Race for the Space finalists named

CEDAR RAPIDS — Three businesses have been selected as finalists for the Race for the Space program, a partnership between the Downtown Self-Supported Municipal Improvement District and Cedar Rapids Metro Economic Alliance.

The program will give the winning business $20,000 toward rent and build-out at a selected property in downtown Cedar Rapids.

The finalists are:

The selected business also will receive a $7,500 credit toward architectural design services and support with Form Function Studio and a complimentary eight-week owner education course offered by BerganKDV.

“Our selection committee poured through the dozens of applications and scored each one based on an extensive rubric,” said Jesse Thoeming, the Economic Alliance’s downtown executive director.

“These three local businesses ultimately had the highest score, and we are very excited to welcome one of them to the downtown district.

The finalists will pitch their business idea at a Shark Tank-style event Sept. 14.