West Des Moines telemedicine company Certintell became the first resident of the Greater Des Moines Partnership’s Square One DSM accelerator on Monday.

Square One Executive Director Mike Colwell said accelerator leaders had considered Certintell a good candidate and welcomed the application. “We thought he would be a good prospect, and we want to help Certintell grow in place,” he said.

Certintell founder Ben Lefever said the two-employee, two-intern business started in January and launched its cloud-based, secure platform last fall, operating out of West Glen. He said Square One offered to help build the business at a critical point. “They are there to help you raise funds, make connections and work on customer acquisition,” Lefever said. “The accelerator will really help us with the opportunity to grow. They will help us with day to day management techniques, too.”

“They have helped us set specific, measurable goals that are realistic, and with accountability,” he added.

Lefever said his company has focused largely on mental health services but now will expand to other areas. Certintell helps physicians communicate with patients who might otherwise have turned to day clinics or emergency rooms, saving money. In some cases, rural residents get care that isn’t readily available in the area.

Square One DSM is now accepting applications online.