USASBE and Iowa State partner on national symposium: economic growth through rural entrepreneurship
07/15/2025
AMES, Iowa – The role of rural entrepreneurship in driving economic and community development was the topic of a recent conference held at Iowa State University.
“USASBE was proud to partner with Iowa State to support education and outreach in rural entrepreneurship through this symposium,” said Jennifer Capps, President and CEO of USASBE. “In true Iowa State fashion, they ensured that the 2025 Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium was a place where greatness could thrive. From insightful conversations to immersive site visits in the Ames entrepreneurial ecosystem, attendees left with actionable ideas to uplift rural communities across the country.”
Co-chairs of the event, Judi Eyles, Director of Iowa State’s Pappajohn Center, and Linda Niehm, Regents Professor of Apparel, Events, and Hospitality Management, focused on creating a vibrant hub for collaboration among educators, entrepreneurs and thought leaders, while highlighting innovation and entrepreneurship in the Midwest.
“Iowa State’s commitment to entrepreneurship education has long been recognized by USASBE,” said Eyles. “Hosting this year’s rural symposium allowed us to showcase our success stories while engaging in meaningful conversations with an incredible group of attendees.”
Programming featured cutting-edge research and teaching presentations, visits with local entrepreneurs and inspiring stories from Iowa State alums. From field visits to rural Iowa businesses to behind-the-scenes looks at student-founded startups, the symposium offered a unique experience.
“We wanted attendees to gain a full Iowa experience,” shared Niehm. “It was thrilling to share the entrepreneurial spirit of Iowa and Iowa State at a national level, blending academic excellence with real-world innovation in rural communities.”
With attendees from 20 different states, local business owners had the opportunity to connect directly with researchers to both share their stories and learn about new opportunities that could help grow their businesses.
“I really learned a lot and look forward to applying some of these new ways of thinking into my business,” said Garren Zanker, a resident of Jewell, Iowa, who led a community effort to save a local grocery store.
Attendee and teaching professor in the Department of Management and Business at Iowa State’s Ivy College of Business, Ann Wright, appreciated learning more about Iowa State alums who have taken entrepreneurship into communities and helped them thrive.
“Though I’ve lived in Iowa for decades I had the opportunity to experience a farm-to-table dinner and learn more about the incredibly successful entrepreneurs right here in our own state,” said Wright. ”Kudos to our CyStarters alums who have gone on to build and continue to build unique and life-changing businesses.”
This was the second symposium of its kind for USASBE, following the inaugural Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium in summer 2024 at the University of Vermont. Erik Monsen, associate professor and Steven Grossman Endowed Chair in Entrepreneurship at the University of Vermont’s Grossman School of Business, was chair of the 2024 symposium and attended this year’s event.
“The strong sense of community that imbues many small towns and rural spaces was present throughout this year’s USASBE Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium, from the entrepreneurial panelists to the local Iowa food to the innovative farmsteads that we visited last week,” said Monsen. “Similarly, the sense of community created amongst the researchers, teachers, entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders from across the country was amazing.”
The 2025 symposium was supported by a variety of sponsors, led by the Ivy College of Business, the College of Health and Human Sciences, the College of Engineering, and other business assistance organizations and Iowa-based businesses.
The USASBE Rural Entrepreneurship Symposium series aims to highlight innovation and entrepreneurship in a range of rural U.S. regions and additional events are already planned. The 2026 symposium will be held at Colorado Mesa University in Grand Junction, Colo., followed by the 2027 symposium at Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas.
