As the holiday season approaches, it’s important to take time to reflect and remember all the reasons we have to give thanks. At Gravitate, we’re thankful to be part of Des Moines’ strong, vibrant entrepreneurial community. We’re thankful for innovative ideas, supportive community partners, and a diverse collection of passionate members. So as Americans prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving, we’d like to introduce you to some Gravitate members who originally hail from outside of the United States.

It isn’t uncommon to still be searching for your passion in life several decades in. Many of us are still asking ourselves what we want to be when we grow up far into our 30's, 40's and beyond. Some of us, though, find that spark so quickly it is electrifying and it drives us further than anything we ever dreamed. 

Brad Dwyer first started programming at an age when many of us hardly knew how to use a computer, and has continued to push boundaries and challenge himself since then. I had the opportunity to chat with Brad about his Des Moines based startup Hatchlings, his background, and why he has decided to call Gravitate home.

Interviews with Ben McDougal, Matt McKinney, Brad Dwyer, Emma Peterson,  Jay Byers, Clyde Evans, Debi Durham, Don Frazer, Jenice Whisenand, Justin Wise and Larry Anderson live from the Gravitate Grand Opening Celebration.

Hatchlings looking for folks with game development, digital marketing and social media skills.

A question I’ve been hearing a lot more lately has been how to get more women engaged in entrepreneurship. What provokes a woman to start a company or maybe even prevents them? To go one step further, how can we engage women in Iowa to join our own tech startup community?

A guest post by Lyndsay Clark

I’m convinced that hackathons like these are the future of computer science (and entrepreneurship) education. I’m also convinced that they are going to give rise to the next generation of innovators and disruptive startups.

A guest post by Brad Dwyer, founder of Hatchlings.