The Iowa City Area Development Group (ICAD) is partnering with Heartland Forward and Builders and Backers to bring a new accelerator program to Iowa City.
The Idea Accelerator is a 90-day, virtual program to get your idea off the sidelines and into action. All accepted into the program will receive $5,000 in non-dilutive funding to help test out their business idea.
Anyone who has a creative for solving a problem facing the Iowa City community can complete an application. Residents with the most promising and innovative ideas will be selected to participate in a two-month long virtual program starting on January 20, 2022.
”The Iowa City Area is a community full of innovative thinkers who are passionate about developing solutions to problems in our community and beyond,” said Liz Hubing, Director of Marketing, Community Development, and Entrepreneurship at ICAD in a statement. “We’re excited to work with Heartland Forward and Builders and Backers to provide a low-risk, experimental environment for people in our community to test their ideas and bring new businesses to life. We’re certain that this program will serve as a powerful conduit for our community’s existing entrepreneurial programming.”
The new program in Iowa City is part of Heartland Forward’s commitment to funding and supporting 1,000 builders across the heartland by 2023. The program was successfully piloted in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Oxford, Mississippi this summer.
Builder and Backers will be hosting an informational session on Dec. 9, where you can learn more about the program and have a chance to ask questions.
Iowa City residents must apply by December 19, 2021.
