Like at the 2011 Innovation Expo (above), Startup Drinks will take place at this year’s event.

Iowa’s Innovation Expo will return to Coralville, Iowa on Sept. 18, marking the second year for the entrepreneur-focused event in its current format. 

Innovation Expo 2012 brings three state-wide events together under the roof of the Coralville Marriot, with the aim of fostering “fruitful connections between resources and entrepreneurs.” Last year’s Expo, the first to combine the three events, drew a crowd of nearly 450 people.

This year’s Expo will kick off at 10 a.m. with Pitch & Grow X, during which 16 entrepreneurs will practice their pitches in front of a room of industry experts. Pitch & Grow is slated to run until 4 p.m. 

For entrepreneurs with ideas that are further along, the day will also feature the Seed and Venture Forum, scheduled to run from 1-4:30 p.m. At the forum, pre-screened companies will pitch businesses to a panel of seed- and venture-stage experts.

The day will culminate with the Entrepreneur Showcase, which begins at 4:30 and is touted as a celebration of Iowa entrepreneurs. The showcase, which will house the “Inventor’s Garage,” “Startup Fair” and “Ventures@UI Pavilion,” will feature up to 60 entrepreneurs and inventors in a convention setting. Startup Drinks will take place from 5:30-7:30, in conjunction with the showcase. 

Innovation Expo is put on by a partnership of several state business and technology organizations, including Technology Association of Iowa, the Iowa Capital Investment Corporation, the Entrepreneurial Development Center, and the University of Iowa John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center.

Registration for the event can be completed on its Eventbrite page. Tickets for the Pitch & Grow/Seed and Venture Forum portion of the day cost $25. Admission for the day is free for students with school IDs. Entry to the Entrepreneur Showcase is free for all. 

Credits: Photo courtesy of the Iowa Entrepreneurial Development Center.