Monday, July 28, 2025

The University of Iowa’s Office of Innovation is proud to announce the 2025-2026 Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows. 12 graduate trainees have been selected from a competitive pool of outstanding applicants to participate in the Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows Program, a year-long educational experience designed to immerse them in the dynamic world of healthcare innovation.


This year’s cohort of Fellows brings a remarkable range of perspectives and experiences to our community,” says Jon Darsee, Chief Innovation Officer at the University of Iowa. “With backgrounds in pharmacy, medicine, engineering, and business, they reflect the interdisciplinary collaboration necessary to address unmet needs and create lasting innovations in healthcare. Their shared passion to solve complex challenges and understand how to leverage their training through exposure to each other, faculty inventors, startup pioneers and industry leaders, positions them to excel within their chosen disciplines and to be drivers of innovation for years to come." 

Meet the 2025-2026 Fellows:

The Fellows, selected for their innovative thinking and commitment to advancing healthcare, will spend the next year developing entrepreneurial skills while contributing to Iowa’s growing MedTech innovation ecosystem. The program begins with a two-day bootcamp in August, introducing Fellows to key people, programs, and resources dedicated to addressing unmet healthcare needs. Throughout the year, they will participate in regular workshops and have ongoing opportunities to gain insights into innovation, all while serving as ambassadors for innovation at the University of Iowa.

For more information about the program and the Fellows, visit the Iowa Innovation Leadership Fellows page.