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.
Program Impact
student businesses supported
place at International Business Model Competition
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
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.
Meet the current student business that are active Founders Club startups.
Check out the alumni businesses who began their entrepreneurial journey right here in the Founders Club.
Travel requests for active Founders Club members
Are you already a part of the Founders Club? Submit a request to travel to an away competition by filling out this form.
NEXT STEPS
Do you have what it takes to create a business? Fill our an application to join the Founders Club today.