Apple opened up its iPhone to third party app makers in March 2008. Less than a year later, Omaha developer Andy Peters left his full-time job and founded Ninth Division, a mobile app development shop.
“There wasn’t anyone at the time that was doing it full-time,” he said. “Nowadays, there’s really big versions of Ninth Division.”
Peters today announced the closing of his business and a new career path for himself. Next month, he’ll join Toronto-based AgileBits, the maker of the 1Password app.
“AgileBits is a company that I had always envisioned creating—a great team with a great product that lots of people love. I’m happily joining this great remote team as (you might guess) an iOS/Mac developer,” said Peters, who will remain in Omaha.
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If you’re a regular Silicon Prairie News reader or an attendee at our annual Big Omaha event, you might be familiar with Ninth Division as its the creator of apps for both our website and events. In 2009, he proposed the idea of a Big Omaha app, long before it was “the thing” for conferences to offer. The company’s since released a new version each year. Last year, it also created a Silicon Prairie News app.
Ninth Division’s other client work includes a hand in creating the Union Pacific Steam app, which Peters calls his company’s “most successful project.” The development shop is also behind the to-be-released app for Müvin, a new Omaha startup.
Outside of client work, Peters said his company released a number of experiments, such as Touch Cam, but most are no longer in the App Store.
Aside from working full-time for AgileBits, Peters said he’s pursuing a few side projects, such as writing a book for aspiring entrepreneurs and young startups that want to work with a development shop to build an app—a conversation he said he’s had many times.
Peters’ teammate at Ninth Division, Brian Langenfeld, recently opened his own consulting shop, Knotfield.
Here’s Ninth Division’s announcement:
Disclosure: Ninth Division has provided Silicon Prairie News with five in-kind apps.
Credits: Photo by Malone & Co. / Big Omaha
