The Iowan Project, a new talent development initiative, lets people with Iowa connections use a website to drop a pin on a map to show where they live now. The idea will be to encourage the former Iowans to spread the word about the state, to get to know each other, and to consider coming back. The Greater Des Moines Partnership and the city of West Des Moines plan to hold dinners for the former Iowans in Denver and Chicago this year. The project involves the Technology Association of Iowa, the Partnership, the Iowa Economic Development Authority and the city of West Des Moines. “TAI is excited to connect with tech-skilled Iowa expats and reacquaint them with the great tech companies, communities and job opportunities awaiting them back home,” TAI President Brian Waller said in a statement. “The recruitment opportunity is that these folks already know the Iowa story; what they may not realize is that the tech industry is alive and thriving in Iowa.” The map shows how many former Iowans have dropped their pin in a certain area. If you click on the spot, the app lists the people, their hometowns, and where they worked and studied in Iowa. More details can be found here.