ICR IOWA

ICR IOWA is the regional economic development organization serving the Iowa City-Cedar Rapids (ICR) metro, a growing seven-county region, home to half a million people in Benton, Cedar, Iowa, Johnson, Jones, Linn and Washington Counties in Eastern Iowa. Our region is home to the University of Iowa; private colleges including Coe, Mount Mercy, and Cornell; and one of the best community colleges in the country, Kirkwood. We love learning and have an economy built in part around education technology and assessment. Leaders in this field include legacy industries like ACT and Pearson as well as newer companies Leepfrog Technologies and Pear Deck. And this industry permeates through our communities where weekly meetups are likely to include lectures by professors, authors, and international leaders. We love to learn! But education is just one component of our diverse economy. Manufacturing continues to thrive in our metro. Rockwell Collins, Quaker Oats, Oral B, Whirlpool, and many others enjoy access to our technical workforce and easy transportation systems (did I mention we are at the crossroads of Interstate 80 and 380?). Cereal production is something we are known for, so next time you eat that bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios or Captain Crunch Berries, know you are enjoying something made right here in ICR! So this is all great, but what makes us truly special? Our culture! When you are in the Ped Mall in Downtown Iowa City or in the New Bohemian District in Downtown Cedar Rapids, you will find a large collection of locally owned restaurants, markets, quirky shops, restored theaters, wine bars, breweries, and live entertainment venues. The diverse college students and professors, medical professionals, and entrepreneurs generate an atmosphere that can typically only be found in a large city. And we can have that amazing culture without the hassles that come with large city living...like terrible traffic and very high housing costs. Sound nice? Join us! We love to welcome newcomers from across our nation and all over the world. We cant wait to help you build your business or pursue your dreams right here in ICR.