Startup Weekend Iowa City 2026
About this Event
Over an action-packed 3 days, you’ll meet the very best mentors, investors, co-founders and sponsors to show you how to get more done faster -- and, maybe even start that business.
Organizer Contact details: Please send all questions to [email protected]
Terms of Participation Agreement: It is our job to provide you with an incredible networking and learning experience. Our intention is that you meet some amazing people that you might start a company with, learn from mentors as well as learning from your peers. The event is intended to be a collaborative forum for sharing, learning, building, and having fun. As such, by registering as a participant, you acknowledge that any ideas shared by you or anyone else over the course of the event are contributions to the overall experience and community. If you’re very concerned, you can limit your pitch to the rough outline of the idea without giving away key information.
As a member of your startup community, you agree to be inclusive of any and all people and their ideas. You agree to act professionally, treat everyone with respect, and treat the event facilities with proper care. You agree that you are responsible in the event of any accidents or damages that you cause. You also agree to not hold Techstars Startup Weekend, your local volunteer team, or any of the event supporters liable for any loss, damage, injury, or any other unforeseeable incident.
By participating in the event, you grant Techstars Startup Weekend Iowa City and The James Gang DBA EntrePartners permission to capture photos/videos of the event.
By purchasing a ticket to a Techstars Startup Weekend event, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you have questions please reach out to [email protected].
Friday
🕑: 05:00 PM
Doors Open
Info: Arrive at the venue and get checked in
🕑: 05:30 PM
Dinner and networking
Info: Eat, share ideas, practice pitches, get to know fellow participants
🕑: 06:00 PM
Welcome
Info: Review the agenda for the weekend and get introduced to speakers, mentors, and community leaders
🕑: 06:15 PM
Speaker
Info: Hear from an experienced entrepreneur and visionary
🕑: 07:00 PM
Ice-Breaker
Info: Fun ice-breaker to prep for pitches
🕑: 08:00 PM
Pitches
Info: The facilitator gives a walk-through of the pitch process and then pitches begin!
🕑: 08:30 PM
Voting
Info: Participants vote for the ideas that they want to work on through the weekend
🕑: 08:45 PM
Team Formation
Info: All those whose ideas were chosen will give a quick recap of their idea and all participants will select their teams
🕑: 09:00 PM
Begin work
Info: Teams find a break-out space for the weekend's work, get to know each other, and take an inventory of skills
Saturday
🕑: 08:00 AM
Breakfast
Info: Arrive at the venue any time from when the venue opens and have a simple breakfast and coffee
🕑: 09:00 AM
Coworking + Accountability
Info: Join us for EntrePartners Coworking + Accountability!
🕑: 09:30 AM
Check-in and announcements
Info: Review the day's agenda, what teams should be focused on, and the mentoring process for the afternoon
🕑: 09:45 AM
Workshop
Info: Customer Discovery and Business Model Canvas
🕑: 12:00 PM
Lunch
🕑: 12:30 PM
Mentor Madness
Info: Mentors from the EntrePartners Braintrust will join us for open mentoring from 12:30 to 5 pm.
🕑: 06:00 PM
Dinner
🕑: 07:00 PM
Continue work
Sunday
🕑: 08:00 AM
Breakfast
Info: Arrive at the venue any time from when the venue opens and have a simple breakfast and coffee
🕑: 09:00 AM
Announcements and workshop
Info: Pitching workshop
🕑: 12:00 PM
Lunch
🕑: 03:00 AM
Tech checks and presentation practice
Info: Each team will get a chance to do tech checks and practise their presentation
🕑: 04:00 PM
Final Pitches
Info: Every team has five minutes to pitch their business, followed by a five minutes Q&A by judges
🕑: 05:00 PM
Judges Deliberate
Info: Time for some networking while judges decide the winners
🕑: 06:00 PM
Event Wrap-Up and After Party
Where is it happening?
Event Location & Nearby Stays:
USD 28.52
