An accelerator helping rural-based startups advance their businesses ended its first program of the year late last week with three $5,000 grant recipients.
The program, called Founder Coopetition, helps 12 entrepreneurs build a funding strategy for their businesses over the course of four weeks. The program is put on by Startup Colorado, the state’s rural entrepreneur network, and includes hands-on support, learning opportunities and a pitch competition.
Winners of the most recent cohort include robotics startup Orion Labs, property tech company Knome and business-to-business SaaS platform ChronoCards.
Orion Labs is a robotics and machine learning research institution based in Nunn, a town north of Greeley. Founded by Sara Jennings, Orion Labs has created a system that helps outdoor robots detect and maneuver around obstacles. Jennings told Colorado Inno via email that her company is preparing to test its robot safety system in real-world environments. This $5,000 grant brings the startup one step closer to bringing its product to market, Jennings added.
Based in Frisco, Knome intends to use artificial intelligence and other technology, insights and data to educate and assist homeowners on routine maintenance, value-add upgrades and more. The startup offers an app-based instruction manual about a user’s home and provides them with access to crowd-sourced vendors. Knome founder Thayer Hirsh said via email that the grant from Startup Colorado will allow his business to expand its AI property management tools and enhance its offerings.
“We’re looking forward to expanding beyond Colorado and bringing more members aboard the Knome team,” Hirsh added.
Business-to-business SaaS startup ChronoCards helps mapping teams manage their workflows and quantify their impact. Founded by Mike Davlantes, the company is based in Grand Junction. Davlantes said he plans to grow his sales department and build a more rounded team. Right now, the company is very engineer-heavy, he said.
“The quality and diversity of startups represented in this cohort speaks to the innovative businesses starting and scaling in rural Colorado,” Taylor Grande, executive director of Startup Colorado, said in a statement.
Founder Coopetition began as a pilot program in 2021. After receiving grant funding, Startup Colorado relaunched the program in April with its first cohort finishing the program last week.
Applications are now open for the next Founder Coopetition. Three more cohorts will take place between now and May 2024, with the next program kicking off in the fall.
To participate, the launch-stage businesses should be based in a rural community.
“While we do accept businesses across a range of industries, a majority will be advanced industries,” Margaret Hedderman, Startup Colorado’s communications and editorial director, said in an email to Colorado Inno. “Our goal is to prepare them for the Advanced Industries Grant Program through the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.”
Founder Coopetition will support 60 founders and give out $60,000 between the four cohorts.
Startup Colorado was founded in 2011 by Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser and Brad Feld, who also co-founded Techstars and venture capital firm the Foundry Group. The organization originally focused on startups along the Front Range but pivoted to focus on rural-based entrepreneurs in 2017.
Startup Colorado relaunched at the beginning of 2023 as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit. In addition to its Founder Coopetition, the nonprofit offers access to a free entrepreneur network, event programming and scholarships all intended to help rural startups access the resources they need to be successful, regardless of their physical location.
