Cedar Rapids, IA | May 24, 2024 - Novy co-founding Partner and Entrepreneur-in-Residence at Coe College, David Tominsky ’98, is teaching a May Term class alongside Assistant Professor of Psychology and Faculty Co-Director of C3: Creativity, Careers, Community Dr. Samantha Brown. The course is geared toward young Iowa entrepreneurs and titled “Why to Start a Startup.”

The for-credit course began May 8 and explores proven tactics for solving unique customer challenges and gaps in the marketplace from the perspective of an innovator. Twenty-eight Coe students are putting tools and methodologies used by global entrepreneurs to the test by taking their own early-stage ideas through rapid ideation and validation.

By utilizing the Business Model Canvas, the group will identify target markets, unique value propositions, potential revenue streams, and the resources required to create a scalable and sustainable enterprise. Students will also be exposed to first-hand knowledge from area leaders through mentor meetings, founder firesides and a startup crawl.

By the end of the course, participants will have completed in-depth customer discovery, market research, user and subject matter expert interviews, and created their own Product Market Fit narratives. Ultimately, everyone should leave the class equipped with the necessary tools to take a validated idea to market effectively, if they choose to continue down that path.

“Why to Start a Startup” is one of multiple courses Kohawks can choose to take during the college’s May Term. The course credit for one May Term class for each student over four years is covered by tuition.

“Kohawk Startup was previously a 24-hour event. Shifting this into a class gives Coe students the opportunity to dive deeper into entrepreneurship and take their ideas to the next level,” said Brown. 

This course fits perfectly into Coe’s offerings. As C3: Creativity, Careers, Community Faculty Co-Director Brown notes it’s an ideal expansion of the work the C3 staff is undertaking to connect students with opportunities to put their education into practice. These opportunities are emphasized through volunteering, community engagement and internships. Coe is ranked as the #12 Best Private School for Internships by The Princeton Review, which also ranks C3: Creativity, Careers, Community #8 Best Career Services in the nation. 

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About Novy

Founded in 2023 with the mission to turn good ideas into great companies, Novy is a first-of-its-kind Midwest venture studio that provides capital, guidance, and executive talent to innovative software startups within healthcare.

For more information, visit www.novyventures.com or follow along on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/novyventures.  

About Coe College

Coe College offers superb academics and exciting extracurricular activities in a thriving urban setting that promotes student growth and success. Established in 1851, Coe has a national reputation for academic excellence enhanced by a student-centered, highly supportive campus environment. Coe’s vibrant Cedar Rapids location provides an abundance of internships for students and career opportunities for graduates.

Media Contacts

Jess Greiner

VP of Marketing

Novy

319-316-3085

jess@novyventures.com

Natalie Milke

Executive Director of Marketing & Institutional Effectiveness

Coe College

319-899-3784

nmilke@coe.edu