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NewBoCo and its code school DeltaV are considering expanding to Central Iowa

NewBoCo DeltaV Code School

August 1, 2017

Cedar Rapids-based NewBoCo is considering expanding its code school—DeltaV Code School—to Central Iowa.

DeltaV Code School is a 20-week program that trains and retrains adults in Cedar Rapids to be software developers and serves as a minor leagues for organizations who hire software developers.

The informational meeting at 5 p.m. Thursday at Gravitate—317 6th Ave. Suite 102—is to gauge if there’s enough corporate interest to bring it to Central Iowa and support it.

Eric Engelmann, Executive Director of NewBoCo, said he hopes to talk with local employers, recruiters, potential students and instructors about how the program works and to get on-target with the Des Moines tech market.

“It’s a 20-week, straight end to end, full-time everyday, with a couple breaks in the middle, boot camp style, code school,” Engelmann says. “We wanted to practice it on our home turf first and then it makes a lot of sense to scale it, maybe state-wide eventually. But obviously the next market for us was Central Iowa.”

Engelmann said DeltaV Code School targets a mix of people from someone switching careers to someone already with a technical background looking to modernize their skill set or kids straight from high school.

“It’s going to be an interesting combination of people who are looking to rapidly get into the market with a very modern programming skill set,” Engelmann said. “It’s a really focused program and if it’s what you need it’s a good way to upscale really quickly.”

DeltaV Code School launched last December in Cedar Rapids with Seattle-based curriculum Code Fellows. Graduates won’t leave with a certificate or diploma but they will have a portfolio that demonstrates they have the skill set.

“And the sponsors are involved along the way and can see it progressing to get the pick of the litter at the end,” Engelmann said. “We’re pretty optimistic this will go.”

A second meeting is set for 5 p.m. on August 17th at the Valley Junction Gravitate at 318 5th St. in West Des Moines.

The program could start as soon as this fall.

NewBoCo and its code school DeltaV are considering expanding to Central Iowa | Clay & Milk

A central Iowa ag-tech accelerator has secured more backers and finally has a name. The Greater Des Moines Partnership first announced the accelerator last year, naming four initial investors. On Monday, the Partnership said the program will be called the "Iowa AgriTech Accelerator" and named three new investors. The new investors include Grinnell Mutual, Kent Corp. and Sukup Manufacturing, all Iowa companies. They join investors Deere & Co., Peoples Co., Farmers Mutual Hail Insurance Co. and DuPont Pioneer. Each investor has agreed to put up $100,000 for the first year of the accelerator. Startups entering the program will receive $40,000 in seed funding in exchange for 6 percent equity. Tej Dhawan, an angel investor and local startup mentor, is serving as interim director until the AgriTech Accelerator names a permanent leader. Dhawan held a similar role with the GIA before Brian Hemesath was named as managing director. As interim director, Dhawan said his main job includes hiring the accelerator's executive director, establishing a business structure and initial recruiting for the first cohort. The accelerator will place few filters, such as location and product, on the applicant pool, Dhawan said. "When you’re seeking innovation, innovation can come from every corner of the world so why restrict ourselves," he said. One area the the AgriTech Accelerator won't recruit from is biotech. For its first cohort, the AgriTech Accelerator will work out of the GIA's space in Des Moines' East Village, Dhawan said. A future, permanent home is still to be decided. The accelerator's program will host startups from mid-July through mid-October, ending with an event connected to the annual World Food Prize. The GIA, which the AgriTech Accelerator is based on, also ends with presentations at an industry event. The accelerator has also started lining up a mentor pool. The Iowa Corn Growers Association, Iowa Soybean Association and the Iowa Pork Producers Association have agreed to provide mentors, as has Iowa State University. While the AgriTech Accelerator is loosely based off of the GIA, it will differ in its business structure, Dhawan said. The GIA runs through a for-profit model for both operations and its investment fund. The AgriTech Accelerator will have a nonprofit model for its operations and a for-profit setup for its fund. Dhawan said the nonprofit model is being used so the accelerator can better work with other nonprofit partners, such as trade associations. "These are all organizations that are nonprofits and can be amazing stakeholders without ever having to be investors in the accelerator," he said. "It becomes easier to work with trade associations in their nonprofit role when we are also a nonprofit." When it's up and running, the AgriTech Accelerator would be one of a handful of ag-focused startup development programs in Iowa. Others include the Ag Startup Engine out of Iowa State University and the Rural Ventures Alliance from Iowa MicroLoan. Matthew Patane is the managing editor and co-founder of Clay & Milk. Send him an email at mpatane@clayandmilk.com.

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