Introducing: the 15 founders in July’s Founder Coopetition // Idea Factory! We are thrilled to work with this group of driven entrepreneurs from around the state. The Idea Factory is a pre-accelerator program that encourages collaboration between participants and advisors, and culminates with the opportunity to pitch to Startup Colorado’s expert advisors.
Let’s meet the July founders:
After using Starlink to work in the middle of the Pike National Forest, Jon Wright was called to create spaces for likeminded professionals to clock-in from the backcountry. WildWork invites adventurous individuals to blend work and play in beautiful places. With his flagship location open in Bailey, Jon has plans to grow his WildWork Network app that will connect landowners with professionals looking immerse in nature while maintaining their professional responsibilities.
Entrepreneur, technologist, maker, mom, and wife, oh my! Becca Williams is a woman with many talents. However, when she entered the perimenopause stage, she felt uninformed about what was to come. Becca launched Menopausey to encourage taboo-free education and insight for others approaching or experiencing perimenopause. Offering evidence-based content and individual insights, Menopausey will combat the anxiety surrounding this normal life stage through an accessible and inclusive online community.
After years in cut-throat tech sectors like Silicon Valley, Laurie Sigillito settled in Durango to raise her two kids and launch her own business. Her transition from the urban tech scene into rural Colorado opened her eyes to the unique challenges faced by rural businesses. Laurie harnessed her systems management expertise and founded the Local NEWS Network, a media company focused on rebuilding the information economy in rural America with free and frictionless content. The Local NEWS Network currently broadcasts to Durango, Cortez, Telluride, and Farmington, NM.
Mettje Swift is a lifelong Southwest Coloradan with a love of art and expression. Mettje transformed a historic building in Del Norte into the Banner Art Studio in 1986. Here, she and her team create handcrafted banner art that adds a colorful pop to anything from streetlights to atriums. Now, Mettje is expanding the Banner Art Studio to include a non-profit initiative inviting others to explore banner art through workshops and retreats. These classes will create the opportunity to learn about cultural symbols, the power of colors, and fundamental design principles in an affordable and inclusive setting.
For years, design has been at the forefront of Julie Tierney’s mind. She graduated from fashion school and successfully scored a spot on the Project Runway reality show! Julie now lives in Leadville where her passion for fashion continues to flourish. Her brand, Mitt Elberts, fuses her unique design aesthetic with her interest in sustainability by revamping recycled Coleman sleeping bags into mittens. Through Mitt Elberts, Julie plans to encourage others to buy and produce upcycled goods.
After studying Aerospace Engineering in Boulder, seeking an MBA in Europe, and founding The Dean’s List, world traveler Finn Bailis returned to his hometown of Telluride. Here, he discovered the large price gap between freelance content creators (particularly outdoor industry filmmakers) and commercial advertisement agencies. Finn developed Global Media Assets to streamline the media production process and empower content creators. This platform uses generative AI to build campaigns and then connects users to a network of talented, freelance creators.
Tiera Zelenoy moved into the mountains after graduating from college during the COVID craziness. She was quickly inspired to leave her corporate job and pave her own path as an entrepreneur. Tiera weaved her marketing, art, and technology experience together to form Magic Marketing. She creates one-of-a-kind branding and websites for fellow small businesses looking to make their mark on the world while staying true to their vision and values.
Josef is working with Startup Colorado’s programming team and is auditing the July cohort. With over 20 years of supporting entrepreneurs across the globe, it is clear that Josef Scarantino is dedicated to helping others achieve their dreams. Josef was diagnosed as neurodivergent in his early 40s; this discovery inspired him to rewrite his story and focus his efforts on supporting others on a similar journey. He created the Truss Cooperative to provide an inclusive community, education, and support services that accelerate neurodivergent entrepreneurs, creatives, young adults and professionals toward leading fulfilling lives and careers.
High school music teacher Helen West started leading bike tours in the southwest to make extra cash during her summers off of work. Being an educator, Helen love to learn and share her knowledge with others. Through her guiding company, Cortez Tours, she is able to blend her passions for adventuring and teaching into an exciting business! Cortez Tours offers educational walking and hiking tours through historical sites and on trails.
David Moran is rethinking how energy is produced, distributed, and consumed along the Western Slope. His startup, Energy Field Security, is a distributed energy resource developer. It provides EMP/GMD hardened renewable energy, data, and communication as a service. This business model takes advantage of the natural protection and resources that this Grand Valley provides in order to develop a new grid-of-grid scenario. It is David’s vision to develop a sustainable and resilient energy supply chain.
Scott Milne is promoting both healthy customers and a healthy earth. His app-driven, bed-warming body pillow is the first of its kind. My Snoodle helps people sleep better and reduce nighttime energy consumption using a warming pillow. Sleep better (and warmer!) knowing that you are an energy-conscious consumer.
For Nora Fierman, it’s simple: eat better food to ski/bike/hike better. When she noticed backcountry skiers and mountain bikers consuming baby food for energy, she was inspired to develop a better, more efficient product for athletes. Neve Foods is a plant-based product made alongside registered dieticians so that each ingredient is functional and intentional. Watch out – Nora has big plans to get Neve into major outdoor retailers and adventure zones, like ski resorts!
Longtime yoga student and teacher Jessica Noll believes that mindfulness is a lesson that can be learned at a young age. She leads a series of classes, camps, and parties for local children to develop mindfulness skills and emotional management. Her offerings blend movement, meditation, breath, art, and play to create a magical learning environment for kids!
Grow Nutrition - Katie Kelly - Pagosa Springs
Katie Kelly’s app, Grow Nutrition, will directly support the health and relationship between a pregnant mother and growing child. Research has shown that a mother’s nutrition before and during pregnancy plays a critical role in improving birth outcomes and shaping the baby’s future health. However, accessing reliable and actionable nutrition information is a challenge. Grow Nutrition addresses this information gap by empowering expectant mothers with personalized, trustworthy nutrition education and guidance, with one goal: optimal health for both mom and baby.
In Sara Hogan’s family, adventure starts young. Sara and her two kids (at 8- and 22-months!) travelled across the country in 2021, camping along the way. When her toddler learned to climb out of his travel crib, Sara began to brainstorm a safer option for family adventures. Wilder Tents are ultralight children’s-sized sleeping tents, with inflatable pads and blackout covers, that offer a comfortable, ground-level sleeping option for young explorers.
