A nonprofit organization supporting rural-based founders and startups in Colorado hired a new leader this week.
Startup Colorado named Brittany Romano as its new CEO and executive director. In this role, she will work alongside the Startup Colorado team, partners and community leaders to develop programs supporting rural entrepreneurs and strengthening ecosystems throughout Colorado.
“I am excited to foster innovative partnerships and programming within Colorado’s rural communities and improve the awareness around the importance of small business vitality within those communities,” Romano said in a statement.
Fostering community development and scaling startups isn’t new for Romano.
She opened her first yoga studio in Crested Butte in 2017. By 2020, she had three locations. Around this time, she sold these locations and pivoted her business into a franchise model focused on helping entrepreneurs open studios that would thrive in all economic circumstances and communities. Today, Thrive Yoga Studios has seven franchise locations.
Prior to Thrive Yoga Studios, Romano helped businesses increase access to resources, improve community sustainability and remove entrepreneurial barriers, according to a statement from Startup Colorado.
Romano’s experience scaling her own company and working with national and international community development organizations made her an ideal candidate to lead Startup Colorado, according to Startup Colorado Board Chair Chris Franz.
Romano is replacing Startup Colorado’s outgoing CEO Taylor Grande, who served in this role since March 2022, according to Grande’s LinkedIn. Grande now sits on Startup Colorado’s board.
“Brittany’s deep experience launching, growing and exiting successful businesses from rural Colorado paired with her enthusiasm and passion for supporting entrepreneurial communities makes her an inspiring leader for Startup Colorado,” Grande said in a statement. “This essential organization is in good hands.”
Earlier this year, Startup Colorado also hired Mark Madic as its director of ecosystem development and partnerships.
The nonprofit also relaunched Founder Coopetition, a four-week accelerator for rural-based founders and businesses. Startup Colorado brought on Tim Martinez as its new program director for Founder Coopetition in August.
Founded in 2011, Startup Colorado originally formed as an organization supporting startups along the Front Range. In 2017, it pivoted to rural-based entrepreneurs, and earlier this year, Startup Colorado relaunched as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering events, scholarships and programs to foster and support rural entrepreneurs.
