Business
Business News from companies in Boulder, Colorado
2018 Boulder Startup Week descends upon Boulder
May 12th
Deal or no deal? A lot of 20-somethings come to Boulder during startup week with their dreams and ideas hoping to to be chosen by “angel investors”. They pool their savings and show up here. Sometimes it is the last of their money and their fledgling companies are on their last legs. Most go home without a deal. We have even had some apply for sales jobs here at Boulder Channel 1 so they could buy airfare to get home, or who gave up and wanted a job just to stay in groovy Boulder. Admittedly , we like hiring those kids because they are all highly driven. Hunger makes for good salespersonship.
The Pitch Much of the week attendees will visit Boulder tech companies, startups, agencies to hear pitches by other millennials about how to be successful. They will hear the VCs pitch startups. It is all topped off with new age feel good politics ” community. vision, growth and inclusiveness” That is if you are a millennial and not a nosy journalist of any age. They don’t like to be reviewed or critiqued. Boulder Startup week is well intended with a bit of phony baloney. One example: look at what happened to Facebook, Twitter, Google and the Daily Camera this past month. They all went into upheaval over their hype, perception and reality. Journalism vs money. Privacy vs money. 🙂
Women marriage beer and party on Did we mention beer and partying? There is lots of that too. The crowd is mostly young white male, so there is a shortage of women. The women who do attend have a tendency to work in public relations, advertising, retail, restaurants. Few woman who attend are actually engineers with a tech startup. The complaint is that there are not enough women. One 26 year old women told us she found her husband at a pitch session. He was a 27 year old millionaire who created a few hot aps. They met and a year later got married. She’s happy, he’s happy and her parents are really happy. Her father told us, “thank God she met an engineer.. and not like my other daughter who married a drug addict musician. ” Yup, Boulder Startup Week is a great place to find a husband though they wouldn’t be so gosh as to say it.
Jobs: Some people have told us they come to startup week hoping to find a job, but the chances are nil unless you are an engineer or a coder. PR jobs are a dime a dozen in Boulder so none are available. Many millennial techies think sales is beneath them, but there is a lot of money in sales and everyone is always looking for a good sales rep including us. Much emphasis is put on entrepreneurship but not on being a good employee. One women told us “she grew up in Boulder , went to college ,moved to Denver and could not find any jobs,. She came to Boulder Startup Week but there were no jobs. She was disappointed because they had a jobs table and job fair. But there wre no jobs for a film maker, on camera talent and writer. If you can’t code don’t bother applying.
But what is Boulder startup week really about?? It is about the next investment for Boulder Angel investors and VCs and it is a closed shop. You have to look the part, act the part, talk the part scripted to a Tee and then maybe if you are lucky a pittance will be thrown your way. Most start up ventures fail. Estimates that 8 out of 9 Boulder Startups never make it out of angel stage. That is never publicized. VCs look form a gem inside the disco and they usually find one. This new crop of Boulder business people would have you believe that they invented business investment. They did make it easier to show your stuff, but Boulder has always been a startup business community ever since the gold and silver days of the 1800’s. The next big Boulder investment is bound to be here at this years Boulder Startup week and it will make a bunch of people really very rich… ahh but we don’t talk about that either. lol
ps if you are looking for a job Boulder Channel 1 is hiring sales reps 303 447 8531 720 621 7750
Boulder Chamber’s ESPRiT Entrepreneur 2017 Awards
Oct 26th
On Wednesday night the Boulder Chamber hosted its annual ESPRiT awards dinner in the Glenn Miller Ballroom at the University of Colorado, Boulder. The event was attended by over 300 people.
Zayo Group’s chairman and CEO, Dan Caruso, accepted the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year award with a pre-recorded video speech. He thanked community leaders and said Boulder was an ideal environment to start and grow a business.
CU economist Rich Wobbekind provided graphs of statistics that showed Boulder has a highly educated population and a variety of successful industries.
The Boulder Economic Council’s director, Clif Harald, introduced the Boulder Innovation Venture. This is a study of the city’s role as a leader in innovation and research. Its purpose is to raise awareness and attract more talent to Boulder.
Three finalists of the Esprit Venture Challenge, presented their ideas to the audience. They were questioned by three judges: Terrie Fiez, vice chancellor for research and innovation at the University of Colorado, Boulder; Amy McGarrity, chief investment officer for Colorado PERA; and Jose Vieitez, co-founder of the Boomtown accelerator in Boulder. Members of the audience then used an online voting app to select the winner..
Khala Cloths won $10,000 for the development and marketing of a hemp-cotton fabric treated with beeswax, tree resin, and coconut oil that is a biodegradeable alternative to plastic wrap for storing food.
Dance To Be Free won $2,500. This nonprofit group uses the healing power of music and dance to treat victims of post-traumatic stress disorder in women’s prisons worldwide.
Give and Go Film won $1,000. This company is marketing an automated video editing system that could be widely used by sports coaches. Mac Bolak, CEO, started this venture when he was the manager of the University of Colorado men’s basketball team. This editing procedure is about seventy-two times faster than the manual video editing procedure currently in use.
ESPIRIT is a premiere event held Boulder Chamber each year . It awards local startups as well as long standing Boulder businesses. It was a highly produced event with a sold out Dinner crowd. Boulder Channel 1 business reporters follows Boulder Chamber and many of it’s events. They have a diverse membership and is inviting to all Boulder businesses showing s true reflection of our city.
Business After Hours held on comfy chairs
Oct 18th
Boulder Chamber’s October Business After Hours was held at Furniture for Life Wednesday evening October 18 at 2125 32nd Street in Boulder. The furniture is designed with comfort and health in mind. Food was provided by Casa Alvarez, popular Mexican fare. About fifty Boulder Chamber members were in attendance including Emma Dunn and Michael Long. Members talked, exchanged business cards, and made contacts.