StartupCity Des Moines

StartupCity Des Moines
Name	StartupCity Des Moines
Formation	2011
Type	Nonprofit startup accelerator
Location	Des Moines, Iowa, United States
Leaders	Rick Smith (co‑founder), Charlie Traylor (co‑founder)

StartupCity Des Moines

StartupCity Des Moines is a nonprofit entrepreneurship organization based in Des Moines, Iowa. It operates programs and spaces that support early‑stage companies, civic innovators, and technology entrepreneurs across the Midwest. The organization connects founders with investors, corporations, universities, and civic institutions to catalyze business formation and regional innovation.

Overview

StartupCity Des Moines functions as an incubator and hub that brokers relationships among venture capital firms, angel networks, corporate innovation arms, academic institutions, and municipal agencies. The organization runs accelerator cohorts, mentorship networks, pitch events, and coworking facilities to serve founders from sectors such as fintech, agritech, health technology, and civic technology. By convening stakeholders from Iowa State University, Drake University, University of Iowa, and regional economic development boards, the group seeks to scale startups, attract capital from entities like the Kauffman Foundation, and integrate corporate partners including Principal Financial Group and Wells Fargo.

History and founding

Founded in 2011 by entrepreneurs and civic leaders responding to post‑recession startup gaps, the organization emerged alongside national trends represented by Y Combinator, Techstars, and 500 Startups. Founders drew from networks that included the Greater Des Moines Partnership, the Polk County Board, and the Des Moines Economic Development Department to repurpose downtown real estate and leverage Main Street revitalization initiatives. Early support also involved philanthropy from the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center, collaboration with the Iowa Innovation Corporation, and volunteer mentors from established firms such as Nationwide and Principal.

Programs and initiatives

Programs include accelerator cohorts modeled on Seedcamp and MassChallenge, mentorship programs leveraging alumni and angel investors from the Keiretsu Forum and Angel Capital Association, and sector‑focused initiatives partnered with the USDA and the Iowa Soybean Association for agritech pilots. StartupCity also hosts hackathons and design sprints inspired by practices from IDEO and Code for America, runs investor education aligned with the National Venture Capital Association, and curates demo days engaging venture firms like Revolution and Bessemer Venture Partners. Workforce initiatives partner with CareerBuilder and General Assembly‑style training, while diversity and inclusion efforts reference programs from Blackstone LaunchPad and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation.

Community and partnerships

The organization maintains partnerships with municipal leaders from the City of Des Moines, state officials at the Iowa Economic Development Authority, regional chambers including the Greater Des Moines Partnership, and higher‑education partners such as Iowa State University Research Park, Drake University Law School, and the University of Iowa Tippie College of Business. Corporate collaborators have included Principal Financial Group, Nationwide, Meredith Corporation, and Hy‑Vee. Civic and nonprofit alliances span the Des Moines Arts Festival, Wellmark Blue Cross Blue Shield, and the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. National linkages extend to organizations such as the Small Business Administration, Startup America Partnership, and Civic Hall.

Funding and economic impact

StartupCity Des Moines secures funding from corporate sponsorships, philanthropic grants from organizations like the Kauffman Foundation and the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, program service revenue, and support from community foundations. Economic impact assessments reference job creation metrics used by the Brookings Institution, funding outcomes comparable to regional accelerators like Catalyze Ventures and TechHub, and capital raised through angel networks comparable to Iowa’s Keiretsu Forum chapters. Outcomes include startup formation rates, follow‑on funding tracked in PitchBook and Crunchbase datasets, and local tax base growth tied to downtown redevelopment projects championed by the Greater Des Moines Partnership.

Notable alumni and startups

Alumni and portfolio companies have included ventures that scaled in sectors such as fintech, agritech, and healthtech, with follow‑on rounds tracked by Crunchbase and CB Insights. Startups associated with the community have attracted attention from regional incubators like the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center and national programs including StartUp Health and MassChallenge. Companies have entered partnerships or pilot agreements with institutions such as the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, Hy‑Vee, and Wells Fargo, and have appeared at conferences such as South by Southwest, Collision, and TechCrunch Disrupt.

Facilities and locations

StartupCity operates coworking and program space in downtown Des Moines, leveraging proximity to the Des Moines Riverwalk, the Historic East Village, and commercial corridors redeveloped under initiatives from the Greater Des Moines Partnership. Facilities are situated near transit nodes connected to Des Moines Area Regional Transit, adjacent to academic innovation centers including the Iowa State University Research Park and the University of Iowa's technology transfer offices. Spaces have hosted events alongside the Des Moines Art Center, the Iowa State Capitol, and regional civic venues.

Category:Nonprofit organizations based in Iowa Category:Organizations established in 2011 Category:Business incubators