Building the World's Biggest Company with Brad Dwyer, CTO and Co-Founder of Roboflow
Release Date: 11/26/2024
From ultra-marathons to urban farming: how to build a resilient startup with Clayton Mooney
Iowa Tech Podcast
In this episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Clayton Mooney, the Co-Founder and Chief Farmer at Clayton Farms, discussing his journey from a small family farm in Iowa to creating a successful indoor farming business. Clayton shares his experience with ultra-marathon training and compares the perseverance required in athletics to that of entrepreneurship, emphasizing the importance of tenacity and grit. He details his career path, including his initial reluctance to return to agriculture and his subsequent ventures like Kinosol, which developed solar food...
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The impact of global tariffs on one Iowa startup with Russel Karim
Iowa Tech Podcast
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Russel Karim, CEO and Founder of SourceEazy, about his entrepreneurial journey and the evolution of his company. Originally from Bangladesh, Russel has been part of the Iowa startup ecosystem for 14 years, beginning with his first venture, Solver Iowa, during his time at the University of Northern Iowa. Russel's background in the clothing manufacturing industry in Bangladesh inspired him to create SourceEazy, a company that connects fashion design with global manufacturing, particularly focusing on the promotional and...
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Building Iowa startups with Curt Nelson and Ben Clark of the Entrepreneurial Development Center
Iowa Tech Podcast
In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee interviews Curt Nelson, President and CEO of the Entrepreneurial Development Center (EDC), and Ben Clark, Entrepreneur in Residence at EDC. The discussion focuses on the role of EDC in supporting Iowa's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Curt, who founded EDC 22 years ago, explains the organization's mission to accelerate the formation and success of new companies, thereby generating economic impact in Iowa. He shares his passion for entrepreneurship, which stems from his lifelong desire to create and innovate. Curt also discusses his book,...
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An Interview with Clair Williams-Vavra, Winner of Startup Weekend DSM
Iowa Tech Podcast
The latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee Williams, comes to life from the Jethro's Barbecue Studio in the East Village, where Kaylee chats with Clair Williams-Vavra, the Chief Operating Officer at SI Delivery Consulting. Clair, the recent winner of this year's Des Moines' Startup Weekend, shares her eclectic journey from hospitality to technology and entrepreneurship. She reflects on her past ventures, like the B2B mason jar salad company, Green Mason, and her deep-seated entrepreneurial spirit that traces back to childhood endeavors. The discussion takes a heartfelt turn...
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Looking back on the 2025 Startup Weekend Des Moines with co-organizer Colleen Kinsey
Iowa Tech Podcast
The Iowa Tech podcast, hosted by Kaylee, is a vibrant exploration of the startup ecosystem in Des Moines, Iowa. Recorded from the unique atmosphere of the Jethro's Barbecue Studio, Kaylee brings listeners into the heart of entrepreneurial innovation by featuring dynamic interviews with key figures, such as Colleen Kinsey, co-founder of SoftVoya and co-organizer of Startup Weekend Des Moines. This episode captures the essence of Startup Weekend, a transformative 52-hour event where individuals from diverse backgrounds unite to brainstorm, develop, and pitch viable business ideas. Listeners are...
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Unlocking the Future of Real Estate: How Emigrait's AI is Revolutionizing Home Buying Predictions
Iowa Tech Podcast
This episode of the Iowa Tech podcast features Ehrich Pakala, co-founder and CEO of Emigrait, a software company based in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Join us as we delve into Ehrich's journey from being a pure math major to establishing a tech firm that leverages AI to predict real estate market behaviors. Emigrait initially started as a consulting company for mortgage lenders, aiming to forecast potential home buyers and sellers by analyzing various data metrics. Over time, the company expanded its clientele to include realtors, senior housing companies, and even home service providers. Ehrich...
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A new coworking space hits Des Moines with Levi Cermak at Elevator
Iowa Tech Podcast
In this episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee Williams interviews Levi Cermak, the Vice President of Revenue at Elevator, a new co-warehousing space in town. Levi shares his journey from Hastings, Nebraska, through the entrepreneurship center at the University of Nebraska, to joining Elevator. He discusses Elevator's unique business model, which focuses on co-warehousing for small businesses dealing with physical goods, as opposed to traditional coworking spaces. The conversation highlights the challenges faced by small business owners who operate from home, such as storage and...
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Unlocking the Future: Dive into Crypto, Blockchain, and Decentralization with Scott Herren on the Iowa Tech Podcast
Iowa Tech Podcast
Kaylee Williams, the host of the Iowa Tech podcast, welcomes Scott Herren to the studio, who is a notable figure in the entrepreneurial ecosystem of Iowa. Scott, a third-generation Iowa native, has been deeply involved in the startup scene, starting with his time at Startup City in Des Moines. He is currently the Founding Engineer at a company called Hats. With a background in finance and marketing analytics, Scott's journey has taken him through various cities, including San Diego, Texas, and St. Louis, before returning to Iowa. He's particularly passionate about the intersection of...
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From Bootstrapping to Big Business: Levi Rosol's Journey with We Write Code
Iowa Tech Podcast
Levi Rosol, the CEO and Founder of We Write Code, has had a remarkable journey in the tech industry, spanning over 20 years. His experience encompasses a diverse range of environments, from corporate to startups, and a significant stint at a marketing agency. With a foundation as a developer, Levi transitioned into leadership roles, culminating in the creation of We Write Code, a software development agency that has evolved from a startup-centric focus to working with larger, enterprise-level clients. We Write Code not only provides technology solutions but also offers mentorship and guidance...
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Building a MedTech Giant in Iowa with Dr. Melissa Bates
Iowa Tech Podcast
In the latest episode of the Iowa Tech podcast, host Kaylee Williams engages in a captivating conversation with Dr. Melissa Bates, CEO and founder of LSF Medical Solutions. Dr. Bates shares her journey from being a faculty member at the University of Iowa to pioneering a groundbreaking medical device, Pnumero, aimed at transforming lung disease care. Pnumero is designed to bring advanced lung function monitoring into patients' homes, providing vital data that can preemptively indicate worsening conditions long before symptoms appear. This innovation not only enhances patient autonomy but also...
info_outlineIn the latest episode of the Iowa Tech Podcast, host Kaylee sits down with Brad Dwyer, the Co-Founder and CTO of Roboflow, to delve into the exciting world of computer vision technology. Roboflow, a company dedicated to giving computers the sense of sight through AI models, has already garnered over one million users, spanning from hobbyists to Fortune 100 companies. The discussion highlights Roboflow’s journey from a hackathon project to a key player in the AI industry, underscoring the transformative potential of computer vision technology in various sectors, from augmented reality apps to advanced security systems. Brad shares insights into how Roboflow empowers developers—even redefines the term "developer"—to harness AI for diverse applications, reflecting on how the company pivoted from creating augmented reality apps to focusing on developer tools.
As the conversation progresses, Brad reveals the strategic moves that have propelled Roboflow’s growth, including its recent $40 million Series B round led by Google Ventures (GV). The dialogue touches on the company’s innovative hiring practices and its efforts to democratize computer vision through platforms like Roboflow Universe, which allows users to share and utilize open-source datasets and models. Brad’s narrative is not only a testament to Roboflow’s success but also a broader reflection on the evolving AI landscape. The episode concludes with Brad offering valuable advice to aspiring entrepreneurs on the importance of thinking big and aligning with the right partners to achieve ambitious goals, while also emphasizing the role of community and continuous learning in his entrepreneurial journey.
Hear the full show: https://iowapodcast.com/brad-dwyer-roboflow