News

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…

On Thursday, April 9, the startup community will gather virtually for the second iteration of the Startup Social, an event originally planned for March. When COVID-19 forced the organizers to cancel, the hope was to reschedule the in-person event for a later date. However, in an effort to maintain connection during this time of social…

As businesses find themselves in the midst of an unprecedented economic shift due to COVID-19, many have taken the opportunity to adapt and provide resources for both their customers and fellow entrepreneurs.  From support for those facing transitions in their careers to groups providing inspiration and ways to stay busy, Sioux Falls’ entrepreneurial community is…

The federal government granted Governor Kristi Noem’s emergency declaration request on Friday, adding South Dakota to a growing list of states that have been approved for Small Business Administration (SBA) assistance during the COVID-19 disaster. The SBA’s Office of Disaster Assistance exists to support small businesses when natural disasters such as tornadoes, floods, fires, and…

On Saturday, March 14, Hack Sioux Falls will kick off its fifth project at the Zeal Center for Entrepreneurship.  Hack Sioux Falls is a collaborative educational project designed to teach kids ages 9 to 18 about electronics, embedded technology, and electrical engineering. The program is run by Will Bushee, Executive Director of Code Bootcamp School,…