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Applications for Iowa Startup Accelerator fall cohort now open

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The Cedar Rapids-based Iowa Startup Accelerator is accepting applications for its fall cohort. Managing Director Alex Taylor said applications are open until Aug. 15. The cohort is expected to be announced by Aug. 27, and begin on Sept. 13 in Cedar Rapids. Taylor said applications will be reviewed to ensure they meet the qualifications of the program. After an initial telephone interview, a second interview may be scheduled where the applicant pitches their idea to Taylor and someone from the ISA Venture Fund. The ISAV  begins with a $25,000 investment. Benchmarks are established to qualify for an additional $75,000 if needed, Taylor said. He said the program was expanded from 90 days to six months, and there will be two cohorts a year, with between five and eight startups participating in each cohort. ISA was established in 2014, and so far more than 30 startups have gone through the accelerator. The most recent cohort included two consumer products (Curbicus and Lotus razors), a pharma startup, a home-staging application, and two medical services startups. Taylor said the six-month program will be a hybrid to accommodate startups from across Iowa. 

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