NewBoCo

10/14/2026

Cleared for takeoff! ✈️✨

We love seeing STEM-focused events happening right here in Eastern Iowa, and we’re excited to support Youth in Aviation Day this Saturday!

It’s a fantastic, free opportunity for kids, teens, and families to explore STEM in action with:

🛠️ Free hands-on activities
✈️ Up-close aircraft displays
🕹️ Flight simulators
👨‍✈️ Opportunities to meet local aviation professionals

If you have a future pilot, engineer, or curious builder at home, this is a great way to spend your Saturday morning!

🗓 Saturday, October 17 | 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM
📍 Eastern Iowa Airport • CID (9430 Shepard Court SW, Cedar Rapids, IA)
🎟️ Free Admission!

Hope to see our local community out there supporting this great event! 🙌

10/08/2026

🗓 SAVE THE DATE: October 28, 2026!

Mark your calendars for a special 1 Million Cups Cedar Rapids event: Small Business Roundtable ft. Iowa State Auditor & gubernatorial candidate Rob Sand (Rob Sand for Iowa) plus Czech Village & New Bohemia district (The District: Czech Village & New Bohemia) updates with Monica Vernon!

We’re bringing local innovators and state leadership together for a direct, focused conversation on small business, startups, and economic growth in Iowa.

💬 Have a question for Rob Sand? We are taking questions in advance! Submit your question here: https://forms.gle/6HWKcXy46bZfUzbZ9 (Note: 1 question per person; strictly focused on small business/entrepreneurship topics).

⚠️ Attendance is FREE, but strictly capped at 100 seats! Save yours: https://newbo.co/event/1mccr-small-business-roundtable-ft-rob-sand/

📍 African American Museum of Iowa (55 12th Ave SE Cedar Rapids, IA)

⏰ Special Start Time: Coffee at 8:00 AM | Roundtable starts at 8:30 AM

10/02/2026

10/02/2026

☕ BIG NEWS, ICCR STARTUP COMMUNITY! ☕

1 Million Cups Cedar Rapids and 1 Million Cups Iowa City are teaming up for a special joint meetup at Tin Roost in North Liberty!

Mark your calendars and get ready to connect with founders and innovators from across Eastern Iowa.

Here’s what’s in store:

🎤 Featured Speakers: Beau Laundry Co. & 5041 CyBears Robotics

🎉 Special Announcement: Exciting news & giveaways for ENTREFest 2027!

⏰ Schedule:

• 8:15 AM: Doors open for coffee & networking

• 9:00 AM: Presentations begin

• 10:00 AM: Wrap-up

📍 Location: Tin Roost (840 W Penn St, North Liberty, IA)

⚠️ RSVP is required to attend! Save your spot today: https://newbo.co/event/1mccr-1mcic-joint-meetup/

10/01/2026

Iowa is home to major aerospace businesses and world-class research institutions. Now, we’re building the ecosystem to put Iowa on the global aerospace map. ✈️✨

In our latest blog post, NewBoCo Executive Director Jill Wilkins breaks down Phase II of Ascentus — the regional aerospace cluster initiative launched by the Eastern Iowa Airport • CID.

From coordinating aerospace-focused events and founder support to establishing a living resource portal and making plans for the Iowa Aerospace Technology Center, big things are on the horizon! ⚡

To keep this momentum going at full speed, NewBoCo is also raising matching funds to amplify the $500,000 grant from our friends at JPMorganChase.

Read the full post to explore our key learnings from mature hubs like Wichita, KS and Huntsville, AL, and learn how you can help shape Iowa’s aerospace future. 👇

https://newbo.co/cleared-for-takeoff-what-lies-ahead-for-iowa-aerospace-innovation/

09/29/2026

NewBoCo Executive Director Jill Wilkins had a wonderful experience participating in the recent Huntsville, Alabama (Visit Huntsville Alabama) Intercity Visit, hosted by Greater Iowa City, Inc.! 🌟

Jill joined leaders from Johnson County, Iowa and others from around the state to connect, learn, and gather inspiration from Huntsville’s thriving ecosystem. 🏙️

Trip highlights included:

✈️ Networking with aerospace leaders via the Huntsville/Madison County Chamber
⚡ Touring top innovation hubs at The University of Alabama in Huntsville, Cummings Research Park, and HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
😎 Exploring premier community spaces like the The Orion Amphitheater, MidCity District, and Downtown Huntsville, Inc.

Thank you to Greater Iowa City and our Huntsville hosts for bringing leaders together and fostering new ideas for Iowa's future! 📍✨

09/25/2026

Big news for our team and the local innovation ecosystem! 💡✈️

Welcome to Cedar Rapids, Chase! 👋

As they open their brand-new branch on Edgewood Rd., JPMorganChase is also renewing their support for NewBoCo with a $500,000 grant. ⚡

This support helps us accelerate the Iowa Aerospace Technology Center (IATC) — funding critical startup resources, STEM pathways for local students, and plans for a hands-on aerospace makerspace right here in Eastern Iowa. 🫶

We are so grateful for partners who share our vision for growing Iowa's tech and small business future. 🙌

Read the full story at: https://media.chase.com/news/jpmc-first-cedar-rapids-branch

09/24/2026

What a fantastic turnout for yesterday’s Quarterly Entrepreneur Luncheon! We were thrilled to gather with approximately 80 local entrepreneurs, innovators, and leaders for an inspiring afternoon of networking and learning. 💡🚀

A huge thank you to Tara Allen from Kirkwood Community College for her incredible presentation, “IMAGINE…Smarter AI Prompting for a Smarter Business.” Her insights on practical SMART prompting gave everyone actionable tools to take their businesses to the next level!

This event wouldn’t have been possible without our wonderful partners. We owe a huge amount of gratitude to you all, including:

👏 Van Meter for being our generous event sponsor.
📍 African American Museum of Iowa for providing such a wonderful space to host us.
🍽️ Kisha Smith of LCatering LLC. for the delicious lunch that kept everyone energized.

Thank you to everyone who joined us! We’re proud to support our vibrant entrepreneurial community. See you at the next one!

09/16/2026

🚨 1 WEEK COUNTDOWN! 🚨

Our Quarterly Entrepreneur Luncheon with Tara Allen is officially next Wednesday!

If you've been looking to level up your business strategy using AI — without spending hours trying to figure out the right prompts — this free workshop is for you. You'll leave with practical skills you can use the very same day.

💡 Topic: IMAGINE…Smarter AI Prompting for a Smarter Business

🗓️ When: Wednesday, September 23 | 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM

📍 Where: African American Museum of Iowa, Cedar Rapids

🎟️ Ticket: FREE with RSVP (Lunch provided by Van Meter)

Lunch is on us, but you must register to hold your seat!

ONLY 10 SEATS LEFT! 👇 Claim your free spot before all spots are claimed:

https://newbo.co/event/quarterly-entrepreneur-luncheon-sept-2026/

09/11/2026

Our team is thrilled to have a new permanent hub at Lindale Mall for many of our educational and entrepreneurial events! 👏👏👏

The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative (NewBoCo), a local 501(c)(3) nonprofit, will open a new community learning hub at Lindale Mall this fall. The space will offer interactive skill-building in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship for regional K–12 students, alongside dedicated programming for adult entrepreneurs and small business owners.

"Expanding into Lindale Mall allows us to bring high-impact learning directly to a location where families and local business owners already gather," said NewBoCo Director of Education Samantha Dahlby. "We're creating an active, accessible destination where curiosity meets opportunity and community connections naturally happen."

Initial programming launches on September 19, 2026, with a formal ribbon-cutting ceremony to follow later this year. Introductory offerings will include:

• Girls Who Code Clubs: Mentorship-driven sessions where girls and their allies explore coding and tech careers. https://newbo.co/education/k-12/girls-who-code/

• CoderDojo Events: Free, interactive STEM events where students and families explore circuits, coding, robotics, science, and art together. https://newbo.co/education/k-12/coderdojo/