Iowa City CoLab business expanding

IOWA CITY - A business affiliated with the Iowa City CoLab is leaving the nest and expanding to its own space, which business officials said is a sign of the changing times for hospitals and record keeping.

Radiology Protocols is a business that compiles and organizes information about hospital patients, and uses that information to help radiologists decide the correct protocol for patients based on their history. The business has moved from the IC CoLab area, 316 E. Court St., into their own space, officially unveiling their new office May 13 at an open house. Stephen Baker, founder and president of Radiology Protocols, said the move shows the high need for the product they are providing.

'With all this technology and information, it's virtually impossible to absorb it all,” he said, adding the company has expanded internationally. 'Now you don't have to worry about having to remember, as much as focusing on using your skill.”

The 240-square-foot space, double that of the CoLab, will allow the business to expand their already growing staff to even more professionals. The company, which was created in 2008, was one of the first businesses the Iowa City CoLab worked with, and will be the first to move beyond the CoLab space. Mark Nolte, President of Iowa City Area Development, an economic development group that runs the CoLab, said many other businesses are on the verge of expanding outside the CoLab as well.

'We created the space to help incubate people with their first businesses,” Nolte said. '(Radiology Protocols) are the first ones of our startup to grow and expand. There are a few others that are on the cusp of needing to expand.”

The CoLab itself has also grown recently, opening up a new location in Coralville in January. While the group does not have plans for further expansion at this point, Nolte said the collaboration idea has been successful because of all the resources the CoLab can provide to growing businesses.

'We're trying to make the startup journey less solitary,” he said. 'Any resource or need they have we can help them. That's really the benefit (of collaboration) - is to be right there and a partner.”

Baker echoed Nolte's thoughts, saying the collaboration aspect allowed his business to grow to what it is today. He said his company hopes to pass on the idea of the importance of collaboration.

'That was important to us, we don't want to lose connectivity,” he said. 'We've started an internship program, we have students job shadow. We get just as much if not more from these programs than the students do. (The CoLab) gave us a more stable atmosphere to offer these programs, and as a result we're successful.”

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