Summer Academy at Dycotrade: An investment in growth, talent, and collaboration
Louis Rustenhoven
July 22, 2025
From July 7 to 18, Dycotrade hosted its very first Summer Academy: an intensive, hands-on training program. It was designed to equip 25 consultants from Novature companies Ciellos and Companial, as well as partner Conclusion, with the skills and insights to thrive in the world of commodity trade software in Microsoft Dynamics 365.
A diverse and driven group
The participants, representing countries from Lithuania to the United States, came together in Leusden after completing self-paced learning and virtual onboarding in June. Over the course of two weeks, they dove deep into Dycotrade’s solution stack, learned from experienced consultants, and worked on real-world case studies.
What was on the agenda?
- Technical deep dives into the Dycotrade solutions
- Evening talks, including one about Dycotrade’s origin story
- Customer visits to Dutch commodity trading firms
- A cultural trip to Volendam
Why a Summer Academy?
With an expanding client base in the Netherlands, South Africa, Switzerland, and the United States, Dycotrade is scaling to meet increasing global demand. But scaling smartly means more than just expanding headcount—it requires deep domain knowledge and a structured onboarding path.
“Dycotrade is not your typical Dynamics implementation partner. We’ve built a proprietary commodity trade solution that’s tightly integrated with Dynamics 365,”
Peter Coussement
Chief Delivery Officer at Dycotrade CTRM
That makes scaling more complex than in standard Dynamics environments. It requires deep knowledge of both our domain and our technology. This academy helps us grow without compromising on quality.
The Summer Academy was developed in close collaboration with Ciellos and Companial and marked a strong example of how Novature brands work together to share talent, knowledge, and ambition.
“We’re not aiming to grow from 100 to 1,000 people,” Peter added. “Instead, we invest in high-quality training and work with trusted partners. That’s how we scale responsibly.”
Working on projects
The participants are now ready to bring the new skills into practice. Graduates of the Summer Academy will begin contributing to real-world projects—from Ciellos-led implementations and Companial managed services to Conclusion delivery engagements. Supported by experienced teams and ongoing mentorship, they’ll apply their training directly in the field.
“The Summer Academy gave me the chance to learn directly from experienced Dycotrade coaches who combined deep functional knowledge with real project stories. The hands-on D365 sessions made the solution click for me, especially seeing how logistics, trade, and finance come together in one flow. I now feel much more confident stepping into projects, and I really appreciate how Dycotrade invests in consultants before day one.”
Arsena Halaj
D365 functional consultant at Ciellos
What’s next?
This first edition was a pilot, and a successful one. Peter concludes: “It’s been great to see how quickly the group came together and embraced the challenge. This format really shows what’s possible when we combine shared expertise with focused learning.” Based on the positive outcomes, a Winter Academy is already in the works. It will build on the lessons learned this summer and welcome a new group of consultants for the next phase of growth. “With fresh talent joining from across the Novature network, we’re continuing to invest in structured onboarding, shared knowledge, and high-impact delivery”, says Peter.
