We have some exciting news to share.

The Business Record is increasing the size of its newsroom through an investment in a new reporter, and we have launched a new weekly innovationIOWA e-newsletter that began arriving in your inboxes on Feb. 1.

The investment in a new reporter, who will focus primarily on covering the entrepreneurial ecosystem, will allow us to provide a consistent drumbeat of tech and innovation coverage in the new e-newsletter, while also infusing and expanding our coverage across our existing products, and continuing to strengthen our annual statewide innovation- IOWA magazine that we launched in 2013.

When I first began as a reporter at the Business Record in 2009 in the depths of the recession, I had the opportunity to cover what at the time was a new and emerging entrepreneurial ecosystem. However, this was just one of the many beats that I covered, and in the years since then different reporters have covered tech and innovation as one of many industry segments that they each track.

But over that time, due to the hard work and vision of many in this community, the infrastructure surrounding that community has increased, matured and strengthened. The list is impressive: Square One DSM has been accelerating businesses; both the Global Insurance Accelerator and Iowa AgriTech Accelerator launched; we’ve seen the infusion of co-working spaces such as Gravitate; there’s been investment efforts from Iowa Economic Development Authority; new investor groups have formed such as Plains Angels, NextLevel Ventures and FIN Capital, among others; new innovation is occurring at the Iowa State University Research Park and at the New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo) in Cedar Rapids; the Cultivation Corridor launched; Technology Association of Iowa and other technology organizations have increased their membership, voice and leadership; and there have been countless other initiatives, organizations, people and companies that have all been working to fuel the innovative spirit of the state.

In addition, Iowa’s mature, staple industries such as finance, insurance, health care, manufacturing and agriculture are innovating and adapting, and are faced with technological disruptions that provide new opportunities for long-term growth.

As the pace of technological change has accelerated, we recognized an increased need to help businesses adapt to change, capitalize on new opportunities and stay informed. 

No longer can we cover the ecosystem as part of one of our beats. Hence the hiring of a new reporter who can dedicate the time and resources necessary for covering this community.

The future is full of possibilities, opportunities and challenges, and our goal is to use the innovationIOWA platform to expose business leaders to the latest innovations in a rapidly evolving world, as well as to connect, forge and foster relationships within the entrepreneurial ecosystem and ultimately elevate the profile of Iowa’s innovative people, businesses and ideas. 

But we need your help. If you have a story to be told, or know of one that should be shared, please don’t hesitate to contact our newsroom (newsroom@bpcdm.com or suzannebehnke@bpcdm.com) or to reach out my way to discuss ways we might be able to partner at chrisconetzkey@bpcdm.com. 

Also, I want to encourage your feedback. In addition to the e-newsletter, we have launched a new companion website, innovationia.com, which will house our innovation coverage. If you have any feedback on the e-newsletter or website, please help us make the best product possible by providing feedback at innovationia.com/contact.

We’ll be announcing our new hire for the newsroom soon, and we’re excited to have her join the team. In the meantime, we hope you enjoy the new product, and we look forward to playing a larger role in fueling Iowa’s innovative spirit.