and donations. To keep those funding streams open, they have to provide evidence that their programs are making a difference in the community.
 
"We'll be helping a nonprofit organization identify what the measurement should be - what metric should we be tracking?" Mr. Tominsky said. "In my experience, the annual reports of nonprofits are data-driven, so how will we determine if they are successful?"
 
Read the full members-first story in this week's print or digital editions of the CBJ.
Para3ICAD, JPEC seeking mentors for Corridor entrepreneurs
 
The Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD) and the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (JPEC) are seeking local community business leaders to engage with and mentor entrepreneurs as part of a state-sponsored Mentor Program.
 
The goal of the program, funded in part by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, is to help local entrepreneurs feel supported in their business through a connection to a mentor resource. ICAD and JPEC are now looking for business leaders with expertise in areas including marketing, branding, accounting, sales, scaling a company, producing minimum viable products (MVPs), and creating business models and plans.
 
Some of our entrepreneurs in the program are further along in their ventures and need assistance in creating impactful sales presentations, fundraising and hiring their first employees.
 
Mentors are asked to challenge their mentees and be available to answer business questions as they arise. This volunteer opportunity would require about one hour a week, or bi-weekly meetings. Meetings can be face-to-face or virtual, depending on the complexity and distance.
 
Anyone interested in exploring the opportunity should email ICAD's Andre' Wright a short bio or intro detailing the type of entrepreneur they would be interested in mentoring and what their specialties are. That information will be entered into insightly.com, a database used to capture information and details of mentors and entrepreneurs.
 
For more information, visit the ICAD website to learn more.

Students Randall Berdon, Aaron Klinker, and Daniel Fazio work on a naval hydrodynamics project in the Engineering Annex. PHOTO JUSTIN TORNER.
The Annex, a new extension of the University of Iowa's Seamans Center for the Engineering Arts and Sciences, is set to lead students into the future with state-of-the-art classrooms, research and study space, IowaNow reports.

Built over a period of 20 months and opened to students in January, the $35 million Annex reflects the college's educational goals, including an increased focus on hands-on design training and skills building, as well as instruction and mentoring that brings to life engineering concepts. The contemporary structure, located near the UI's historic Pentacrest, offers an additional 65,000 square feet of space for the college.

The Annex also relieves some of the physical constraints that have accompanied a surge in student enrollment. The original College of Engineering building has been expanded twice, most recently in 2001. Since then, undergraduate enrollment at the college has doubled, reaching 2,200 students.

"The Annex offers much-needed space for our students to learn and grow as engineers," said Alec Scranton, dean of the College of Engineering and professor of chemical and biochemical engineering. "With its Engineering Design Studio, Fluids Workshop, and open collaborative spaces, the Annex offers a unique setting that we hope will inspire our students as well as professors and researchers."

Mr. Scranton calls the design studio, a 5,000-square-foot classroom, the "jewel" of the new addition. It features floor-to-ceiling glass walls and large, retractable glass doors, and will give students and professors space to work on large multidisciplinary projects and research endeavors.

Among the other highlights of the facility are a 128-seat tiered lecture hall with three giant screens; 4,000 square feet of student collaboration space, with more than 200 seats for work groups; and a host of sustainable design features including 234 solar roof panels capable of producing 76,000 kWh of energy per year.

"We like to say that our college educates engineers who are 'something more,'" Mr. Scranton said. "We want our graduates to take on the so-called 'grand challenges' of the 21st century. These are engineering challenges that touch on environmental sustainability, medical breakthroughs and more. The new space and amenities offered by the Annex will help us educate engineers who can lead our society forward."
 
Laurie Hamen
Mount Mercy University plans to begin offering Doctor of Nursing Practice and a Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy programs this fall, the first doctoral programs the university has ever offered.
 
"We're proud to build on our quality master's programs and continue to offer education that meets the demand, both from the community and our alumni," Mount Mercy President Laurie Hamen stated in a press release.

The Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) program will offer a curriculum focused on primary health care for individuals and populations, including rural health, experiences in innovation and entrepreneurial skills.
 
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, overall employment of nurse practitioners is projected to grow 36 percent from 2016-2026, much faster than the average for all occupations. Advanced practice registered nurses will be in high demand, particularly in medically underserved areas such as inner cities and rural communities.

Only two Doctor of Marriage and Family Therapy (DMFT) programs are currently offered in Iowa, and Mount Mercy's will offer the only practice-oriented program in the state. Built on the university's master's-level MFT program, it will use an apprenticeship model to help clinicians gain theoretical knowledge while working alongside faculty in a collaborative environment at the onsite Olson Marriage & Family Therapy Clinic or in other professional settings.

Working in close collaboration with a faculty member enables students to use existing knowledge and skills in more integrative ways, according to Randall Lyle, the Gerald & Audrey Olson Endowed Chair for Marriage and Family Therapy.
 
Mount Mercy officials said the two programs are also the first doctoral programs offered in Cedar Rapids. Both programs are accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. For more information, visit mtmercy.edu/dmft.
Para5Senate tax bill tries to ban data centers from jobs program
The Iowa Senate's proposed tax bill could prohibit new data centers from participating in the state's high-quality jobs program - and eliminate the program altogether by 2025, Kate Hayden of the Des Moines Business Record reports.
 
Senate File 2383 calls for an $80 million reduction of the annual tax credit allocation, beginning July 1. Data centers or web portals that already have a physical presence in the state by July 1 will be grandfathered in to the program until it is ultimately eliminated in seven years.
 
One of the most high-profile recent data center projects in Iowa was announced in 2017. The state and the city of Waukee approved $208 million in state and local tax credits for Apple Inc. to build two data storage centers in Waukee, creating at least 50 jobs with the complex.
 
Supporters pointed toward Apple's promise to invest $100 million in a public improvement fund for Waukee and applauded Iowa for bringing high-profile businesses like Apple and Microsoft to Central Iowa; critics panned the deal as giving away too much in tax revenue for too few jobs.
 
Currently, the high-quality jobs program offers qualifying businesses an assortment of loans, tax credits or exemptions for meeting wage and benefit standards in created jobs.
 
Warehouses and distribution centers will also be affected by the proposed Senate bill. Starting on Jan. 1, 2019, eligible businesses under the high-quality jobs program can no longer receive tax credits or refunds for racks, shelving or conveyor equipment.
aroundthewebFrom around the web: 
  • Iowa will face challenges in recovering from its disinvestment in education, writes John Keller, interim vice president for research and economic development at the University of Iowa, in this Daily Iowan op-ed.
  • The Biotechnology Innovation Organization today announced Des Moines as the location for its 2019 BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology.
  • New research co-authored by a University of Iowa assistant professor finds that businesses in states with a confluence of research universities, venture capital and government funding innovate at 16 times the rate when demand increases.
  • DowDuPont's new agriculture division will be renamed Corteva Agriscience when the spin-out is completed next year, the Business Record reports.
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stock Corridor Stocks

NAME
SYM PRICE CHG %CHG
AEGON AEG 6.93 -0.03 -0.50%
Alliant Energy LNT 38.79 -0.74 -1.87%
Deere & Company DE 163.64 -3.82 -2.28%
Dow Jones ^DJI 25,410.03 -299.24 -1.16%
General Mills GIS 50.78 -0.64 -1.24%
GoDaddy Inc. GDDY 60.38 -0.50 -0.82%
Great Western Bank GWB 41.94 -1.04 -2.42%
Heartland Express HTLD 19.82 -0.23 -1.15%
KemPharm KMPH 5.90 0.00 0.00%
Marsh & McLennan MMC 84.31 -0.38 -0.45%
MidWestOne MOFG 32.54 0.38 1.18%
Pearson PSO 10.05 0.03 0.30%
Pepsico PEP 110.89 -0.05 -0.05%
Principal Financial PFG 63.57 -0.41 -0.64%
QCR Holdings QCRH 44.25 -0.85 -1.88%
Rockwell Collins COL 137.73 -0.37 -0.27%
S&P 500 ^GSPC 2,744.28 -35.32 -1.27%
Tanger Factory SKT 22.20 -0.91 -3.94%
Procter & Gamble PG 80.52 -1.11 -1.36%
United Fire Group UFCS 44.97 -0.36 -0.79%
U.S. Bank USB 55.01 -0.83 -1.49%
Wells Fargo WFC 59.22 -0.75 -1.25%
West Bank WTBA 24.70 -0.55 -2.18%
Whirlpool WHR 165.28 -2.81 -1.67%
Short-Term Event Planner
       
Feb. 28
1 Million Cups , by 1 Million Cups, 9-10 a.m., MERGE, 136 S. Dubuque St., Iowa City. Join for community connections, startup pitches and free coffee. Free. For more information, visit facebook.com/1MCICR.
 
Power Ladies Lunch , by NewBoCo, IWLC and F&M Bank, noon-1 p.m., Eastbank Venue & Lounge, 97 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids. Join other entrepreneurial, professional women from across the Corridor to share resources, connections and referrals. Cost: $12. For more information or to register, visit newbo.co.
 
March 1
Health Care Summit , by Corridor Business Journal, 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Cedar Rapids Marriott, 1200 Collins Road NE, Cedar Rapids. This annual event will address the topics of mental and physical wellness, best company practices, health insurance developments and the economic impact of health care through speakers and panel discussions. The keynote will be delivered by Dr. J. Brooks Jackson, dean of the UI Carver College of Medicine. Cost: $65; table of 10 for $585. To register, visit corridorbusiness.com/events.
 
Open Coffee , by Washington Chamber of Commerce, 8-9 a.m., Dodici's Shop, 120 S. Iowa Ave., Washington. This event is open to the public and anyone interested in an open discussion about fostering creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship in the Corridor is encouraged to attend. Free. Call (319) 653-4712 for more information.
 
Wake Up Marion , by Marion Chamber of Commerce, 8-9 a.m., Loft Coworking, 700 11th St., Ste. 201, Marion. Network with Marion Chamber members and meet the MEDCO team. Free. Register at bit.ly/2FMGoIQ.
 
PWN Colleague Event , by Professional Women's Network, 7:30-9:30 a.m., The Hotel at Kirkwood, 7725 Kirkwood Blvd. SW, Cedar Rapids. Hear from national speaker Kathleen Caldwell about practical tools and techniques to be calmer and overcome obstacles. Cost: $35 for PWN members, $40 for non-members, $350 for table of 10. For more information or to register, visit pwnia.org.
 
Virtual Career Fair , by Cedar Rapids Iowa City Corridor, 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Connect with more than a dozen Corridor employers and research new careers via online chat sessions with recruiters. Free. Register at bit.ly/2G6M4xQ.
Headlines from CBS2/FOX 28 
These news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
A 19-year-old from Winthrop is facing felony charges after intentionally setting a home that was being remodeled on fire. Fire crews responded to a reported home fire located at 14363 35th Street just east of Oelwein last month. A co-owner of the home reported seeing a vehicle leaving the area when the fire was reported. Investigators have charged 19-year-old Hayes Kern with first-degree arson and third-degree burglary. He is currently in custody in Buchanan County on unrelated charges.

IHOP is celebrating National Pancake Day with generosity. They hope by passing on free pancakes to you, you'll pass on a donation of any amount to the University of Iowa Stead Family Children's Hospital. Pancake lovers donated $4 million to children's hospitals nationwide last year. This year, IHOP hopes to raise $5 million. "We're looking to raise a lot of money today," said Bryan Dullard, director of operations for four Iowa IHOP locations. "Give away a lot of pancakes!" Restaurant guests can go to any IHOP until 7 p.m. this evening to receive a free stack of pancakes, and make a donation by check, credit card or cash. Those who make a five dollar donation can get five dollars off the next visit to IHOP.
  
T hese news items are provided by CBS2/FOX 28 
CBS2 Chief Meteorologist Terry Swails' Weather First Forecast
 
Winter continues to take a spring break today. There will be plenty of sunshine, a little bit of a breeze and mild air in place. Temperatures will climb into the low 50s in the north to low 60s in the south. Clouds will start to build in later tonight and there may be some areas of drizzle. A storm will move into the area late Wednesday and out ahead of temperatures will remain mild, near 50 degrees. Clouds will be in overhead tomorrow and a few showers will develop in the afternoon. The storm is likely going to be weak and will lead to very light rain Wednesday afternoon and evening. As colder air starts to move in Thursday morning there could be a transition to a light wintry mix or wet snow. Little to no snowfall accumulation is expected and precipitation will end by midday.