By Elise Ertl
While last year’s “Sasquatch” video filmed in Silverton, CO has yet to be verified, there is at least one confirmed sighting of a Sasquatch heading into the backcountry. A startup, known as Sasquatch Expedition Campers, has innovated a rugged, off-road camper trailer built for Colorado’s mountain roads. The company launched in 2021 with the assistance of Colorado’s Rural Jump-Start Program, which provides both grants and tax incentives to new businesses.
Now hiring five local employees, this outdoor industry startup is a prime example of the program’s efforts to elevate economic development in rural areas. Read on to see how Sasquatch Campers won a Rural Jump-Start grant.
How Sasquatch Found Silverton
The idea for Sasquatch Campers came about in 2021, when the owners, Kass and Beth Kremer, were outdoors, enjoying the San Juan Mountains. It was the height of COVID and thousands of new outdoor users were discovering the backcountry. At the end of the day, however, everyone filtered back into town.
“We felt like people missed out on half the experience,” said Kass Kremer. “There needs to be a product that we can make that would give those people access to that full backcountry experience.”
These soon-to-be founders dreamt up a camper that would enable backcountry users to seek the full experience. Then, they turned it into a reality. With a shared background in engineering and product development, the group built a camper prototype out of their garage in Silverton. Once it was ready-to-go, they loaned it out to friends and eventually strangers for feedback.
“We got a lot of really good feedback. And, you know, the not-good feedback we had was all very important to updating designs and refining the products, so once we got all of that and got the product updated, we sold the prototypes and used that money along with the Rural Jumpstart money to launch the business,” said Kass.
Pursuing Colorado’s Rural Jump-Start Program
The grant is a part of Colorado’s Rural Jump-Start program, a collaborative effort by the state, local governments, Institutes of Higher Education, and economic development organizations. It incentivizes new businesses to launch or relocate to rural, economically distressed counties—referred to as Rural Jump-Start zones—and create jobs.
Rural Jump-Start began in 2016 as a tax incentive program, and in 2021 a grant program was created, for businesses located in a Rural Jump-Start zone. To be eligible, businesses cannot be operating in the State of Colorado at the time of application and cannot compete with similar businesses in the same or adjacent counties. They must also plan to make 5 new hires over the course of their business.
This was perfect for a startup like Sasquatch Campers that had a product unique to San Juan County and was just starting to test their prototypes.
Qualifying businesses, like Sasquatch Campers, work with a sponsoring entity, an approved economic development organization or a designated institute of higher education in their county; where together, they complete the application process. Once the application is submitted, a review process takes place; during which selected businesses present to a committee.
After ensuring Sasquatch Campers met all the requirements for the grant, they partnered with their sponsoring entity—Fort Lewis College—to submit the application. Overall, Kremer described the process as relatively “quick and painless.”
“If I wasn’t very confident in the products that we had, I would have been a lot more nervous,” said Kass. “But we were presenting something that was really cool and really exciting.”
The review process for applications is conducted monthly by the Colorado Economic Development Center, so Sasquatch Campers didn’t have to wait long. Shortly after submitting their application, Sasquatch Campers was awarded a $20,000 grant, to be paid as reimbursements.
“It was huge to our ability to buy the materials and equipment needed to launch the company,” said Kass.
In addition to enabling Sasquatch Campers to set up shop in a manufacturing facility in downtown Silverton, the grant also supported the addition of several new hires.
"...their commitment to the community was completely evident from the first call."
“Sasquatch Campers stood out as a candidate for many reasons,” said Morgan Vankat, Rural Jump-Start & Skill Advance Program Manager. “Not only did they have a clear vision for growing their company, hiring employees, and meeting the RJS requirements, but their commitment to the community was completely evident from the first call. It’s been a really fun couple of years watching Sasquatch Campers develop as a start-up business.”
The Rural Jump-Start Grant gave Sasquatch Campers more opportunities to build and be competitive, but while doing so, they also were able to give back to their rural community in so many ways.
“Rural economic development is truly a group effort. All communities need businesses that will provide livable wages to their employees and also invest in local infrastructure, like institutes of higher education, and that is especially true in rural communities,” said Vankat. “In a town of 650 people, investing in five full-time, local employees makes a significant impact. OEDIT is proud of the dedicated RJS businesses that are collaborating with other organizations and investing in their communities.”
To remain a Rural Jump-Start business, an annual report must be filed, assessed and reapproved by OEDIT. If you have a dream to make a difference in your community, check out the Rural Jumpstart Grant or explore Startup Colorado’s Funding Database and join the Startup Colorado Community today.
