Founders Club

The home of UI Student Businesses

Founders Club is a business program for students pursuing the creation of a startup while attending The University of Iowa. Open to all UI students, this business incubator connects you with the resources to launch your startup, and to grow it into a sustainable business. Welcoming both individual students and teams, the Founders Club is located in the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory (BELL), providing a physical home for student businesses on UI's campus. Participants will have access to a variety of resources including collaborative work space and equipment, workshops, trainings, networking, funding opportunities and one-on-one mentoring from experienced professionals.

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Program Impact

575+

student businesses supported

1st

at multiple national student business competitions

$100k+

in funding opportunities for students

Benefits

Access to collaborative work space
One-on-one mentoring and coaching
Funding opportunities
Workshops and training
Networking and community exposure
Marketing and technical support

Eligibility

Enrolled University of Iowa undergraduate, graduate and PhD students who are serious about starting and growing a business are eligible to apply for the Founders Club. Both individuals and teams are welcome. The student(s) must be the founder or co-founder of the company. Once admitted, individuals must demonstrate adequate progress each semester to remain in the program.

Explore our Student Businesses

Since its establishment in 2004, the Bedell Entrepreneurship Learning Laboratory has supported hundreds of student startups. Get to know some of the businesses that got their start right here in Iowa City, as a part of the Founders Club.