Iowa Tech Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Poking Holes in Tradition: ReEnvision Ag's Seed Spike and the Future of Precision Planting Dec 23, 2025

Show notes

Jayson Ryner, founder and CEO of ReEnvision Ag and entrepreneurship professor at NIACC, explains the Seed Spike planter—the first ultra–low soil disturbance planter built for the soil-health era.

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Chapters:

01:42 - Reenvision Ag: Revolutionizing Planting 08:50 - Challenges and Innovations in Agriculture 20:26 - Challenges and Opportunities in Market Gardening 23:46 - Innovations in Agricultural Technology 28:55 - Future Vision and Business Strategy

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Jayson explains how the simple "poke-and-place" mechanism lets farmers plant earlier with less power, improves emergence and spacing, and thrives in no-till and plasticulture conditions where traditional double-disk openers struggle. He shares why ReEnvision Ag is wedging into market gardens and commercial vegetables first—where labor is scarce and time savings are quantifiable—while building toward broader row-crop adoption. The company has first paying customers, defensible IP (an issued U.S. utility patent on the two-pin spike mechanism), third-party validation from an Iowa State study showing more even emergence, and is raising $1M to commercialize.

Jayson also paints a vision for precision ag: because Seed Spike geo-locates every seed, future AI tools can "know" cash crop positions, reduce compute for see-and-spray, cut herbicide and fertilizer use, and enable early robotic weeding—even pre-emergence. With dramatically lower horsepower needs, small electric robots or sub-100HP tractors can plant 12-row units without compacting soil, protecting Iowa's most valuable resource: its topsoil. Long-term, Jayson sees licensing or an OEM exit once product-market fit and sales are proven via paid trials, leases, and a dealer network. Want to see it in action or connect as an investor or grower? Visit reinvisionag.com and follow ReEnvision Ag on Facebook and YouTube.

Building an Entrepreneurial Culture at Drake University with Chase Spencer Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

Host Kaylee welcomes Drake University's Chase Spencer to the Iowa Tech Podcast from the Jethro's Barbecue Studio for a lively conversation about cultivating entrepreneurs in Iowa. Chase shares his path from Monroe, Iowa to Drake—pivoting during 2020 from a dream of theme park design to politics, and ultimately to entrepreneurship after a formative class sparked his venture "Chasing Cars," a QR-code storytelling tool for classic car owners now used by hundreds across the country. He explains his evolution at Drake from contractor to program manager overseeing entrepreneurship initiatives that bridge students and the community—spanning student-focused support and community outreach, the Drake Business Clinic, and a new student accelerator launching this spring with awards ranging from $500 up to $300,000 to help founders launch, learn, and iterate.

Together, Kaylee and Chase dig into the "why now" for ideas (QR codes, anyone?), the complementary strengths and gaps between arts and sciences and business students (big vision vs. execution), and how a culture shift in the Midwest can empower more builders to tackle big, hairy problems. Chase details the Drake Business Clinic's Demo Day—think speed-dating for founders and advisors—centered on "three goals, five things" to drive real progress beyond pitch decks. He makes a simple ask of the ecosystem: answer those .edu emails, show up as mentors, and invest time, relationships, and resources in students while they have a supportive safety net to experiment. To get involved with Drake's entrepreneurship programs, reach Chase at chase.spencer@drake.edu.

Full show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/chase-spencer

Mental Health, AI and Turning Tragedy into Purpose with Jeff Johnston of Brightn Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee welcomes back Jeff Johnston, founder and CEO of Brighton, for a candid conversation about loss, purpose, and building a mental wellness company. Jeff shares the deeply personal journey that led him from a successful 32-year wealth management career to advocacy after losing his son to fentanyl and, later, his wife—ultimately inspiring Brighton, named in honor of his granddaughter. He explains Brighton's unique approach to "mental wellness planning," translating principles from financial planning into a human portfolio of health, wealth, and purpose. With AI embedded from day one, Brighton focuses on prevention and engagement, not diagnosis or treatment, positioning the app as a bridge between therapy sessions—offering mood check-ins, journaling, tailored micro-learning, and gamified routines.

Kaylee and Jeff also unpack founder mental health, fresh off a major LinkedIn livestream that Jeff kicked off following Techstars' David Cohen, benefitting free therapy for founders. They discuss InnoVenture's new investment in Brighton, the responsible use of AI in mental wellness, and how Brighton's sentiment analysis and personalized content drive real engagement (with session time doubling year over year). Jeff talks roadmap, their pivot from schools to employer benefits, and the grit it takes to build a startup—embracing resilience, mission over ego, and constant iteration. If you're a founder, investor, or someone passionate about mental health innovation, this conversation blends raw humanity with practical insights. To learn more or reach Jeff directly: jeff@brightnapp.com (Brightn spelled B-R-I-G-H-T-N).

Full show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/jeff-johnston

Angels in the Krause (House) with Diana Wright Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

Host Kaylee welcomes back guest Diana Wright, Startup Community Builder at the Greater Des Moines Partnership, to recap the Iowa Angel Investor Summit. They cover what angel investing is, when founders should seek it (typically very early), and why Iowa's investor base is broader than many realize—even if many stay humble and private. Diana shares how this year's Summit expanded to a full-day program with a fundamentals workshop the night before, drawing about 50 attendees. The event balanced investor education with founder energy: a keynote from Billy Asmus of Repaint Tray (fresh off Shark Tank), rapid-fire 15-minute lightning talks on topics like tax credits, VC math, agtech outlooks, and "lessons from 50 investments," plus a standout founder panel with leaders from RoboFlow, The Hummingbird, and Bound.

They also highlight the "Best of the Midwest" session—a live, pooled-investment opportunity where attendees can collectively back seven pitching startups via a single LLC, simplifying cap tables and encouraging action. Kaylee and Diana discuss why angel networks matter for sharing diligence and industry expertise, how portfolio strategy fits into high-risk early-stage bets, and the importance of visible "oak tree" founders inspiring the next generation of "seedlings." This year's elevated venue—the glass-filled Krause Gateway Center—matched the ambition, supported by sponsorships that kept tickets to $50 and the room accessible to founders, aspiring investors, universities, and civic leaders. For ongoing deal flow and ecosystem updates, Diana points listeners to her Substack, Startup Iowa Hotlist, and the Iowa Startup Collective.

Full show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/diana-wright

Inside the Digital Transformation of Community Banking with Tara Seible Nov 18, 2025

Show notes

Tara Seible, founder of In the Green Marketing, joins the Iowa Tech Podcast to share how she transitioned from the traditional media world to launching a fast-growing digital agency serving community banks. She reveals how burnout from corporate life became the catalyst for entrepreneurship, and why community banking—despite its conservative roots—is ripe for digital transformation.

In this episode, Tara outlines the power of combining sales expertise with strategic problem-solving, offers insight into her agency's hybrid team model, and teases her next big move: a software platform designed to help banks harness their data more effectively. With a clear two-year roadmap and potential VC backing, Tara is building more than an agency—she's reshaping how banks think about marketing.

Full show notes: https://iowapodcast.com/tara-seible

The Midwest Startup Taking on Billion-Dollar FMCs with Donuts and AI Sep 30, 2025

Show notes

On this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams welcomes Proaction CEO and co-founder Drake Bauer to unpack the startup's rebrand (formerly Flete) and its mission to modernize fleet management. Drake shares how Proaction streamlines asset operations - inspections, maintenance, compliance, and reporting - into a single pane of glass, replacing a tangle of spreadsheets, sticky notes, and legacy tools. He credits early traction to obsessive customer service and "doing things that don't scale," from overnight fixes to mapping clients' workflows on-site. The team's Midwestern roots and hands-on approach underpin an October roadshow in a black Sprinter van across Middle America to shake hands, share donuts, and turn relationships into long-term partnerships.

Drake also zooms out on industry dynamics: companies are increasingly bringing fleet management in-house, opening space for platforms like Proaction to compete with traditional FMCs by delivering modern, integrated, AI-powered software at a fraction of the cost. He spotlights AI use cases already live - auto-processing any fleet paperwork via a document center and instant answers to KPI queries - and explains why Proaction hired a Director of Innovation early to keep them on the cutting edge. The conversation wraps with rapid-fire personal notes, from a newfound olive-oil-and-espresso morning ritual to a love of timeless books and Christopher Nolan films.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/drake-bauer

Taking a Beat - Re-Envisioning the Iowa Tech Podcast Sep 16, 2025

Show notes

The Iowa Tech Podcast is hitting pause as host Kaylee Williams takes a step back to reflect on the journey so far and reimagine the future of the show. After many conversations with founders, innovators, and community builders across Iowa, it's clear there's no shortage of compelling stories to tell. This moment of reassessment is a chance to ensure those stories continue to be told with the depth, creativity, and clarity they deserve.

As the landscape of Iowa's startup ecosystem evolves, so too will the way we share it. During this hiatus, Kaylee will be exploring new formats, perspectives, and more meaningful ways to spotlight the entrepreneurs shaping the state's tech future. Stay subscribed to be the first to hear what's next — the best stories are still ahead.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/taking-a-break

An Interview with Paul MacDonald, the Cofounder & Managing Director of Bio Innovations Midwest Sep 09, 2025

Show notes

In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams dives into an insightful conversation with Paul MacDonald, co-founder and managing director of the Bio Innovations Midwest conference. Paul shares the origin story of the conference, which initially began in Europe as World Bio Markets before transitioning to Bio Innovations Europe. He discusses how the Nebraska Department of Economic Development played a crucial role in bringing the event to the Midwest. The podcast explores the unique format of Bio Innovations Midwest, emphasizing pre-arranged one-to-one meetings that facilitate meaningful connections between scientists, potential customers, partners, and investors, rather than the traditional lecture-heavy conference setup. Paul and Kaylee further discuss the importance of commercializing bio-based innovations to achieve price parity with fossil-derived products and the potential for these innovations to solve global sustainability challenges.

As the conversation unfolds, Paul outlines the strategic expansion of Bio Innovations conferences to different parts of the world, including plans to rebrand Bio Innovations Midwest to Bio Innovations North America in 2026, and launch Bio Innovations APAC in Singapore. He highlights Singapore's role as a business hub in Asia and the partnership with Synergy, Singapore's synthetic biology department, as key reasons for this new endeavor. Throughout the episode, Paul emphasizes the importance of simplifying the bioeconomy for broader understanding and investment, categorizing the market into five groups: biodevelopers, community enablers, investors, brands and buyers, and suppliers. The podcast encourages listeners to attend the upcoming Bio Innovations Midwest conference, offering a platform for innovators to connect and advance their bio-based solutions from the lab to the marketplace. Kaylee and Paul share their shared belief in technology's potential to address pressing global issues and inspire listeners to engage with the bioeconomy to drive change.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/paul-macdonald

Unlocking Academic Success: How Coltie Bridges the Graduate Education Gap with Innovative AI Solutions Sep 02, 2025

Show notes

The Iowa Tech podcast recently featured an insightful discussion with Anuj Sharma, the founder of Coltie, a tech company operating out of Ames, Iowa. Coltie aims to enhance the academic experience for students by bridging the gap between them and their potential faculty advisors. Anuj, a professor at Iowa State University, shared his personal journey and motivation for founding Coltie, highlighting his own experiences in academia where matching with the right mentor was crucial for success. Coltie is designed as an integrated platform that connects various stakeholders in academia—students, faculty, and administrators—using an app to provide timely and accurate information. The platform seeks to address the common challenges faced by students, such as finding the right advisor, understanding the resources available to them, and ultimately, reducing the stress and anxiety prevalent in graduate education.

During the podcast, Anuj also elaborated on the innovative use of AI in Coltie's matchmaking process. The platform utilizes natural language processing to create a comprehensive database of faculty and their research areas, allowing students to easily find potential advisors who align with their academic interests. Beyond just matching students with faculty, Coltie also provides tools for departments and local businesses to engage with students through platforms like Coltie Hive and Coltie Local, enhancing both academic and social experiences. With a focus on strategic partnerships and an expanding user base, Coltie is poised to become a significant player in transforming global academic collaboration by making the process of academic matchmaking more efficient and stress-free.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/coltie

Triumph Over Tragedy: How a Cedar Rapids Startup is Revolutionizing Mental Wellness Aug 26, 2025

Show notes

The latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Micah Walker, features a heartfelt and inspirational conversation with Jeffrey Johnson, the founder of Brightn—a mental wellness startup. The episode delves into Jeffrey's personal journey, which led to the creation of Brightn. It all began with a tragic turn of events when Jeffrey lost his son to an overdose and subsequently, his wife to grief and substance abuse. These painful experiences propelled him to start a nonprofit, Living Undeterred Project, and eventually Brightn, an app aimed at shifting the focus from crisis intervention to mental wellness prevention and planning. Jeffrey emphasizes that while Brighton is not anti-medication, it seeks to explore alternatives before medication becomes the first line of treatment.

Brightn aims to revolutionize mental wellness by focusing on the pre-treatment and prevention realm. The app offers a unique approach by using a nine-question Brightn Zone assessment to identify user strengths and deficiencies in health, wealth, and purpose. This information, along with AI-driven personalized content, helps users engage in self-improvement. The episode also highlights Brightn's impressive growth, both in B2B and B2C markets, with partnerships like Med-One and Choice Charter Schools. Jeffrey shares the app's successful engagement strategies, which have resulted in higher retention and lower churn rates compared to industry averages. With strategic partnerships and a focus on prevention, Brightn is poised to make a significant impact in the mental wellness space, all while honoring the legacy of Jeffrey's late son and granddaughter, after whom the app is named.

Find this show on your favorite app: https://iowapodcast.com/brightn

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