In the fall of 2021, Startup Colorado launched a free CO-OPetition pilot program for idea to early stage entrepreneurs. Merging the concepts of “cooperation” and “competition,” the four-week experience invited entrepreneurs to participate in weekly activities by not only building their own business, but also providing feedback for others. At the end of the program, participants anonymously evaluated and voted for a winner. Startup Colorado provided $15,000 in funding, awarded to all participants in amounts of $2000, $1000, and $550.
We successfully ran two cohorts of rural entrepreneurs across all industries – from outdoor industry to tech – and are currently fundraising to support this program in the future. By merging the concepts of cooperation and competition, the program encouraged participants to support each other in the development of their business.
In the first of two blog posts, we’re highlighting our CO-OPetition participants and their businesses. See who participated in the the first cohort below.
Mariana Cevallos & Mike Davlantes – Alluvia Packraft, Grand Junction, CO
Alluvia Packraft is an outdoor startup based in Grand Junction, that makes lightweight, packable, inflatable boats for adventurous explorers who want to include water sports in their outdoor activities. A packraft can be folded down to the size of a roll of paper towels and weigh less than a gallon of water. Unlike our other portable raft companies, Alluvia strives to be perceived as a more approachable option, positioning themselves around urban/suburban use with easy access to water. 3% of our profits will go towards making the outdoors a more inclusive, diverse, and safe space for everyone.
“We thoroughly enjoyed the entire program! Thank you for giving us such a great opportunity! It helped us clarify our focus on product/market fit and encouraged us to focus on the highest-impact things we could do to move the business along.”
Paula Peterson – ZODAT, Hesperus, CO
Zodat Industries is an innovative, southwest Colorado company that manufactures USA made, patented, high pressure washing solutions for the commercial transportation, industrial equipment and renewable energy markets that enhance safety, efficiency, and bottom line. The launch product is the Zodat Headlight Washer; which cleans your headlights from the cab, no more stopping on the road to be able to see and be seen.
“The connections and the people at Startup Colorado make it easy to reach out to them and they are all so helpful with introductions, guidance and information. I would still be stumbling about wondering where to go next in obtaining information. We are building a pitch deck and are looking for venues to obtain funding so we can get our product to market.”
Josh Jacobs – SJ Eco Materials, Pagosa Springs, CO
SJ Eco Materials is a cutting edge natural fiber materials company that specializes in creating sustainable solutions for the growing demand of composite manufacturing. We provide a variety of manufacturing facilities with durable, aesthetically pleasing materials that help them create eco-friendly products, replacing toxic materials such as Hard plastics, Fiberglass, Kevlar, or Carbon Fiber.
“I was in a cohort which was a variety of businesses, each were at their own stage of development and we helped each other progress. My business has been simultaneously going through a program called SCAPE in Durango, so this program helped me stay focused on weekly goals and achievements.”
Thayer Hirsh – HomeCheck, Frisco, CO
Owning and maintaining a home is hard. HomeCheck makes homeownership a breeze by providing smart home maintenance action plans to homeowners in vacation communities. With the HomeCheckUp app, homeowners can receive proactive maintenance reminders, lookup their maintenance history, and access discounted one-click service requests. HomeCheck is headquartered in Frisco, CO.
“It allowed me to network and bounce ideas off of other early stage entrepreneurs. Specifically, I received a lot of feedback on pricing with new potential clients.”
Martha Heim – BCKYRD, Glenwood Springs, CO
BCKYRD is a new platform that allows individuals and companies to schedule in-person, customized yoga classes for their friends, family, co-workers, and teammates in safe spaces they choose. BCKYRD liberates you from the traditional four walls of fitness and lets you customize a wellness setting that is tailored to your specific needs.
“The Coopetition helped us with ideas on how to pivot our business model and find traction in other ways.”