NewBoCo (The New Bohemian Innovation Collaborative) began in the Fall of 2014 when founder Eric Engelmann launched the Iowa Startup Accelerator (ISA). Recognizing that Eastern Iowa lagged behind other regions in fostering entrepreneurial growth, ISA became the state’s first accelerator, bringing together investors and seed capital to support early-stage companies. However, it quickly became clear that entrepreneurs needed more—access to technical talent, investment opportunities, and corporate partners to succeed.

This need sparked ISA’s evolution into NewBoCo, an organization dedicated to driving innovation and entrepreneurship across Iowa.

Over the past decade, NewBoCo has significantly expanded its impact, celebrating 10 Years of Impact through tech education and entrepreneurship. Our education programs, including CoderDojo, Girls Who Code, Introduction to Code, and Computer Science Professional Development (CS PD), have equipped educators to reach over 100,000 students with vital STEM skills. In entrepreneurship, we’ve provided coaching to rural communities, launched Kiva Iowa, established the Vault Coworking Space, and created NewBoCo Studios. We also host one of the Midwest’s top entrepreneurial conferences, EntreFEST, which has had a $100K+ impact on the community.

Through these initiatives, we continue to empower the region, driving innovation and resilience in Iowa.