STARTUPS Blog

Annual Fall Startup Tour: Northern Iowa

On October 8, 2026, students from the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) traveled with Start Something CALS on the annual Fall Startup Tour. Students traveled to Northern Iowa and learned about businesses that were started through entrepreneurial endeavors.  

AgTech Forum — Internships Working on the Future of Agriculture

AgTech Forum is Start Something's new paid internship, year-long program that puts Iowa State students inside real ag companies to work on the technologies changing the industry. You're hired in the fall, and you stay hired through the spring. Each year, the program takes on a different frontier of agricultural technology. 

This year's focus: artificial intelligence in agriculture. 

On the Road: Rural Entrepreneurship Academy

Rural Entrepreneurship Academy gave students the opportunity to take their learning beyond the classroom this summer through a week-long trip across Kansas, Oklahoma, and Texas. Jacob Fuller, Lane Sommerfelt, Sam Ludwig, Henry Wiering, and Grant Boyd traveled with program director Kevin Kimle to meet with entrepreneurs, agricultural businesses, and industry leaders while seeing firsthand how businesses contribute to rural communities. 

Global Agriculture in Action: Iowa State Students Explore Brazil

Study abroad programs at Iowa State University provide students with unique international experiences that help them expand their understanding of other countries, see classroom learning applied to the real world, gain hands-on experience with other cultures, and create memories that will last a lifetime. Steve Goodhue’s recent trip to Brazil with a group of CALS (College of Agriculture and Life Sciences) students is a clear example of this.

Winternships Rise to New Heights

January marked a new milestone for the Start Something CALS Winternship program.
With seven students spread across four participating Ag-startup companies, the size and
magnitude of the program has more than doubled from one year ago. Since launching the idea in
2025, the Winternship (winter + internship) program connects students with passionate
entrepreneurs for a 5-day, hands-on project learning experience.

Building Businesses, Building Connections

The Entrepreneur Roundtable brought together students, innovators, and industry leaders for an evening centered on connection, insight, and inspiration. Held on Tuesday, October 28th, the event created a welcoming and engaging atmosphere where students could enjoy food while building meaningful connections with both their peers and experienced entrepreneurs.

Imagine that, in Iowa? - Spring Ag-Entrepreneurship Tour

Twice each year, students in the Start Something College of Agriculture and Life Sciences program embark on a full-day journey throughout Iowa to visit unique agricultural startups. At each destination, students learn about the business firsthand through tours, asking questions, and listening to entrepreneurs share their stories for “why” they started their own businesses. On Thursday, March 5, a collaborative group of 44 undergraduate students traveled to southeast Iowa to visit several unique businesses that likely wouldn’t be the first things that come to mind when thinking of Iowa agriculture. 

Innovating the Future - Sukup Manufacturing Co. Spring Impact Project

63 years ago, Eugene and Mary Sukup founded Sukup Manufacturing Co. after developing new Stirway technology to prevent spoilage in large grain bins. Today, their lifetime legacy of helping others has grown into the world's largest family-owned manufacturer of grain storage, drying, and handling equipment.

This remarkable achievement is tied to Sukup's core values of Faith, Family, and Innovation. Steve Sukup, CEO of Sukup Manufacturing Co., once shared that "Innovation is part of our identity at Sukup and for excellent customer service and continuous improvement."

Commodity Markets and Decentralized Money - An Opportunities White Paper

Fifty Startups. One Day. One Class.

Solve Hard Problems - Indoor Aquaculture - Midland Seafood

Opportunities in Agriculture - Brazil 2025

Winternships - A New Work Experience

Entrepreneurial Professor in Action – Dr. Michael Castellano and EnGeniousAg

An Evening with Local Entrepreneurs Inspires Future Leaders in Agriculture and Business

Change-Maker Academy Explores Sustainable Agriculture at Red Granite Farm

Fall 2024 Startup Tour

Change-Maker Acadmey Tour Sparks Student Enthusiasm at Salin 247

Ecosystem in Action – Distynct and 24/7 Manufacturing in a Cubicle