Oct. 19, 2023

This paid piece is sponsored by Startup Sioux Falls.

Startup Sioux Falls is back with a new iteration of its successful CO.STARTERS accelerator program for entrepreneurs. 

On Nov. 7, the organization will kick off a 10-session program focused exclusively on individuals looking to start a software business.

Facilitated by Scott Peterson, co-founder of Hireclick, and Don Feige, a local software entrepreneur, the program will offer guidance to people who want to build a software company and are ready to identify and solve the problems standing in their way.

Regardless of where you’re at in your business journey, CO.STARTERS has a place for you. The program welcomes developers who need support on the business side of things, as well as entrepreneurs who lack the technical skills to take their venture to the next level.

“One of the primary values of CO.STARTERS is the diversity of the cohorts and the way everyone is able to contribute their perspectives and learn from each other,” said Jeff Hayward, Startup Sioux Falls’ program manager. “Every entrepreneur is a lifelong student, but they can also be a teacher for someone who’s a step or two behind.”

Don’t miss out! Applications for the CO.STARTERS Software Accelerator close Sunday, Oct. 22.

Apply now

The idea for this cohort came up when Startup Sioux Falls identified a need within the community for support specific to software businesses. 

“South Dakota is a great place to start a business, but we’re missing that development ecosystem — the pool of resources, developers and programmers who can help us execute the technical side of business,” Feige said. 

He emphasizes that opportunities for software founders are ripe in Sioux Falls; it’s more a matter of identifying them.

“I don’t think entrepreneurs appreciate that there’s a lot of capital and investment organizations ready to support good ideas locally. Access to capital isn’t the problem, and I want people to understand that,” he said. 

Feige added that resources like CO.STARTERS are a step in the right direction in terms of building an ecosystem for software entrepreneurs. 

“There’s lots of capital looking to invest in good ideas locally, but we need to do a better job of evolving ideas into good businesses. Whether someone wants to bootstrap it or take investment dollars, we should be supporting it all,” he said.

With that in mind, Startup Sioux Falls hopes local organizations and corporations will take the opportunity to refer applicants. 

As they go through the program, participants will benefit from the direction of their facilitators each week, as well as visits from successful software business owners, including Eric McDonald, founder of DocuTap and CEO of CoinLion.

David Zimmer is the co-founder of My Part Pros, a warehousing and logistics software system for auto dealers. He has a mentorship relationship with Feige and emphasizes the benefit of connecting with like-minded entrepreneurs when building a business. 

“From the first day I met Don, he has helped us with everything from raising capital to finding development partners and helping us figure out our MVP,” Zimmer said. 

“As this is our first startup, we had a lot to learn, and having a software accelerator program out of Sioux Falls will help startups like ours avoid costly mistakes.” 

The curriculum follows CO.STARTERS’ proven growth canvas, allowing participants to refine their ideas, develop scalable solutions and learn to pitch effectively to borrowers and investors. By joining, they also will gain access to an extensive network of industry experts and potential investors.

There’s still time to get in on this tailored offering from Startup Sioux Falls. Applications are open until Sunday, and the program currently is free, with limited spots available. 

Don’t miss this exciting opportunity to grow your software business! Click here to learn more.