Startup Colorado, a nonprofit that supports rural entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders in 53 counties across the state, announced Thursday that it has partnered with 14 founders and the Greater Colorado Venture Fund (GCVF) in a move that will significantly increase investment opportunities.
Startup Colorado will host a pitch competition during West Slope Startup Week. Through this partnership, the Startup Colorado Pitch Competition will provide at least $280,000 in investment to two or more competition winners.
The pitch competition will be held during West Slope Startup Week, which runs Aug. 19-23 in Durango. The competition is aimed at local founders who are committed to fostering innovation within their local communities.
The competition is open to all founders living in rural Colorado. The deadline to apply is July 7, and the eligibility criteria have been expanded to accommodate a more diverse range of businesses.
“Startup Colorado believes rural communities are home to noteworthy, scalable companies,” said Brittany Romano, executive director of Startup Colorado. “This investment will help generate more interest in companies outside of the urban Front Range.”
14 Founders, a venture program run by local students and backed by Kickstarter that invests in Colorado startups, and the Greater Colorado Venture Fund, a capital fund that invests in early-stage startups outside the Front Range, will each offer two investment packages of at least $140,000.
“14 Founders is committed to supporting the backbone pillars of Colorado’s startup ecosystem,” said Harris Cunningham, 14 Founders associate and University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) student. “Supporting local entrepreneurs is something we’re excited to be able to do in partnership with Startup Colorado and GCVF.”
“This year, GCVF is looking to partner with early-stage growth companies in rural Colorado,” added Corey Finney, fund manager at GCVF. “We’re looking for great teams that are developing unique products in large markets.”
To participate or learn more about the Startup Colorado Pitch Competition, startupcolorado.org/pitch-competition.
