The Technology Association of Iowa (TAI), a non-profit committed to accelerating the success of Iowa’s tech industry, recently opened applications for i2iowa April 9, its half-day investor and innovator forum in Des Moines.

“This year’s forum is focused on early-stage companies, and on providing a powerfully strong environment for networking and education,” TAI president Leann Jacobsen said in a press release.

Now in its second year, the event seeks to connect investors with as many as 30 companies in three tracks: technology, general business and life and bio sciences.

To quality, companies must be based in the “upper Midwest” – TAI’s definition includes Iowa, Nebraska, Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota and the Dakotas, Jacobsen said – and project high-growth revenue. The regional focus is a new addition to this year’s event. The inaugural i2iowa only accepted Iowa companies.

Applying to i2iowa is free but if accepted startups will need to pay a $99 participation fee, which includes registration, exhibition space and a 15-minute presentation slot. Applications, due Feb. 28, can be found on i2iowa.com.

The TAI event will be the second opportunity for Midwest entrepreneurs to pitch their startups in a 6-day period in April. Invest Midwest, which caters to the “center corridor” of the U.S., takes place April 4 in Kansas City.

The “TriTechTa” returns

The forum kicks off TAI’s second annual “TriTechTa,” a series billed as “three big events over two days at one classic venue.” Following i2iowa at 5 p.m., TAI will host its eighth annual Prometheus Awards, an event that aims to recognize and celebrate the state’s high-tech industry. The following day, April 10, TAI will host a Pitch & Grow event where Iowa entrepreneurs will practice their pitch before panel of “industry experts.” All events wil take place at Veterans Memorial Auditorium in Des Moines.

Credits: Photo from Technology Association of Iowa on Facebook.