Cedar Rapids’ nonprofit boosts Mt. Pleasant community

MT. PLEASANT — According to InnovationIowa, “Cedar Rapids nonprofit NewBoCo is launching a Community Partners Pilot Program to work with communities that want to bring existing NewBoCo programs to their community to help strengthen their innovation ecosystem and close gaps in resources for entrepreneurship, tech education and innovation.”

The NewBoCo programs will expand from Cedar Rapids to Mt. Pleasant and Mason City thanks to $100,000 awarded by the Iowa Economic Development Authority, but each community is responsible for a financial contribution, as well.

Traction STEAM, a co-work space area and community on Mt. Pleasant Square runs full-force ahead with this new initiative.

“This opportunity was made possible by a grant through Iowa Economic Development Authority which required us to invest $11,000 of Traction Steam’s own money as a match,” New Traction STEAM Director Ray Vens said.

The NewBoCo organization maintains a mission, “to make Iowa known, around the world, for making big things happen.”

The program’s core values will benefit the Mt. Pleasant community through assisting growth of impactful startup businesses, cultivating highly-sought after technical and creative talent, supporting innovative companies in developing new products and attracting the best talent, and increasing outstanding social impact to make the world a better place.

“New Bo Co’s Community Partnership allows us to help shape the program for future participating communities!” Vens said. “We are currently meeting with NewBo Co regularly and will be reaching out to community members as part of the discovery process to implement educational and networking events tailored to Mt. Pleasant.”

The opportunity to participate in the free DeltaV Code School class is just one way NewBoCo has begun impacting Mt. Pleasant area.

“At the forefront of this endeavor is the opportunity for Mt. Pleasant community members to explore DeltaV, which is a Tech-centered education platform with 4 career tracks: Coding, Digital Marketing, IT Help Desk, and cybersecurity, Vens said. “Traction Steam provides a quality, Tech-capable education space for DeltaV students to learn in-person and each session will have a teaching assistant on site for student resources.”

NewBoCo feeds into Mt. Pleasant’s preexisting workforce, as well.

“We will also be working with NewBoCo to help our local Industry leadership better understand the concept of Intrapreneurship, and investing in employee education to position their existing workforce for future tech needs.” Vens said.

With such a strong Chamber of Commerce, Main Street, and area development commission, Vens is understandably excited and optimistic.

“What I am most excited about is working closely with Mt. Pleasant Chamber of Commerce, Main Street Mt. Pleasant, and Area Development Commission to help make Mt. Pleasant a place students want to come back to after pursuing higher education, as well as relaying the needs of people from underrepresented demographics in our town and surrounding communities,” he said.

Traction STEAM already embodies many of these values as they work with local nonprofits like the new youth lead organization, UNIFY, to provide space for meetings and functions to raise diversity awareness and acceptance in the Mt. Pleasant community.

“Our Co-work space is open and running!” Vens said. “We offer space for people who work remote, and those who run a home-based business that need a quiet place to catch up on invoicing, ordering or website development. We also accommodate teleconferencing and meeting space for members, and non-members can access the facility for a reasonable fee.”

Comments: AnnaMarie.Ward@southeastiowaunion.com