Venture School is BACK!

Four entrepreneurs with ideas for new businesses (and a nonprofit) joined the Spring 2021 Venture School cohort, hosted by the Innovation Lab.

This Venture School cohort is taking place virtually and includes participants from all over the state of Iowa. This creates a great opportunity for networking and sharing experiences with a cohort of peers.

The Dubuque cohort of Venture School is sponsored by Dupaco Community Credit Union with support for the program and scholarships for participants. The 7-week program is an innovative training program provided by the University of Iowa and the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center. Venture School focuses on real-world experimentation, customer discovery, and Lean LaunchPad methodologies. This program uses the official National Science Foundation I-Corps curriculum to help high-potential startups turn their ideas into reality.

Mentors support the entrepreneurs in Venture School. They are local business leaders who provide feedback and one-on-one coaching. Mentors in this cohort include Eric Lucy, entrepreneur, Eric Eller, Professor of Economics, Loras College, Rob Reinert, SCORE, and Kevin Finke, Dubuque Bank & Trust.

The entrepreneurs in this cohort include Lu Gerdemann, David & Dan McElroy, Amy Wagner, and Marlynn Livai. You can learn more about the business concepts they are developing at our final pitch event on Thursday, March 25th at 5:30p. Each entrepreneur will make their final pitch (like Shark Tank). Get event details here.

The Innovation Lab is a network of coworking spaces that foster innovation & entrepreneurship in rural communities. Every Innovation Lab offers coworking space, innovation services, meeting space, and team building activities. Everything we do helps businesses launch, grow, and remain competitive.