By Margaret Hedderman
COLORADO – Startup Colorado is thrilled to announce the winners of the Founder Coopetition, a business pre-accelerator program tailored for rural entrepreneurs. Aimed at fostering innovation and stimulating economic growth in Rural Colorado, the Coopetition concluded with three outstanding businesses emerging as winners, securing a $5,000 microgrant each, and an advisory session with the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network (BEN).
Throughout the month-long program, participants benefited from weekly exercises, challenges, and peer-to-peer support. By merging “cooperation” and “competition,” the Founder Coopetition aims to elevate each business via shared learning experiences. The program culminated in a final pitch competition.
The Winners:
Jennifer Sparks, CEO
Agolix is a B2B SaaS tool for creating sophisticated online assessments that automate the expertise of professional coaches and consultants while also providing detailed, tangible analysis to each respondent. We take pride in serving clients across more than 40 countries and in facilitating over 1 million assessments completed on our platform.
“Participating in Startup Colorado’s Founder Coopetition has been transformative for Agolix, providing mentorship, resources, and a supportive community of entrepreneurs. This experience has helped to hone my business strategy and improve how I communicate Agolix’s offerings.” – Jennifer Sparks
Elizabeth Philbrick, Co-founder
EsoTerra Ciderworks is an internationally award winning hard cider company nestled in Southwest Colorado’s historic apple growing region. Handpicked from the historic orchards and heritage apples that grow at the base of the San Juan Mountains, EsoTerra’s ciders are a sip of history and a reminder that ‘cider is wine.’
“Startup Colorado’s Founder Coopetition is the kind of collaboration all entrepreneurs need: Camaraderie and the free-exchange of ideas help an entrepreneur remember that we are not alone in our hurdles. The Coopetition is made exponentially more vital by the sheer fact that you are surrounded by startups from a variety of industries; only proving that while what we do may be different, we as people are not.” – Elizabeth Philbrick
Christine Tullio & Tyler Schloesser, Founders
Grofibr | Grand Junction
Grofibr develops hydroponic substrates that foster optimal conditions for growing plants. Our substrates are crafted from sustainable, biodegradable materials, emphasizing Grofibr’s dedication to eco-conscious agricultural methods.
“Participating in Startup Colorado’s Founder Coopetition was an important step toward launching Grofibr. Engaging with other founders in a supportive yet challenging environment allowed me to gain fresh perspectives and pushed me to refine Grofibr’s product design and go-to-market strategy.” – Christine Tullio
Startup Colorado would also like to extend heartfelt thanks and acknowledgment to all other participants of the Founder Coopetition. Though they did not win the final pitch competition, their engagement and dedication have significantly accelerated their business progress. The experience garnered through this program has provided them with invaluable insights, expanded their networks, and sharpened their strategic approaches, laying a strong foundation for future success.
“We are immensely proud of the accomplishments of all the participants and particularly our winners,” said Tim Martinez, Director of the Founder Coopetition. “Through this program, rural entrepreneurs support one another and gain valuable insight not always found within our less populated communities. We are confident that the support and recognition provided by the Coopetition will help participants make important decisions, spur significant progress, and inspire ongoing innovation throughout Rural Colorado.”
Startup Colorado thanks all the participants, advisors from the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network, Rockies Venture Club, and other supporters of this initiative. We are excited to see the positive changes our winners will bring to their communities and beyond.
For more information about the Founder Coopetition and upcoming programs, please visit FounderCoopetition.com.
