Highlights from 2022 West Slope Startup Week

There is so much to celebrate from the fourth annual West Slope Startup Week event! Firstly, a huge thank you to all of our sponsors, participants, and organizers. Let’s take a look at what made West Slope Startup Week 2022 so special.

Participants

In-Person Participants Grand Junction

Hometown Participants

Speakers

Sessions

Hometown Events

Organizers

Improved Virtual Offerings

2022 was the first time in West Slope Startup Week history that we offered five full days of virtual programming AND live-streaming sessions from Grand Junction. This expanded the reach of our programming to more than 400+ regional entrepreneurs that participated virtually from across Colorado. Click here to watch any of the recorded sessions including the Keynote address from Kerry Siggins. We hope to continue improving our virtual offerings for future events as we feel strongly that this is an important way to involve rural Colorado entrepreneurs.

Virtual + In-Person Networking Events

2022 West Slope Startup Week offered daily networking opportunities for virtual and in-person participants starting on Monday with the Virtual Networking via Gatheround hosted by Lexi Van Roekel. Participants enjoyed the Gatheround platform, which randomly pairs participants for speed networking rounds in private virtual meeting rooms. On Tuesday of West Slope Startup Week 2022 the Registration Happy Hour Networking at Alt Space in Grand Junction was a huge success. More than 60 individuals came to get WSSW swag and mingle with organizers, speakers, and entrepreneurs. Attendees enjoyed beverages courtesy Talbott’s Cider and Storm Peak Brewing as well as an insanely impressive charcuterie spread from local small business Nibbles + Sips.

Virtual networking continued on Wednesday with the Lean Coffee Event hosted by Startup Colorado. On Thursday in Grand Junction we reconvened on the Avalon Theatre rooftop for our annual Celebration Party. On Friday we wrapped up the week with Breakfast + Coffee Networking at Alt Space.

Greater Colorado Pitch Series 2022

This year’s Greater Colorado Pitch Series featured eight incredible small businesses and four funding partners from rural Colorado. The finalists presented on stage before a live audience at the Avalon Theatre in Grand Junction. Virtual participants were able to tune in to a live-streaming video feed. The pre-seed venture track was run by Western Colorado Angels, with an investment amount of $25k-$50k committed to their winner. Finalists included Oso Adventure Meals and MODSTREET. The seed venture track was run by the Greater Colorado Venture Fund, with $250,000 committed to their winner. Finalists included GeekPack® and InBuild, Inc.. The pre-seed debt track was run by First Southwest Community Fund, with $50,000 low-interest debt committed to their winner. Finalists included Konbit PBC and Maya’s LLC Rocky Ford, CO. Finally, the growth-stage- debt track was run by Greenline Ventures, with $250,000 up to $1,000,000 in growth debt committed to their winner. Finalists included Phoenix Haus and EL JACAL MEXICAN RESTAURANT AND GRILL.

20+ In-Person Sessions in Grand Junction

More than 130 regional entrepreneurs attended educational workshops in Grand Junction during West Slope Startup Week. These sessions ranged from topics including marketing and communications to founder wellbeing, funding and finances, and tech. A big thank you to all of the speakers who contributed their time to prepare and present their sessions. Workshop attendance ranged between 15-75 participants with virtual audience members joining live-streaming sessions.