University of Iowa Office of Innovation

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Supporting innovative, research-driven startups on the University of Iowa Campus

10/22/2026

We are thrilled to introduce the keynote speaker for the 2026 Iowa Nurse Innovators Roadshow Pitch Competition!

Meet Courtney Smith, an Iowa Nurse Innovator and inventor of the OR Cord Clip. Courtney has spent the past 12 years building her career where she feels most at home: in the operating room.
Today, Courtney is a Certified Perioperative Nurse and co-chair of the Perioperative Division Staff Council. She is passionate about frontline nursing, patient safety, and creating an environment where nurses feel empowered to use their experience and their voices to make care better.

We are grateful to Courtney for sharing her expertise and passion for healthcare innovation with the nurse innovators of Iowa.

10/15/2026

Don’t miss the final event of the Iowa Nurse Innovators Roadshow on November 13!

Join us as nurse innovators from across the state pitch their healthcare solutions they have developed through the Nurse Innovators Program. Each participant has moved beyond identifying a challenge and into creating a potential solution.

More than a competition, this event is a celebration of what becomes possible when nurses are given the time, support, and resources to explore the challenges they encounter in practice every day.

Reserve your spot here: https://bit.ly/4jSCNiH

10/13/2026

The Iowa Nurse Innovators Roadshow is coming to a stop near you!

From November 9 to November 12, the Iowa Nurse Innovators are bringing workshops, conversations, and inspiration to seven locations across Iowa. Join nurse innovators from around the state in sparking new ideas for healthcare innovation and taking the next step toward transforming ideas into solutions.

Find a stop near you: https://bit.ly/4igm8Vc

10/07/2026

The Iowa Nurse Innovators program was on the road this week at the Iowa Hospital Association Annual Conference!

Our team joined colleagues from the University of Iowa College of Nursing, Simulation in Motion - Iowa, and the Iowa Online Nurse Residency Program to connect with CNOs, nurses, and health care leaders from across the state. With approximately 700 attendees, it was a great opportunity to introduce Iowa Nurse Innovators to new audiences and reconnect with many of the organizations we’ll be visiting during upcoming roadshow stops.

10/06/2026

Looking for a hands-on, energizing introduction to healthcare innovation?

Join Iowa Nurse Innovators for a Spark Innovation Workshop, Nov. 9–12, at locations across Iowa!

Through real-world examples, practical tools and a rapid prototyping challenge, participants will explore how small ideas can lead to meaningful change—and why every clinician has the capacity to be an innovator.

Find a location near you and RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/cc/iowa-nurse-innovators-roadshow-4866219/

09/29/2026

Mark your calendars! The 2026 Iowa Nurse Innovators Roadshow is happening November 9–13.

We’re hitting the road for five days of workshops, conversations and inspiration designed to help Iowa’s frontline innovators turn their ideas into action.

From fast-paced, engaging Spark Workshops to the Iowa Nurse Innovators Pitch Competition, there’s something for everyone. Choose the events that interest you most and join us when and where it works for you!

Learn more + find a location near you: https://innovation.uiowa.edu/nurse-innovators-roadshow

09/24/2026

How do we prepare children to navigate challenges, setbacks, and an increasingly complex world — and are the ways we support them helping build resilience or unintentionally making them more fragile?

At this month’s First Round, Dr. Dan Clay, professor and dean of The University of Iowa College of Education, will explore the question, “Are we making children more resilient or fragile?”

Join the Office of Innovation and Iowa City Downtown District at Joe’s Place Rooftop for the conversation. Your first round is on us!

🗓️ Wednesday, October 21
⏰ 5-6 p.m.
📍 Joe’s Place Rooftop

08/12/2026

As the state between two rivers, water has played a defining role in shaping Iowa's economy and communities, but Iowa's connection to water is about more than its history.

At this month’s First Round, Dr. David Cwiertny will explore how that relationship has evolved. From the state's waterways and the science behind today's water quality conversations to the research helping us better understand and protect Iowa's water future, this talk offers an accessible look at one of Iowa's most important natural resources and the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.

🗓️ Wednesday, August 19
⏰ 5-6pm
📍Riverside Theater

06/25/2026

Innovation is not one size fits all. It doesn’t always look like research in a lab, formal patents, and large funding pools. Oftentimes, innovation begins with the decision that something could work better.

While nurses may not match the typical definition of an “innovator,” the creativity, dedication and care they bring to their work prove that they may be the most experienced innovators in healthcare.

Think you aren’t an innovator? Think again: https://iowanurseinnovators.substack.com/p/you-are-an-innovator-even-if-no-one

06/23/2026

Many of the most important improvements in healthcare start at the bedside.

A nurse tries different positioning strategies until something works better, and soon others begin doing the same.

That isn’t just compassion.

That is human-centered design.

Read about all the ways that nurses are innovating: https://iowanurseinnovators.substack.com/p/you-are-an-innovator-even-if-no-one

Address

136 S Dubuque Street
Iowa City, IA
52240

Website

https://innovation.uiowa.edu/

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