This new investment opportunity will be offered by the Ag Startup Engine in addition to the $10,000 prize awarded to the Showcase winner as selected by the Showcase judges, during the IBSC annual conference held at the FFA Enrichment Center in Ankeny.

“This opportunity for investment from an experienced VC fund focused on the Midwest and on biotech/agtech companies significantly raises the stakes for competitors. We are thrilled that this partnership will help a deserving standout startup, but also bolster Iowa’s startup ecosystem as a whole through the power the Ag Startup Engine brings to the table,” said Jessica Hyland, Executive Director of IowaBio.

“Ag Startup Engine is thrilled to partner with the Iowa Biotechnology Association to support early-stage startups through this investment opportunity at their annual showcase competition. Biotech plays a crucial role in the future of agriculture, and we’re excited to back a founder who is driving innovation in this sector,” added Mikayla Mooney, Partner at Ag Startup Engine.

One company will be chosen solely by Ag Startup Engine and announced at IBSC. The chosen company will receive the investment, pending final due diligence conducted by Ag Startup Engine, and may be the same or different than the overall Showcase competition winner.

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More about 2025 IBSC

The Iowa Biotech Showcase & Conference (IBSC) is an annual conference hosted by IowaBio bringing together innovators, biotech leaders, investors, and support vendors from across Iowa for industry-specific programming and networking opportunities.

The 2025 IBSC will highlight biotech entrepreneurship, partnerships, collaboration, and the complex ecosystem that supports and sustains small and large Iowa biotech companies, from their infancy to established and thriving.

More about the IBSC Showcase Pitch Competition

A key component of IBSC is IowaBio’s Biotech Showcase Pitch Competition. Each year a committee selects six (6) startup companies to pitch their biotech related product or service for a chance to win the grand prize of $10,000.

More about IowaBio

The Iowa Biotechnology Association (IowaBio), a 501(c)6 non-profit trade association, was founded in 1994 to unify Iowa's bioscience industry, academic research institutions and economic development organizations. We represent more than 100 members spanning our state, invested in Iowa and in the biotech industry.

More about Ag Startup Engine

Ag Startup Engine (ASE), launched in 2016, is the premier seed program for agricultural innovators, designed to address two critical needs in agtech: access to idea-stage capital and organized mentorship from successful entrepreneurs. Through multiple funds, ASE has built a vibrant community of entrepreneurs, investors, and industry supporters, investing in 40 companies, and helping founders bring transformative technologies to market across the food and agriculture value chain.