Vermeer Corporation: Mining the Moon

Weareiowa.com: Following the successful completion of the Artemis II mission, an Iowa company is setting its sights even higher. Vermeer Corporation, based in Pella, is exploring the possibility of mining helium on the moon—an early step toward unlocking the commercial potential of space.

At the center of this effort is helium-3, a rare isotope with growing importance on Earth. It plays a critical role in medical imaging and cryogenics, as well as in advanced and quantum computing. Looking ahead, helium-3 is also considered a promising fuel source for nuclear fusion, with the potential to transform how we generate energy.

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On the Move ↗️

Photo Credit: Des Moines Register

ACHIEVEMENT

Des Moines Metro Breaks into Top Five Most Livable U.S. Cities

DM Register: According to RentCafe’s 2026 Most Livable Metro Areas ranking, the Des Moines metropolitan area ranked No. 4 in the nation—outperforming larger markets by focusing on what matters most: affordability, community, and quality of life.

Education and employment continue to strengthen the region’s momentum. A strong pipeline from local colleges and universities feeds into established insurance and finance industries, alongside a growing technology sector—supporting a highly educated workforce and clear, reliable career pathways.

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LEADERSHIP

Iowa Tech Leaders To Know

▸ Transportation Tech

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Photo Credit: Holmes Murphy

INNOVATION

Holmes Murphy Unveils Holmes Base

HM: Holmes Murphy has announced the launch of Holmes Base, a revolutionary, proprietary platform built on Salesforce Financial Services Cloud (FSC) and purpose‑engineered to modernize the way the company serves its Property Casualty clients.

With this introduction, Holmes Murphy becomes one of the first major insurance brokerages in the industry to centralize the full policy lifecycle, exposure management, document access, and data analysis into one unified, modern digital ecosystem.