NewCity

What NewCity does

NewCity is a US-based digital agency founded in 1995 by David Poteet and headquartered in Blacksburg, Virginia, with a distributed team of approximately 15-20 employees across 10+ US locations. The firm delivers human-centered website design, development, content strategy, UX research, and enrollment strategy services for complex organizations, with higher education as its primary vertical — having partnered with over 60 colleges and universities over more than 28 years. Adjacent work extends into academic health, research, government, and non-profit clients.

The firm's technical stack spans the dominant higher education CMS platforms — WordPress, Drupal, Modern Campus (Omni CMS), Cascade CMS, and TerminalFour — with Pantheon as the preferred WebOps hosting layer and Slate as the lead CRM for enrollment engagements. NewCity has productized certain methodologies as reusable assets: the Web Design System (WDS) component library for the University of Tennessee, a Content Work Plan spreadsheet-based migration framework, and the Seven Pillars of Higher Ed Digital Strategy consulting framework. It integrates with analytics tooling (Google Analytics, Google Data Studio), event platforms (Trumba), and AI partner platforms (Halda, EnrollML) for enrollment work.

NewCity operates a project-based professional services model with custom quote-based pricing, no public rate cards, and revenue derived from discovery/strategy engagements, full website implementations, design system builds, and ongoing post-launch support. The go-to-market motion is enterprise field sales, led by VP of Client Strategy & Business Development Matt Simmons, supplemented by approved-vendor and GSA-certified procurement channels, content marketing (case studies, articles, newsletter), HighEdWeb conference presence, and client referrals. Partnerships with Slate (Silver Preferred Partner), Pantheon, Modern Campus, Hannon Hill, Halda, EnrollML, and Handbuilt Studio round out the distribution and capability stack. Founder David Poteet remains President; the firm is privately held with no external funding disclosed.

Name

NewCity

Legal name

NewCity

Website

https://insidenewcity.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

NewCity is a US digital agency founded in 1995 that delivers website design, development, content strategy, UX research, and enrollment strategy services primarily to higher education institutions, with adjacent work in healthcare, government, and non-profit sectors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Blacksburg

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Digital Strategy and Consulting: Discovery, strategic planning, UX research, content strategy, and consulting engagements for complex organizations undergoing digital transformations.
2. Website Design and Development: Full-service website design, development, and implementation including enterprise-level transformations, design systems, component libraries, and CMS implementations.
3. Ongoing Services and Support: Post-launch maintenance, analytics, content development, performance optimization, and continuous improvement services for existing client websites.
4. Enrollment Strategy Services: Enrollment-focused consulting including funnel audits, CRM/Slate services, communications planning, and conversion optimization for higher education institutions.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

NewCity is a professional digital agency that delivers enterprise website design, development, content strategy, UX research, and enrollment marketing services for higher education institutions and other complex organizations. The firm partners with colleges and universities (and select healthcare, government, and non-profit clients) to replatform websites, build design systems, reduce content volume, integrate Slate CRM, and drive measurable enrollment and conversion outcomes. Engagements are delivered as project-based consulting with ongoing support after launch.

Product overview

NewCity is a digital agency that provides professional services (not packaged software products), specializing in website design, development, digital strategy, and enrollment marketing for higher education institutions and other complex organizations. Their service delivery encompasses research-informed UX, visual design, content strategy, development across multiple CMS platforms (WordPress, Drupal, Modern Campus/Omni CMS, Cascade CMS), enrollment strategy consulting, analytics, and ongoing support. They do not offer distinct branded software products; all work is delivered as client engagements and project-based services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Digital Strategy and Consulting Discovery, strategic planning, UX research, content strategy, and consulting engagements for complex organizations (primarily higher education institutions) undergoing digital transformations. Designed for marketing, communications, and digital leadership at colleges and universities seeking a research-informed partner for enterprise-level digital planning.
• Website Design and Development Full-service website design, development, and implementation including enterprise-level transformations, design systems, component libraries, and CMS implementations across WordPress, Drupal, Modern Campus (Omni CMS), Cascade CMS, and TerminalFour. Targeted at higher education, healthcare, government, and non-profit organizations undertaking major website replatforms.
• Ongoing Services and Support Post-launch maintenance, analytics, content development, performance optimization, and continuous improvement services for existing client websites. Aimed at clients who have completed an initial NewCity transformation and want ongoing partnership to sustain and improve their digital presence.
• Enrollment Strategy Services Enrollment-focused consulting including funnel audits, Slate CRM services, communications planning, and conversion optimization for higher education institutions. Built on NewCity's proprietary Seven Pillars of Higher Ed Digital Strategy framework and Slate Silver Preferred Partner status. Targeted at enrollment leaders and marketers at colleges and universities seeking measurable enrollment and conversion improvements.

Quantifiable outcome

• 91% increase in non-branded search queries for program pages
• +6 more outcomes

Named customers20 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration12 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and secondary.

• SlatecoreTechnology or IntegrationSilver Preferred Partner in Slate's partner program. NewCity combines Slate CRM with human-centered design to build meaningful connections between enrollment professionals and prospective students. Provides implementation, customization, and styling services for Slate-powered enrollment experiences.
• PantheoncoreTechnology or IntegrationWebOps platform partner providing hosting for WordPress and Drupal sites with enterprise-grade security and customer support. Used for client website hosting including Creighton University (Pantheon) and CalArts projects.
• Modern CampuscoreTechnology or IntegrationPurpose-built CMS for higher education with modern design and editing capabilities. NewCity implements Modern Campus/Omni CMS solutions for clients including Texas Tech Physicians and OSU Admissions.
• Hannon HillsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationCreator of Cascade CMS and Clive personalization engine for higher ed. NewCity has expertise in implementing Hannon Hill solutions and co-hosted webinar 'Rethinking Student Connections' on UX research and website personalization.
• HaldasecondaryTechnology or IntegrationAI-powered enrollment marketing platform that personalizes prospective student experience across channels. Extends NewCity's enrollment strategy work to drive conversion.
• EnrollMLsecondaryTechnology or IntegrationPredictive enrollment platform identifying student needs throughout digital journey while coaching counselors on responses. Complements NewCity's enrollment consulting services.
• Handbuilt StudiocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDesign studio with three generations of CalArts alumni. Collaborated with NewCity on CalArts redesign to ensure authentic visual identity. Handbuilt provided visual language, colors, fonts, and design concepts that NewCity's team implemented in the CMS.
• University of TennesseecoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-term strategic partnership including UT Knoxville main website, Web Design System (WDS) development, College of Social Work site, UT Southern, and UT System. NewCity is approved vendor. Multi-year collaboration spanning flagship site to design system to system-level transformation.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• OHO Interactive: A digital agency purpose-built for higher education, similar in size and focus to NewCity. Provides web design, development, and content strategy for colleges and universities, competing for the same RFPs as NewCity.
• mStoner: Higher education digital agency specializing in web design, content strategy, and enrollment marketing. Long-tenured player in the higher ed web space that competes head-to-head with NewCity for college and university engagements.
• Enrollment Builders: Enrollment marketing agency focused exclusively on higher education, working with institutions on lead generation and conversion optimization. Competes for enrollment strategy and digital marketing budgets.
• Carnegie Communications: Higher education marketing and enrollment agency with deep specialization in student recruitment. Overlaps with NewCity's enrollment strategy work for colleges and universities.
• Powerhouse: Higher education marketing and creative agency providing branding, advertising, and digital services to colleges and universities. Overlaps directly with NewCity's higher ed communications and web work.
• Blue Orange Brand + Marketing: Higher education marketing agency providing brand strategy, web design, and enrollment marketing. Comparable in size and mission to NewCity, competing for university marketing budgets.
• Up&Up: Higher education-focused marketing agency working with universities on brand, web, and digital strategy. A direct peer in the niche agency space serving colleges and universities.

Broad incumbents

• Ruffalo Noel Levitz: Established higher education enrollment and marketing services firm. A larger incumbent that overlaps with NewCity's enrollment strategy work and competes for institutional marketing engagements.
• Anthology (Campus Management / Blackboard): Large EdTech platform serving higher education with CMS, CRM, and marketing tools. Offers bundled implementation services that overlap with NewCity's CMS implementation work for universities.
• EAB (Enrollment Services): Large-scale higher ed research, technology, and services firm — a much broader incumbent that overlaps with NewCity through enrollment strategy, marketing research, and website personalization offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/newc1ty
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/newcity---an-interactive-design-agency

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about NewCity