By Margaret Hedderman
Showcasing the ripple effects of rural entrepreneurship can feel like piecing together a mosaic—every connection, every program, every opportunity contributes to the larger picture. Since our relaunch as a rural-focused organization in 2017, Startup Colorado has worked with entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders statewide—via partnership development, an online community, educational programming, and pitch competitions. Success stories are often years in the making.
As we continue to track rural wins, one inspiring outcome of our work rises to the surface: Mike Blecha, the co-founder of AnywhereCam—a Fort Morgan-based startup specializing in remote location surveillance. We first engaged with Mike nearly two years ago at a pitch competition and have since supported his journey across a variety of touch points.
Keep reading to discover a prime example of our work in action.
A Chance Encounter and a Transformative Connection
Startup Colorado first connected with Mike at a pitch competition we helped organize in partnership with the Logan County Economic Development Corp. He was invited to the event last minute, thinking it was merely an opportunity to share his business concept.
“I didn’t even know it was a pitch competition,” he laughed. “I walked in, and there were 200 people in the room. I probably should have prepared better.”
Despite winging his presentation, Mike’s innovative vision for AnywhereCam caught the attention of Dan Lane, a judge with more than a decade of startup experience. Shortly after the competition, Dan approached Mike about joining AnywhereCam.
“And I’m like, ‘I would love that too… but we don’t have any money.’”
Dan initially supported AnywhereCam part-time, working on nights and weekends. But it wasn’t long before he wanted to get involved on a bigger level and joined as co-founder and Chief Commercial Officer.
“It was definitely one of the best decisions I made for the company,” Mike said. “He has such a great knowledge of business development and strategy.”
This partnership, fostered at the Northeast Colorado Pitch Competition, set the stage for AnywhereCam’s growth trajectory.
At this stage, AnywhereCam was still in its infancy. The company had fewer than 100 cameras in use, a nascent e-commerce presence, and a business model centered on regional sales through a local cell phone provider. The experience at the Northeast Colorado Pitch Competition, however, was a wake-up call.
“I realized it’s not a sprint anymore,” Mike reflected. He decided to “buckle down and make this a real, long lasting company with a proper foundation.”
That’s when he participated in Startup Colorado’s Founder Coopetition // Idea Factory in the fall of 2023. While Mike had experience as a successful business owner, the role of a startup founder was a different ball game.
“I had to think like a founder,” he said. “I couldn’t just wing it anymore.”
The Idea Factory encouraged him to think more strategically and refine his business model.
“It forced me to get out of ‘go mode’ and into ‘strategy mode’,” he said. “As the CEO, I needed to know every inch of this business, because it’s all going to be important at some point.”
