Diana Wright has joined the Greater Des Moines Partnership as its startup community builder. Wright, who most recently worked at Iowa State University’s Pappajohn Center for Entrepreneurship, will begin her new role on April 19. She will engage with existing startup and high-growth businesses and will help new startups connect with the community, its mentors, advisers, investors and other community leaders. “I am focused on a single purpose: to help entrepreneurs build real, impactful businesses in Iowa,” Wright said in a news release announcing her hiring. “I am excited to work with existing and aspiring startup founders in Greater Des Moines to help them connect, build upon success and identify how we can collectively continue to build the startup ecosystem in this community.” In her role with the Pappajohn Center, Wright led, created, and marketed a number of the cornerstone entrepreneurial programs, including the creation of the first-ever student accelerator at Iowa State University called CYstarters. Before that role, Wright worked as a community builder for tech startup Dwolla. Jay Byers, president and CEO of the Partnership, said a growing, vibrant startup community is critical for economic development success. “As we evaluated opportunities to support the startup community in DSM, it became clear that we needed a connector and creator to support and maximize the DSM startup community,” he said. “Diana has a proven track record of building relationships and programs to help startups and the startup ecosystem grow.”