© 2025 Iowa Public Radio
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Two Iowa tech companies breathe a sigh of relief following Silicon Valley Bank failure

Ways To Subscribe
River to River, hosted by Ben Kieffer

The California lender's failure this month was the nation's biggest since the 2008 financial crisis, leaving Iowa-based tech startups scrambling to ensure their funds were secure.

River to River host Ben Kieffer talks with Michele Williams of the University of Iowa about what prompted SVB's failure, and the ripple effects it has on the country's banking system.

Kieffer also chats with two local tech startup leaders who had funds deposited with SVB, and an Iowa banker who gave an assist to venture capitalists seeking to find a safe institution for their investments following the bank collapse.

Guests:

  • Michele Williams, associate professor, John L. Miclot Faculty Fellow in Entrepreneurship, UI Tippie College of Business
  • Matthew Rooda, CEO and founder, SwineTech, Inc.
  • Russel Karim, CEO and founder, Dhakai, Inc.
  • John Rigler, II, CEO, board chairman, Peoples Bank, Clive
Ben Kieffer is the host of IPR's River to River
Samantha McIntosh is a talk show producer for Iowa Public Radio. She holds a bachelor's degree from St. Cloud State University. Since 2022, McIntosh has worked with IPR's talk team to bring news and features to IPR's listening audience.