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Business Record innovationIOWA Weekly | July 26, 2018
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BetterHires seeks to build job connections between students, businesses in Des Moines
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From left: BetterHires team members Wheaten Mather, Kiki Levy, Jessica Duffy and Mia Levy at the 2018 Startup Weekend Iowa City. Contributed photo
Winning the top slot at Startup Weekend Iowa City this month wasn’t on Kiki Levy’s mind when the Roosevelt High School student pitched her concept to the crowd. Levy, 16, was thinking more about her friend, who had recently taken a summer job in retail.
"I realized when I looked at my friend and his search for a job, that it wasn’t necessarily because they want to do that job, it was because it was an easy way of making money," Levy, a high school junior, said. "He was looking for a job where he could apply his talents or get insights into a different career. … But it’s very difficult to find something like that for high schoolers."
Like the post-school business world, it’s about connections.
"I really just want to even the playing field," Levy added.
Levy and her team developed the concept for BetterHires, an app and web portal that matches high school students with local businesses advertising internships, part-time jobs, job shadow opportunities or mentor luncheons.
At Startup Weekend, Levy’s idea won over the support of her sister Mia, 15, as well as software developer Jessica Duffy and business advisor/marketer Wheaten Mather. By the end of the weekend, judges ranked BetterHires as first place out of
five teams, and co-competitors awarded the concept the Crowd Choice Award.
"It really came down to we were all really passionate about our idea, and we really want to see it go on further," Levy said. (Levy is the daughter of local developer Frank Levy and business coach Kerty Levy.)
After one weekend, Levy’s focus shifted for the rest of the summer. Levy is building a list of students and 50 to 100 businesses interested in trying out the platform, which Duffy is developing in her free time. For now, Levy has a list of 15 businesses and 30 students interested in the product,
and plans to incorporate BetterHires in 2018.
By Aug. 23 -- Levy’s first day of classes -- "I want them to have an idea of what is coming and how it can really benefit our community," Levy said.
Students who sign up through BetterHires will create a profile of skills they have or are interested in learning, with the ability of uploading documents or videos. Students will check a home feed to see the most recent postings, and could narrow the search down with filters to select paid opportunities, or opportunities in certain fields.
Businesses advertising an opening will pay per posting -- for now, estimated at $25, Levy said, with the ability to ask applicants additional questions through the portal, or require a video introduction or application. The platform could also recommend students that match well to a business posting, Levy said.
"The business can really make it however detailed they want to be. And students really like that approach, because in high school resumes are kind of just a waste, because no one really has a ton of experience. It’s all about getting out there," Levy said.
The team expects to apply for grants and travel to pitch competitions as they begin to build funding and launch a beta app, although a launch date has not been set yet.
Levy already has plans forming to build in markets similar to Des Moines in BetterHires’ second or third year. She’ll continue working on the business weekly during a scheduled class free period -- as she continues involvement with the cross country team, ultimate frisbee, Best Buddies International and her role as treasurer for Roosevelt’s student council. She also works as an office assistant at Elizabeth Weinstein & Associates.
"I think time management will be something I’ll definitely work on this year," Levy noted.
As the top team at Startup Weekend, BetterHires won six months of business coaching with consultant Marlo Higgins, who Levy will meet with every other week.
"We’re really excited to work with her, and we’re really grateful that the Startup Weekend program provides such amazing sponsors and prizes,"
Levy said.
The team is seeking a new member to join the project, as Mia Levy returns to the Andover Phillips Academy in Massachusetts for the school year. Businesses, students or potential team members can contact Kiki Levy at kikilevy02@gmail.com.
"Next summer, we really want to expand," Levy said. "It’s something we’re all pretty passionate about, and are really excited to see where it takes us."
"Being in high school and having this experience is pretty cool so far. I’m really enjoying it," she added.
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IN THE NEWS
San Francisco-based Limelight Health announces new Des Moines location
Limelight Health, a California-based employee benefits software platform, is hiring in Des Moines as the company plans a new expansion in the Midwest, Clay & Milk reports. The company has not released an opening date for the office, but anticipates hiring 10 people over the next six to nine months for the Des Moines location, potentially scaling the operation up to 20 positions long-term. Limelight Health is hosting an introductory mixer for the community today at Gravitate downtown from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.
Artificial intelligence begins diagnosing patients in eastern Iowa
University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics will be the first in the state to employ a Coralville company’s artificial intelligence diagnostics when scanning for diabetic retinopathy, the Cedar Rapids Gazette reports. The device, called IDx-DR and developed by IDx, received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug
Administration in April. The technology takes images of a patient’s retina and analyzes the images to determine whether the retina has abnormalities symptomatic of diabetic retinopathy, a diabetes complication that may cause blindness if left untreated.
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ONE GOOD TECH READ
ACLU debuts MigraCam, a free app dedicated to live-streaming law enforcement encounters
Fast Company: A new app developed by the American Civil Liberties Union of Texas will allow users to record and notify emergency contacts every time the user has an interaction with law enforcement.
MigraCam, which is available on iOS and Android, is free to all users. The app is designed for anyone in immigrant communities to automatically notify emergency contacts every time the user records a viewable interaction, and also offers users a direct contact with experts at the ACLU.
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A sunny solution for lowering energy costs
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BUSINESS RECORD CALENDAR
UPCOMING EVENTS
Aug. 1: Artificial Intelligence: Capturing the Voice of the ConsumerArtificial intelligence (AI) and its applications are proliferating across industries and within every department of leading corporations and organizations. WHERE: Des Moines Golf and Country Club, 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m.
Read more
Aug. 3: First Friday (free) coworking day
Calling all freelancers, remote workers and entrepreneurs. Sick of working from home? Need some social interaction and maybe a little bit of inspiration? Grab a seat at Gravitate for our monthly First Friday free coworking day.
WHERE: Gravitate Coworking Downtown, 8 a.m.-5 p.m.
Read more
View our full calendar to see the latest curated business and community events, or suggest an event.
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