News

On Friday, May 29, the first cohort of the Falls Fintech accelerator program graduated virtually after ten weeks of intensive, remote programming.  Nikkee Rhody, co-founder and managing director for Falls Fintech, says the inaugural cohort faced unprecedented challenges in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic. The accelerator kicked off with a welcome reception in Sioux…

First National Bank Wealth Management is a premier sponsor of Startup Sioux Falls. As the city’s oldest financial institution, The First National Bank in Sioux Falls (FNBSF) has weathered numerous storms but never wavered as a reliable and trustworthy partner for its clients. Founded in 1885, FNBSF has maintained its commitment to being the principal,…

Founded on the principles of inclusion, diversity and equity, a year-long program in both North and South Dakota helps people pursue change in their communities by taking a hard look at how they communicate and the unconscious biases they may be harboring.  Change Network is a program developed by National Arts Strategies and funded by…

Businesses of all sizes and across industries have had to make changes in response to Covid-19. Manufacturers, many of which have been deemed essential, face their own set of stressors and challenges when it comes to these adaptations.  South Dakota Manufacturing & Technology Solutions (SDMTS) exists to support manufacturers across the state, and of course,…

Startup Sioux Falls and the Zeal Center for Entrepreneurship have announced a new event, a Virtual Event Planning Panel Discussion. This event will take place via Zoom on Thursday, May 7th at 4:00 PM. The Virtual Event Planning Panel Discussion was born out of the fact that a large portion of business to consumer interaction…

When the Small Business Administration (SBA) launched the first round of Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) funding—made possible by CARES Act legislation—South Dakotans received 11,400 loans totaling $1.6 billion. Across the country, the $349 billion in PPP funding dried up in less than two weeks. As the second wave of funding became available on Monday, April 27, SBA District…

After the success of the first virtual Startup Social, Zeal’s new community manager, Peter Hauck, posed the idea for a New & Aspiring Entrepreneurs Meetup—an event focused on the dreamers, fresh businesses, and ‘wantrepreneurs,’ as Hauck put it.  The event, which took place via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon, attracted over 30 participants to listen to…

Walter Portz remembers the exact day he broke down over the death of his mother, Helen. But it wasn’t the day she died. In April 2018, a year after Helen had passed, Portz received her tax documents in the mail. He’d been getting her forwarded mail for a year now—countless catalogues, coupons, and other postage…

Startup Sioux Falls and the Zeal Center for Entrepreneurship have announced their newest event, a virtual meetup for new and aspiring entrepreneurs. This free event will take place on Tuesday, April 21st at 4:00 PM on Zoom. Rolling out a new venture in the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic is no small feat, and there…

As you’re reading this, Zeal’s newest hire, Peter Hauck, is in the midst of navigating his first day on the job—virtually.  We’ve never done a virtual first day before, but it’s just one of the many ways life has had to adapt these days. We’ll get through this in time, and here at Zeal we’re…