Audio version:
Host Kaylee welcomes Drake University’s Chase Spencer to the Iowa Tech Podcast from the Jethro’s Barbecue Studio. Chase, a Drake alum and newly appointed program manager for entrepreneurship, shares his journey from aspiring Disney Imagineer to political science student to founder and now ecosystem builder.
Chase recounts graduating high school in 2020, pivoting during COVID from art school plans to DMACC and then Drake, where an Entrepreneurship 101 class sparked his venture Chasing Cars—QR-code window stickers for classic cars that unlock each vehicle’s story. With 350 users nationwide, the project cemented his love for solving problems through business.
Rage-free Iowa news for your inbox
Justin, David, & Kaylee cover Iowa news, agriculture, business and tech. No clickbait. No rage. No agenda. Support our vision and subscribe!
At Drake, Chase moved from contractor to program manager in August, now overseeing two entrepreneurship hubs: the Buchanan Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (student-focused) and the Papa John Center for Entrepreneurship Outreach (community-facing). He runs the Drake Business Clinic and is helping launch the Lorentzen Student Accelerator, providing students with funding, entity formation, and banking to meaningfully test and build their ventures. The accelerator replaces the summer-centric Hatchery to better align with students’ academic-year availability.
Chase highlights common student founder gaps: arts and sciences students often think big but lack execution plans; business students excel in planning but sometimes undershoot the vision. Drake’s goal is to instill an entrepreneurial mindset across majors—teaching problem solving, experimentation, and ambition.
He details the 11-week Drake Business Clinic: weekly mentor sessions and workshops culminating in a Demo Day that functions like “speed dating” between founders and local pros. Instead of early pitch decks, founders present “three goals, five things”—three six-month goals and five concrete actions per goal—driving practical feedback and real introductions.
Chase champions higher ed as a safe place to try, fail, and build networks. His call to action: respond to .edu emails, mentor a student, invest in programs, and plug into university entrepreneurship.
Connect with Chase: chase.spencer@drake.edu (Spencer with a C).