I was born above my family's 18-room motel. Today I'm president of Hawkeye Hotels, one of the largest family-owned hotel developers in the country. I invest across public and private markets, and I teach entrepreneurship at the University of Iowa.
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This is not a lecture course. It's the realities behind building: decisions under uncertainty, leading under pressure, incentives, capital, and the inner demands of ambition — taught by an operator, with guests who've lived it.
"The most honest conversations I've had at Iowa happened in this room." — FORMER STUDENT, PLACEHOLDER QUOTE
Ravi Patel is a second-generation hotelier — president of Hawkeye Hotels (100+ developments and acquisitions, $3B+ transacted), co-founder of Built By Iowa, and founder of Patel Investments. Born above his family's motel, built from Iowa. Full bio →
Hawkeye Hotels is a family-owned hotel ownership, development, and management company — built from a single 18-room motel into one of the largest privately held hotel developers in the country. It remains family led.
As president, Ravi leads capital allocation, the development pipeline, and brand partnerships — the second generation running a business he grew up inside.
"My parents taught me that ownership is not a title. It is taking responsibility for every outcome." — RAVI PATEL
Built By Iowa backs ambitious founders with a meaningful connection to Iowa — founders traditional venture capital has historically overlooked — and gets in early, with capital, conviction, and experienced operators in their corner.
Patel Investments combines long-term ownership with an event-driven strategy built to act when markets dislocate — the same qualities operating rewards: independent thinking, discipline, conviction, and patience.
Ravi Patel was born in 1985 above the 18-room motel his parents owned and operated in Mena, Arkansas. After immigrating from India, they built their life through hospitality — living where they worked, handling nearly everything themselves.
The family settled in Burlington, Iowa, where Ravi grew up inside the hotel business. After graduating from the University of Iowa, he became president of Hawkeye Hotels and helped build it into a nationally recognized platform.
"You should not have to leave where you come from to build something that matters." — RAVI PATEL