A two-day build experience ending in a campus-wide innovation expo. Build, test, and show off what you made—no pitches, just the real thing.
Build. Test. Show It Off.
This is where ideas become things.
Build It Jam brings student creators, makers, technologists, designers, and entrepreneurs together to build, test, refine, and showcase what they're making — over one focused weekend.
Friday night, we build. Saturday morning, we finish. Saturday afternoon, the BELL transforms into an interactive innovation expo where the campus community experiences what you've made — firsthand.
No formal pitches. No standing on a stage explaining what you want to build. Show us what you built.
Let people touch it, try it, click it, play it, break it, ask questions. Gather feedback, meet collaborators and mentors, and compete for judged awards, People's Choice honors, and prize money.
What Can I Build?
Build It Jam isn't limited to tech, and it isn't limited to startups. Projects might include:
- Mobile apps and software
- AI tools and applications
- Physical products
- Hardware and electronics
- Games and interactive experiences
- Websites and digital products
- Consumer products
- Service and customer-experience prototypes
- Social innovations
- Research-based innovations
- MVPs and proofs of concept
- Something we haven't thought of yet
Your project can come from the Build It Sprint, a class, a research lab, a student organization, the BELL Startup Incubator, or something you've been building entirely on your own.
The Build It Rule
By Saturday's expo, you need something to demonstrate. It doesn't need to be polished, finished, or even work perfectly — a rough MVP, clickable mockup, experiment, physical model, or beautifully imperfect first version is welcome. A business idea on a poster isn't enough.
Build It is about making — not just explaining.
Good to know
Highlights
- In person
Location
221 E College St
221 East College Street
Iowa City, IA 52240
How do you want to get there?
