Iowa City, IA

As part of our second Midwest tour stop, Spotlight Michigan met with the Iowa City Chamber of Commerce and the executive director of the John Papajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Iowa. Our group noticed that unlike Madison, entrepreneurial networks were less accessible and prevalent in Iowa City. Iowa and Lansing both struggle to tie students into informal community networks and build connections between the university and the city. Lansing faces an even bigger challenge than these other cities because MSU’s campus is distinctly separated from the city, and therefore the business community.

Connections are key in keeping students in an area because engaged individuals are much more likely to stay post-graduation and help rebuild economies. It is no longer sustainable for any city to remain risk averse or preserve a conservative business culture resistant to change. Much like Lansing however, Iowa City has realized the importance of changing public perception and changing the business culture for driving future growth.

In Iowa there was an apparent disconnect between the students and local businesses, handicapping the process of linking graduates to jobs and firms to localized talent. Despite these shortcomings, Iowa City is a self-described eclectic, global community of creative minds owing much of its diversity to the presence of University of Iowa.

Forbes rated the 5th largest city in Iowa, Iowa City the second best small metropolitan area in the U.S. for small business in 2008. The city has been a benefactor of a high level of state and private sector investment. The Papajohn Entrepreneurial Center and Business College on Iowa’s campus actively promote entrepreneurship as a viable career path. Visible support from entrepreneurial networks and venture capital firms are critical in helping young entrepreneurs decide where to launch their careers. Its important that young entrepreneurs see that success is possible.

Tomorrow we travel to the Kauffman Foundation to ask what Lansing should do to capture the energy of Iowa City and Madison and bridge the gap between the innovative business community and the university population.

4 hours 43 minutes to Kansas City.

Tuesday March 9, 2010