By Margaret Hedderman
RIDGWAY – Startup Colorado and Homegrown Pathways are excited to announce a “homegrown” partnership that seeks to transform youth entrepreneurship in Colorado. Through this collaboration, Homegrown Pathways has licensed Startup Colorado’s successful Founder Coopetition // Idea Factory program and customized it to create Spark Lab—a youth-focused pre-accelerator program designed to equip aspiring young entrepreneurs with the skills and confidence needed to join Colorado’s thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Colorado boasts one of the most dynamic entrepreneurship ecosystems in the nation, with leading innovations in sectors such as energy, agriculture, advanced manufacturing, and deep tech. However, access to these opportunities is not equitable, particularly for youth in rural communities. Spark Lab was created to change that by offering these young people an accessible and impactful entry point into entrepreneurship.
What is Spark Lab?
Spark Lab is a 12-15 hour, non-technical pre-accelerator experience designed for youth, even those with only an initial business concept. Each cohort of 10-15 participants will gain foundational entrepreneurship skills and the opportunity to showcase their work in a three-minute pitch at a culminating Pitch Competition event.
Homegrown Pathways’ model includes a $200 gift card and mileage reimbursements for each participant who successfully completes the program. This not only encourages strong engagement but also communicates to young people the value and importance placed on their ideas and solutions.
Homegrown Pathways successfully launched its first cohort at the end of 2024 and held a pitch event on January 18th, 2025 at Alt Space: Montrose. There, 12 rural innovators, coming from six towns across four counties, pitched to an audience of over 60 community leaders including educators, superintendents, bank presidents, mayors, and regional industry. Through the generous support of donors, including the Morgridge Family Foundation, Homegrown Pathways was able to invest over $10,000 in seed funding into these young entrepreneurs and their ventures.
These funds provide a critical first step for youth entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into actionable business ventures. Homegrown Pathways is actively approaching the philanthropic funding community to secure support for future implementations, including the target of additional cohorts Summer/Fall 2025.
Preliminary survey results from participants indicate significant improvement in self-perceived communication skills, self-efficacy, social capital, and understanding and connection to available resources to support them in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Additionally, 100% of participants confirmed they would recommend Spark Lab to a friend, that the program had advanced their businesses, and that they are more than likely to take action on a future business idea as a result of Spark Lab. Donors interested in growing the seed funding pool of the pilot and future implementation are encouraged to reach out to visit www.homegrownpathways.org/donate or reach out to Colin Lacy directly.
Unparalleled Access to Startup Colorado’s Statewide Network
Participants in Spark Lab will also be connected to Startup Colorado’s extensive network of over 2,000 entrepreneurs and over 400 business support organizations across the state. This connection provides young entrepreneurs with access to invaluable mentorship, guidance, and resources to further support their business development journey. By creating a unique social capital network for rural and underinvested youth, Spark Lab empowers participants to step confidently into Colorado’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Why This Matters
“Colorado is developing one of the most vibrant entrepreneurship ecosystems in the country,” said Brittany Romano, Executive Director of Startup Colorado. “But for that ecosystem to reach its full potential, we need to ensure that all young Coloradans, especially those in rural areas, have the tools and pathways to participate. Spark Lab represents a vital step in achieving that goal.”
Homegrown Pathways aims to take a central role in building Colorado’s pipeline of future innovators. The Spark Lab framework is designed to break down barriers to entry for young entrepreneurs, provide accessible opportunities, and ultimately develop the state’s next generation of leaders and changemakers.
A Vision for Statewide Impact
This partnership is about more than just a program—it’s about scaling a vision. Through strategic use of AmeriCorps and collaborations with Colorado’s school districts, Homegrown Pathways sees Spark Lab serving as a catalyst for youth entrepreneurship statewide. By leveraging local talent to build and sustain the program, Spark Lab ensures that the benefits of entrepreneurship are accessible to all communities.
“Entrepreneurship is an essential pathway to economic mobility, especially in rural Colorado,” said Homegrown Pathways Founder, Colin Lacy. “Through Spark Lab, we are excited to partner with Startup Colorado to better connect rural youth to the knowledge, skills, and networks to thrive in Colorado’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Join the Movement
Startup Colorado and Homegrown Pathways invite stakeholders, educators, and community leaders to join in this mission to build Colorado’s future innovators. To learn more about Spark Lab and how you can get involved at www.homegrownpathways.org/spark-lab. We also encourage you to reach out to us directly at info@homegrownpathways.org.
About Startup Colorado
Startup Colorado empowers entrepreneurs in rural communities to generate wealth, create jobs, and drive innovation. Through programs like the Founder Coopetition // Idea Factory, Startup Colorado bridges gaps and builds a thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem across the state.
Homegrown Pathways is a new nonprofit organization dedicated to building regional career pathways, including entrepreneurial pathways, in rural and underinvested urban Colorado communities. Homegrown Pathways is actively designing a new AmeriCorps model that aims to embed national service members as the foundation of a direct service model that will catalyze regional career pathways for under-empowered youth. A federally-funded planning process is underway in three regions across the Western Slope, as we aim to develop a model that can scale state-wide and be replicated by others nationwide.
Join us in empowering rural entrepreneurs and ecosystem builders to achieve even more in 2025. Contributions of any amount directly power our mission to build a sustainable statewide network of resources supporting rural entrepreneurs, so that people and places can thrive and chart their own futures! Will you help us?
