Michael Koenig

Software seed germinated in classroom “ScoutPro becomes big business.” That was the headline Jan. 25 in the Des Moines Register, beneath a photo of three smiling ISU alumni: Stuart McCulloh (’13 ag education), Michael Koenig (’12 ag education), and Holden Nyhus (’13 ag education). The trio met at Iowa State in an entrepreneurship in agriculture class, and it was there that they were tasked with creating a business plan for a new or existing company. Koenig’s idea to create a farm-field-scouting app caught the attention of Nyhus and McCulloh. The classroom idea became ScoutPro, a mobile app with scouting tools for corn, soybeans, and wheat – with new functionality to come. The new farming gadget has been getting a lot of attention lately, including a mention at Iowa Gov. Terry Branstad’s inaugural address in January.