Spring 2025 registration open!
Educators & administrators
Registration now open for Spring 2025 events:
April 16, 2025
Iowa City, IA | 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Location: Iowa City Community School District Center for Innovation
Registration open!
This event is only available to ICCSD educators.
April 25, 2025
Cedar Rapids, IA | 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Location: Grant Wood AEA
Registration open!
May 2, 2025
Sioux City, IA | 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Location: Northwest AEA
EVENT FULL. WAITLIST ONLY.
May 15, 2025
Ottumwa, IA | 9:00AM - 3:00PM
Location: Ottumwa Great Prairie AEA
Registration open!
What
The Jacobson Institute presents startup events engaging high school students and educators in one-day, fast paced entrepreneurial excursions. HS students work in teams with entrepreneurs/business & industry partners to solve problems they face using entrepreneurial solutions that drive innovation forward. This is authentic, experiential learning at its best!
Thanks to sponsors, DesignDash is provided to Iowa students, educators, and community partners at no cost.
Who
Iowa high school students and their teachers. Entrepreneurs and business/industry partners who want to get involved.
Target Audiences: Entrepreneurial-minded, Startup/Innovation, Engineering, Design, Hackers, Tech Gurus, Problem Finders & Solvers, Creatives, Gamers, 3D, Artists
How
Each teacher registers a maximum of 10 students for the day-long startup event. Registration will be determined by a combination of the following: date of registration, number of schools/school districts represented. Registration will be confirmed 4 weeks prior to the DesignDash event. The teachers attending will be actively engaged and able to earn graduate credit for their participation.
Read more
Read about the DesignDash Fall 2024 Event
Read about the DesignDash Spring 2023 Event
Read about the DesignDash Spring 2022 Event
DesignDash Sponsors
16
Total Number of DesignDash Events Since 2022
992
Total Student participants since 2022
111
Total Schools participated since 2022
"Design Dash is an excellent opportunity for students to collaboratively 'test-drive' entrepreneurship by solving problems that occur daily."
Innovation programs for students and educators
Business Horizons
Students - Business Horizons is a five-day innovation simulation bringing students (grades 9-12) of all experience levels from across the state of Iowa together to gain a better sense of how their skills connect to the business world and the real world. Held annually in the summer.
Teachers - 2 day, onsite, professional development offered by BizInnovator Startup. Held annually in conjunction with Business Horizons, more information to come for 2024!
Startup Weekend
Students and Teachers - join in this community weekend entrepreneurial event! Held annually in the summer - stay tuned!
"As a mentor, I was inspired and energized by the commitment and creativity of student groups... all in a day's work. If they can do it, so can I."
Educator opportunities
Professional development and opportunity for high schoolers to earn college credit
- BizInnovator Startup Deep Dive into Entrepreneurship Education for High School educators
Curriculum toolkits
- BizInnovator Startup for high school entrepreneurship education
- KidInnovator for upper elementary and middle school