Climate action is no longer optional. It’s foundational.
The Climate Track at West Slope Startup Week invites business owners and founders to ask not just how to grow, but how to grow wisely and resiliently in our changing world. This track is where we connect the urgency of the global climate challenge with local, tangible business action.
After piloting a handful of climate-focused sessions last year, 2025 marks the first time WSSW is hosting a full Climate Track. That means more space for actionable education and solutions-oriented conversations.
We’re now inviting session proposals from people who are working at the intersection of climate action and business. If you’ve got tools, stories, or hard-earned lessons to share, we want to hear from you.
What is the Climate Track?
Our goal is to catalyze bold, grounded conversations that help business leaders and founders take climate-smart action, whether they’re launching climate-focused startups or building resilience into existing organizations.
Specifically, we’re looking for people/teams to speak about:
- Regenerative business models rooted in local communities
- Climate innovation outside coastal tech hubs (especially in Rural Colorado)
- Infrastructure, supply chain, and financial tools for resilience
- Climate finance and the future of capital for good
- Equity-centered climate entrepreneurship
- Climate policy and how it affects founders
Western Colorado has huge potential to become a hub for climate innovation. But there are still some real gaps that need to be addressed in order to make that vision a reality. We’re especially looking for sessions that tackle the following areas:
- Sessions that bring climate home for non-climate founders
- Practical roadmaps (not just inspiration) for making climate part of the business model
- Rural and underrepresented perspectives on climate innovation
- Real stories about real business opportunities in climate-conscious and climate-adjacent industries
What Makes a Great Climate Track Session?
Climate hazards will impact every business at some point, regardless of their size or industry. We want founders to be prepared—whether they’re working in climate innovation or not. The most impactful sessions combine visionary framing with ground-level tactics. They should leave people with something useful: a framework, a tool, or a way to get started.
Session types we’re especially interested in:
- Interactive panels (i.e., founder + funder + frontline perspective)
- Hands-on workshops with clear frameworks or tools
- Panels that allow for dialogue and diverse viewpoints
- Lightning case studies that share short, powerful stories from the field
Co-speakers are welcome, especially if they bring complementary perspectives (like a founder paired with a policy expert or an investor with a community organizer).
What we AREN’T looking for:
We’re not seeking theoretical deep dives, niche academic discussions, or broad “climate change is bad” overviews. Our attendees understand the urgency and stakes; what they need now is actionable direction, strategic clarity, and practical support.
Avoid sessions that:
- Remain abstract without clear, actionable takeaways.
- Rely heavily on technical jargon or buzzwords, assuming attendees already speak fluent “climate.”
- Lack inclusivity or practical relevance to a diverse range of business types and backgrounds.
- Push exclusionary perspectives—the strength of the Western Slope is its diverse intersection of trades, technology, agriculture, and industry. To drive meaningful change, our approach must embrace and speak clearly to this unique and varied audience.
- Are purely promotional, focused more on selling a product or service than on providing genuine value or education.
Instead, bring authenticity, clear examples, and genuine tools or insights that attendees can immediately apply to their business practices and strategies.
Ready to Submit?
If you’re a founder, investor, innovator, or climate advocate with experience to share, we want to hear from you. This is YOUR chance to shape how our region meets the future. Because our community deserves stories of courage, clarity, and action. This problem is bigger than any individual, which means it will take all of us—together—to make a dent.
The deadline to submit is June 18, 2025.
Submit your session at: https://sessionize.com/wssw25
For questions, connect with Rich Sherman, the Climate Track Captain at: hello@richardsherman.com. Rich is a lifelong creative problem solver and the founder of Animas Creative Group, a full-service brand and marketing group helping For-Purpose founders amplify their impact.
As the Climate Track Captain, Rich aims to bridge the gap between two worlds that rarely share the same room—climate urgency and entrepreneurial action.
“Let’s shine a light on ways that every business owner on the Western Slope can think global, but act local.”