Boulder Startup Week: Full Schedule

Can you believe that Boulder Startup Week is in our 8th year? We work hard to have this event free and open to the public to make Boulder even better. Sign up for one event or dedicate your week to learning, networking and giving back. All are welcome. Your first time? We would like to welcome you! Click here for more.

10:00am MDT

MergeLane Demo Day

Limited Capacity seats available

Boulder Startup Week is starting early this year with a special "pre" BSW event in partnership with the third annual MergeLane Demo Day, May 4th, 10am at the Boulder Theater.

If you’ve been to a MergeLane Demo Day, you know it’s a whole different kind of startup event. If you haven’t, last year featured not only pitches from our dynamic, talented cohort of startups, all with at least one woman in leadership. We also had a sweet drumline, a killer ballet-meets-Aerosmith dance homage to our sponsors and a wonderful display of leadership from the kids joining us for “Take your Daughter (or Son) to Demo Day.”

It’s going to be another great celebration of leadership and innovation this year, and we want you to be there with us.

We look forward again to packing the Boulder Theater for an inspiring event on May 4th at 10am. We welcome you, your “other”, friends and associates who will love this as much as you will, and your kids above six years old.

Visit with founders, mentors, and investors from Boulder and around the nation who have chosen, like you, to support MergeLane's mission and to #changetheratio.

This event will sell out, so please reserve your tickets today.

Don’t wait, register for Demo Day now.

Thursday May 4, 2017 10:00am - 11:30am MDT
Boulder Theatre

Keynote Accelerator

2:00pm MDT

Innovation Strategies to Accelerate Your Business

Limited Capacity seats available

Innovation requires diverse thinking and external collaboration. Learn how to contribute your expertise through open innovation programs and how to employ innovation methodologies within your organization. Topics include: Advancing creative and technology solutions, rapid prototyping, team building, diversity, funding, crowdsourcing, hack-a-thons, and challenge competitions. You’ll hear success stories and get tips to help you identify market opportunities and discover alternative funding sources.

Speakers

Sarabeth Berk

Director of Innovation & Entrepreneurship, University of Colorado Boulder

Currently, I am the Director of a new initiative at the University of Colorado Boulder. The intention of this initiative is to engage and expose all stakeholders to entrepreneurial and innovative experiences on or off campus. This work is under the Research & Innovation Office, and... Read More →

George Deriso

Assistant Director, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, University of Colorado, Boulder

George Deriso is an experienced executive, entrepreneur, educator, consultant, mentor, speaker and advisor who has worked with businesses of all sizes worldwide. George has been a professor of entrepreneurship for over a decade, and currently is Assistant Director for Innovation and... Read More →

Tammi M. S.

Experience in four digital media start-ups, launched and managed open innovation and crowdsourcing program for the U.S., won Harvard Innovations award for Challenge.gov. Today, bringing biz-ops strategies and processes to nonprofits where I love working in community. Wrote a book... Read More →

Monday May 15, 2017 2:00pm - 2:50pm MDT
Boulder Library Canyon Theater

Accelerator

7:00pm MDT

CanopyBoulder Demo Day & After Party

Limited Capacity seats available

Come learn about the cutting-edge products and services from CanopyBoulder's Spring 2017 cohort.
Starting at 6pm, pioneering startups will present their business ideas developed over the course of an intensive 13-week business accelerator program. Hear their pitch, celebrate their hard work, and network with investors, mentors, Canopy alumni, community members, and other participants in the national cannabis industry.

Moderators

Mason Levy

Monday May 15, 2017 7:00pm - 9:00pm MDT
Boulder Theatre

Accelerator Cannabis

7:00pm MDT

Boulder Community Night: Innovation + Impact

Limited Capacity seats available

THIS EVENT REQUIRES SEPARATE REGISTRATION: (FREE):
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boulder-community-night-innovation-impact-tickets-33612647333

Recognizing Innovation and Celebrating Impact in Our Community

Pledge 1% Colorado, Techstars, Foundry Group, the Community Foundation Boulder County and the community of Colorado Certified B Corporations are excited to host an inaugural Pledge 1% Pitch Contest as a part of Boulder Startup Week. The Pitch Contest, through an interactive and fun event, seeks to recognize and support entrepreneurial and innovative nonprofit ideas to solve pressing problems and critical issues facing Boulder County.

Speakers and judges include:

Brook Eddy, founder and CEO of Bhakti Chai
Jackie Ros, founder and CEO of Revolar
Nicole Glaros, Chief Innovation Officer for Techstars
Brad Feld, Managing Partner of Foundry Group
Phil Weiser, Executive Director of the Silicon Flatirons Center at CU Boulder
and more!

$10K will be awarded to the winner selected by a panel of judges and audience votes. Throughout the night we’ll be highlighting inspirational stories of how startups are positively impacting community.

Tentative Agenda:

6:30pm - Doors Open, 7:00pm - Show Starts

Tuesday May 16, 2017 7:00pm - 9:00pm MDT
Boulder Theatre

Accelerator Community

11:00am MDT

Should my Startup Apply to an Accelerator?

Limited Capacity seats available

If you're thinking of applying to an accelerator, this session is for you.

Colorado is a breeding ground for some incredible startup accelerators. Come to this session to find out if an accelerator is right for your startup, learn about choosing an accelerator (each one is very unique!), hear alumni and staff speak about how to get the most out of your time in an accelerator, and learn what happens to your company after Demo Day. Our panel will be made up of experienced accelerator Managing Directors and startup alumni who have experienced an accelerator program firsthand.

Moderators

Dani Larson

Speakers

Brad Bickerton

President, Delta Awesome

Entrepreneurs have the power to change the world. When you flip the success equation, they do.

Anke Corbin

Julie Penner

Julie is a Director at Techstars Boulder, a technology accelerator for startups. The Techstars Boulder program emphasizes agile and lean processes and emotional intelligence in addition to providing world class mentorship. Prior to Techstars, Julie was the VP of Operations for Graphicly... Read More →

Skip Stone

CEO / founder, STASHLOGIX

Founder of STASHLOGIX, the premiere brand for cannabis storage. Our first line of products feature our patented textile cannabis storage system that incorporates an integrated combo lock, offering safety for kids and discretion for adults. STASHLOGIX was part of the inaugural class... Read More →

Jose Vieitez

Co Director, Boomtown Accelerators

Jose Vieitez is a cofounder of Boomtown Accelerator in Boulder, helping early stage startups reach product market fit and become successful high growth companies. Jose is a Stanford graduate with a background in user experience design, and moved out to Colorado chasing his now wife... Read More →

Natty Zola

Wednesday May 17, 2017 11:00am - 11:50am MDT
Riverside

Accelerator

12:00pm MDT

How Do I Get Into an Accelerator?

Limited Capacity seats available

With top-tier accelerators regularly getting hundreds of applicants for each cohort, it takes a lot to make your startup stand out from the crowd.

Representatives from Techstars, MergeLane, Travelport Labs, Boomtown, Canopy, and Telluride Venture Accelerator will share insights on what they're looking for and tips on how you can rock the application process.

Dani Larson from the Global Accelerator Network will provide insights from their research and moderate.

Moderators

Patrick Riley

Speakers

Hannah Davis

Program Director, Merge Lane

Hannah is an extraordinary community builder and startup supporter. She is the Program Director at MergeLane, an investment fund and education platform focused on accelerating high-potential female leaders. Before joining MergeLane, Hannah was an integral force at the Impact Hub Boulder... Read More →

Richard Grote

Leveraging my background and battle scars as a 5-time founder and 2-time accelerator head to help companies grow quickly and level up.

Toby Krout

Mason Levy

Ashley Nager

Program Director, Telluride Venture Accelerator

Julie Penner

Tami Wood

Community Lead, Jaguar Land Rover Tech Incubator

I feel exceptionally lucky that I found a home in the tech industry and I love that I get to help strengthen my community, work with startups, and geek out over new ideas, concepts, and solutions every day!

Natty Zola

Wednesday May 17, 2017 12:00pm - 12:50pm MDT
Riverside

Accelerator

4:00pm MDT

Accelerator Reverse Pitch & Happy Hour

Colorado is incredibly fortunate to be home to a number of terrific accelerators.

This event is a great opportunity to hear directly from the leaders of SIX of the best Coloado accelerators.

Each accelerator will give a quick pitch on their program, explain what makes them unique, and answer questions from attendees.

Afterwards, join us for a Happy Hour to meet and mingle.

Moderators

Dani Larson

Speakers

Richard Grote

Leveraging my background and battle scars as a 5-time founder and 2-time accelerator head to help companies grow quickly and level up.

Mason Levy

Marc Nager

Julie Penner

Lisa Schwab

UpRamp

Natty Zola

Wednesday May 17, 2017 4:00pm - 5:30pm MDT
Niche Workspace

Accelerator

5:00pm MDT

Boomtown Demo Day

Limited Capacity seats available

Rsvp here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/boomtown-demo-day-tickets-33450436155

It’s that time again. Time to pack the house and celebrate the spirit and creativity of entrepreneurship.

We’re thrilled to be the closing event of 2017 Boulder Startup Week. We invite you to come and cheer on 10 Boomtown startups as they give you an inside look into what they’ve been building over the past few months.

Speakers

Shaw Lathrop

Program Manager, Boomtown Accelerator

Shaw has always identified as a jack of all trades. In past lives he has worked as a musician, wine specialist, yoga instructor, Ayurvedic practitioner, and care giver. 5 years ago Shaw became active in the Boulder startup community through working out of SCRIB coworking. Eventually... Read More →

Friday May 19, 2017 5:00pm - 7:45pm MDT
Boulder Theatre

Accelerator Keynote