Des Moines is home to numerous major insurance headquarters and a bustling tech hotspot for businesses.

Located on the banks of the Cedar River in the country’s “bread basket,” Cedar Rapids is a major city for the agricultural industry. That said, it’s not just waves of grain that fuel the Cedar Rapids economy: entrepreneurship has become an increasingly large part of the area’s business environment.

Nearly half of Ames residents are students at Iowa State University, fueling a young culture focused on advancement and innovation that serves the city’s entrepreneurship scene.