Iowa Startup Accelerator

ISA draws applicants nationally through its membership in the Global Accelerator Network (GAN) and its ties to the Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance, which surfaces regional founders. The accelerator runs open calls for each cohort, with a stated preference for companies that can benefit from Iowa-based corporate partners in agribusiness, insurance, and advanced manufacturing. Mentors drawn from local industry often refer pre-seed founders into the pipeline.

ISA targets pre-seed and seed-stage companies, with an emphasis on startups that can execute a 90-day intensive build-and-launch cycle. The accelerator model concentrates on very early-stage firms — often pre-revenue or early-revenue — that require product development support and initial go-to-market execution alongside their first institutional capital.

Iowa Startup Accelerator is the investment arm of New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo), a Cedar Rapids-based nonprofit. NewBoCo houses multiple programs including K-12 computer science education initiatives and entrepreneurship support alongside ISA. This means ISA's investment activities sit within a charitable organization that prioritizes regional innovation over pure financial returns — a structure distinct from independent accelerator funds or VC firms.