Telluride, CO (August 12, 2020) – Most any business, whether needing to recharge and find new growth in an existing business or wanting to scale a new business, can benefit from the upcoming “StartUp to ScaleUp” event. This all-virtual workshop, is the result of an exciting new collaboration to support local small businesses in the southwest region of Colorado between Telluride Venture Accelerator (TVA) and Colorado University Boulder Leeds School of Business Deming Center for Entrepreneurship (CU). The CU program is a targeted effort to grow rural economies by delivering workshops and providing mentoring to CU partner communities. TVA and the West End Economic Development Corporation (WEEDC), a nonprofit based in Naturita, CO, are inviting interested businesses, both new and established companies, aspiring entrepreneurs, and community leaders to reserve their spot for the StartUp to ScaleUp workshop, which will be held virtually on September 11th and 12th, 2020.
In announcing this relationship with TVA, Erick Mueller, Executive Director, Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, commented, “We’re excited to return to the southwest Colorado region to help companies and the community learn how to scale their ideas and impact, helping to drive economic vitality in the region”. Mueller is the project lead for this rural outreach, bringing his extensive resume of entrepreneurship and teaching to the local business community.
TVA, a program of the Telluride Foundation, is a bootcamp driven accelerator program, which runs four programs throughout the year. This StartUp to ScaleUp workshop is an effort to identify, encourage, and support entrepreneurs in the region. Capital and Transaction Advisor for the Telluride Foundation, Bonnie Watson, understands the value of hosting this event and making it available to entrepreneurs in the region. “We know the value and importance of continuing to support entrepreneurs in rural Southwest Colorado as our economy and vitality of the region depends on it. This work is more important than ever as entrepreneurs strive to manage their business in a post COVID world.”
The StartUp to ScaleUp event begins with a brief intro session and deep dive on Friday, September 11th from 5:00 – 8:00 p.m. The remainder of the workshop will be held on Saturday, September 12th from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Cost for the workshop is $50 with some scholarships available. Registration, zoom link information, scholarship information, and an agenda can be found here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/startup-to-scaleup-tickets-116224252869.
Social distanced conference rooms are available at the Collective Mine in Naturita and the Lone Cone Library in Norwood for individuals who need access to the internet. Please, email Bonnie Watson at bonnie.watson.colorado@gmail.com for more information about how to access these facilities.
Telluride Venture Accelerator is an initiative of the Telluride Foundation and is supported by individual donors and sponsors including: Johnson Family Foundation, High Meadows Foundation, McMenamin Family Fund, Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation, ASAP Accounting and Payroll, Colorado Impact Fund, and Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration.
The Telluride Foundation exists to create a stronger Telluride and regional community through the promotion and support of philanthropy. 2020 marks 20 years of making more possible through the Telluride Foundation’s commitment to enrich the quality of life of the residents, visitors, and workforce of the Telluride region. The Telluride Foundation is a nonprofit, apolitical community foundation that makes grants to nonprofits, owns and operates programs that meet emerging and unmet community needs, and makes investments. The Foundation approaches this work through the lens of its core values of inclusion, self-reliance, and innovation. Its work is funded through the generous support of individual donors as well as grants from state and national foundations. The Foundation hopes the community will join it in celebrating its 20th anniversary as it honors the nonprofits, donors, and community members who have all partnered together to achieve a significant positive impact on the region. For more information click on www.telluridefoundation.org.
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