Venture School Program is Now Enrolling in Iowa

August 10, 2017 | Entrepreneur Resources

Iowa City, Iowa – The University of Iowa Venture School, a premier statewide program for entrepreneurs developed by the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC), is once again accepting applications from startups across the state of Iowa. The upcoming fall program will host locations in Des Moines, Cedar Falls, and Cedar Rapids. In addition to these locations, an online version of the program will also be held to allow innovative individuals across the state of Iowa to participate in the program, regardless of their location.

Established in 2013, the eight-week Venture School program is built from a streamlined curriculum developed by the National Science Foundation I-Corps at Stanford University and the University of California, Berkeley.

Since its inception, Venture School has helped guide over 230 teams, and has awarded over $150,000 in cash prizes. Many of the participating teams have used these funds to continue their business ventures across the state of Iowa and beyond.

Venture School is now accepting applications to participate in its fall 2017 program, which emphasizes real-world entrepreneurship and innovation based on leading edge curriculum taught by serial entrepreneurs. Participants will gain marketing expertise and real-world knowledge and skills to help them launch their ideas. Venture School is looking for hardworking teams located in Des Moines, Cedar Falls, Cedar Rapids, and across the state that are dedicated to learning and working cohesively to apply.

Successful Venture School Alums, Conor Flaherty and Pat Flaherty, founders of Germbot, completed the Venture School program in spring 2017. “We found Venture school very helpful – the class structure and discipline forced us to focus on our product and be accountable to our peers, mentors, and ourselves. As a result of Venture School, we were able to dramatically improve our speed of product design, get quicker customer feedback, and are prepared to take a new product to market in weeks instead of several months as we have done in the past,” they stated.

Applications are being accepted until September 18, 2017. For additional information and to submit an application, please visit www.venture-school.com.

About the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center & Venture School: Established in 1996, The University of Iowa’s John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center (Iowa JPEC) is committed to teaching and supporting innovation and entrepreneurial development. Iowa JPEC is proud to play an important role in the development of Iowa-based technology and high- growth startup companies. Serving University of Iowa students, Iowa startups and businesses, and k-12 innovative youth, Iowa JPEC’s programs support entrepreneurs of all ages and experience levels.

Established in 2013, Venture School is an extension of Iowa JPEC. The statewide Venture School program helps entrepreneurs by accelerating the startup process and increasing their odds of success. Venture School is the state of Iowa’s only National Science Foundation I- Corps Site. For more information, please visit www.iowajpec.org.