Startup Colorado
Startup Colorado is a Colorado nonprofit founded in 2011 that provides free accelerator programs, pitch competitions, and ecosystem-building resources to rural entrepreneurs and small business owners across all 54 Colorado counties, funded by grants, donations, and institutional partnerships.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2011
- HeadquartersDurango, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Startup Colorado does
Startup Colorado is a Colorado nonprofit corporation founded in 2011 and headquartered in Durango that serves as a statewide ecosystem builder for rural Colorado entrepreneurship. The organization operates a portfolio of free programs targeting founders and small business owners located outside the urban Front Range corridor, including the Founder Coopetition accelerator (encompassing the 4-week Idea Factory for early-stage founders, the 12-week Growth Challenge for scaling businesses, and the Belonging @ Startup Colorado track for inclusive enterprises), quarterly Demo Day pitch competitions, Pitch Readiness Workshops, Capital Bootcamp for state funding applications, and signature events such as West Slope Startup Week and Rural Startup Days. The organization also produces content via a blog, on-location podcast, and The Rural Startup Substack newsletter, and connects participants through a Hivebrite-powered online community platform.
The organization reports reach across all 54 Colorado counties with over 1,000 founders served cumulatively and 500+ new connections fostered at single events. Its underlying technology is limited to the third-party Hivebrite community platform and standard event/conferencing tools (Zoom, Substack, social media); no proprietary technology stack or AI/ML capabilities are disclosed.
Startup Colorado's business model is that of a grant-funded 501(c)(3) nonprofit. All programs and services are provided free of charge to participants, with operating revenue derived from charitable donations, grants, and institutional partnerships. The organization does not charge application or participation fees, does not take equity in cohort companies, and has not disclosed funding rounds, revenue figures, or employee compensation. Its leadership team includes a Managing Director, Director of Ecosystem Development & Partnerships, Founder Coopetition Program Director, Program Lead, Organizer, and Platform Manager, and it partners with Colorado State University, the Colorado Office of Just Transition, Otero College, SEBREA, Emergent Campus, Techstars, BENCO, and Howdy Partners to deliver programming.
Startup Colorado firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Startup Colorado
- Legal name
- Startup Colorado
- Website
- https://startupcolorado.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2011
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Startup Colorado is a Colorado nonprofit founded in 2011 that provides free accelerator programs, pitch competitions, and ecosystem-building resources to rural entrepreneurs and small business owners across all 54 Colorado counties, funded by grants, donations, and institutional partnerships.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Startup Colorado industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Entrepreneurship Support Services
- NAICS
- Educational Support Services (61171), Educational Support Services (611710), Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics (EDAMAHAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators (EDAMAHAC), Business Planning, Pitching & Competitions (Pitch Decks, Demo Days) (EDAMAHAB), Small Business & Entrepreneurship Community Education (EDAAAFAK), Accelerators & Incubators (Investor-Operated) (FSANAAAM)
Keywords
Where Startup Colorado is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Durango
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Startup Colorado business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others
Revenue model
- Grant Funding & Donations: As a Colorado nonprofit corporation, Startup Colorado operates primarily through grant funding and charitable donations. The organization receives support from partners and funders to deliver free programs to rural entrepreneurs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free programs for rural entrepreneurs |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels6 records
Startup Colorado product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Startup Colorado is a nonprofit organization that delivers free accelerator programs, pitch competitions, workshops, mentorship, and community-building resources to rural entrepreneurs across Colorado's 54 counties. Its portfolio includes the Founder Coopetition accelerator series (Idea Factory and Growth Challenge cohorts), quarterly Demo Days, West Slope Startup Week, Rural Startup Days, the Funding Database, and an Advisor Network, all supported through an online community engagement platform.
Product overview
Startup Colorado is a nonprofit that serves as a resource network and ecosystem builder for rural Colorado entrepreneurship. The organization offers a portfolio of programs including the Founder Coopetition accelerator series (with Idea Factory for early-stage founders, Growth Challenge for scaling businesses, and Belonging @ Startup Colorado for inclusive enterprises), Demo Day pitch events, Pitch Readiness Workshops, Capital Bootcamp for funding applications, and signature events like West Slope Startup Week and Rural Startup Days. Additional offerings include a Podcast, The Rural Startup newsletter, Funding Database, Advisor Network, and community programs like Rural Women in Entrepreneurship and Lean Coffee networking. The organization operates its community engagement through a Hivebrite-powered online platform. All programs are delivered virtually to serve founders across Colorado's 54 rural counties.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Founder Coopetition: A business accelerator program combining cooperative learning with competition, supporting rural Colorado entrepreneurs.
- Idea Factory
- Growth Challenge
- Demo Days
- Rural Startup Days
- Rural Creative Collective
- Belonging @ Startup Colorado
Products and services
- Founder Coopetition A business accelerator program combining cooperative learning with competition, designed for rural Colorado founders. The 4-week program helps early-stage entrepreneurs advance their businesses through peer support and micro-grants up to $5K.
- Idea Factory A 4-week accelerator for early-stage entrepreneurs to transform innovative ideas into actionable, launch-ready plans, including 90-second video presentations and networking with advisors and funders.
- Growth Challenge A 12-week accelerator for rural entrepreneurs with market-validated businesses ready to scale, focusing on validating product-market fit, optimizing growth strategies, and board-ready presentations.
- Demo Day Quarterly virtual pitch opportunity where Colorado founders present their businesses to a panel of judges and community members, competing for cash awards and in-kind support.
- Pitch Readiness Workshop Virtual sessions coaching founders on business storytelling, pitch preparation, and presentation confidence, led by Startup Colorado's Ecosystem Development Director.
- Capital Bootcamp A 5-week technical assistance bootcamp helping Colorado business owners complete applications for state funding programs, offering Capital Ready certification upon completion.
- West Slope Startup Week Free five-day annual event in Durango for entrepreneurs and small business owners featuring connection, community, and collaboration opportunities.
- Rural Startup Days Multi-day regional events developed in response to growing demand for business resources, education, and access to capital in rural Colorado communities.
- Funding Database Online resource helping startups secure capital through a curated database of funding opportunities.
- Advisor Network Program connecting rural Colorado founders with experienced mentors and advisors from Startup Colorado's network.
- Belonging @ Startup Colorado Accelerator program focused on transforming business into a mechanism for belonging, serving founders building inclusive enterprises.
- Rural Women in Entrepreneurship Networking initiative connecting women in business across rural Colorado.
- Lean Coffee Quarterly online interactive networking discussion tailored to entrepreneurs from all industries, featuring rotating hosts from the founder or funder world.
- Colorado Capital Series Workshop series exploring Colorado-specific capital opportunities and how to apply for various funding programs through OEDIT.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over 1,000 founders reached across 54 counties
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use Startup Colorado
Customer profileNamed customers8 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Startup Colorado technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Startup Colorado partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.
- Colorado Office of Just Transition (OJT)coreLandmark partnership to offer curated business accelerator programs designed to empower founders transitioning out of the coal, oil, and gas industries. The partnership launched a specialized Idea Factory cohort supporting coal transition workers as they explore business ownership and new opportunities. 14 rural founders representing 12 businesses participated in the spring 2026 cohort.
- Otero CollegecorePartnered with Otero College to organize Rural Startup Days in La Junta, Colorado. The partnership brought educational programming, networking events, and community engagement to the southeastern region of Colorado, with over 150 attendees.
- Southeast Colorado Business Retention Expansion and Attraction (SEBREA)coreCo-organized Rural Startup Days event with SEBREA to address the region's growing demand for business resources, education, and access to capital. The event exceeded organizers' expectations with strong local turnout and statewide engagement.
- Homegrown PathwayssupportingPartnered to empower Colorado's next generation of entrepreneurs with the Idea Factory: Spark Lab program, targeting youth and emerging entrepreneurs.
- Emergent CampuscoreHosted Fremont County Idea Factory in partnership with Emergent Campus, a local ecosystem builder. The collaboration provided customized programming for early-stage entrepreneurs in Fremont County with actionable, launch-ready strategies and network connections.
- Skill DistillerysupportingTeamed up with Skill Distillery, a premier coding bootcamp, to provide rural entrepreneurs with tools to excel in today's tech-driven world. The partnership supports rural entrepreneurs' access to cutting-edge resources and high-demand tech skills.
- Naturally ColoradosupportingTeamed up with Naturally Colorado and CSU to offer the Food & Ag Idea Factory, a specialized accelerator program for food and agriculture entrepreneurs in rural Colorado.
- Colorado State UniversitycorePartnered with CSU to define and activate rural tech hubs across Colorado, working to strengthen the rural entrepreneurship ecosystem through research and programmatic collaboration.
- TechstarssupportingParticipated as expert reviewers and mentors in Founder Coopetition pitch presentations, providing feedback alongside other organizations including Hubspot, Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network Colorado (BENCO), Rockies Ventures Club, and Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade.
- Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network Colorado (BENCO)supportingServed as expert reviewers in Founder Coopetition program, evaluating pitches and providing mentorship. Winning founders gain access to BENCO advisors network for future growth support.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Startup Colorado competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- MassChallenge: Global zero-equity accelerator supporting early-stage startups through cohorts and partnerships. Comparable as a large-scale nonprofit/free accelerator model, but focused on urban innovation hubs rather than rural geography.
- Techstars: Large global accelerator operator running equity-backed cohort programs. Participates in Startup Colorado's Founder Coopetition as a reviewer/mentor. Comparable as an established accelerator, though Techstars' model is equity-driven and urban-centric versus Startup Colorado's free, rural, donation-funded approach.
Direct peers
- gener8tor: Operates accelerator cohorts for early-stage startups across multiple U.S. regions, including rural and mid-market geographies. Comparable in providing free cohort-based programming, mentorship, and pitch opportunities to founders outside major VC hubs.
- Village Capital: Nonprofit venture firm running peer-driven accelerator programs with a focus on undercapitalized founders and geographies. The peer-learning ('coopetition'-adjacent) model and nonprofit structure align closely with Startup Colorado's approach.
- Center on Rural Innovation (CORI): National nonprofit focused on building inclusive rural innovation economies through research, network building, and programmatic support. Directly comparable as a rural-focused ecosystem builder serving founders in geographies often overlooked by urban accelerators.
Others
- Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation: Major philanthropic foundation focused on entrepreneurship research and ecosystem building. Comparable as a funder and thought leader in the U.S. entrepreneurship ecosystem that rural accelerators like Startup Colorado align with mission-wise.
- Rockies Venture Club: Colorado-based angel investor network active in the same Founder Coopetition ecosystem as Startup Colorado. Comparable as a regional capital-access partner serving the same rural/front-range founder pool.
- InBIA (International Business Innovation Association): Industry trade association for accelerators, incubators, and entrepreneurship support organizations. Comparable as the broader ecosystem and standards body that Startup Colorado's accelerator programs sit within.
- Naturally Colorado: Colorado nonprofit supporting natural and organic products entrepreneurs. Partnered with Startup Colorado and CSU to deliver the Food & Ag Idea Factory cohort, making it a directly comparable niche ecosystem builder with overlapping founder base in rural Colorado.
Emerging players
- Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network Colorado (BENCO): Colorado-focused entrepreneurship support organization that provides advisors to high-growth companies, including Founder Coopetition winners. Comparable in serving Colorado founders with mentorship and ecosystem connectivity, though oriented more toward growth-stage than early-stage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Startup Colorado social profiles
Digital presenceStartup Colorado financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Startup Colorado leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Startup Colorado funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Startup Colorado M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments2 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Startup Colorado
What does Startup Colorado do?
Startup Colorado is a nonprofit organization that delivers free accelerator programs, pitch competitions, workshops, mentorship, and community-building resources to rural entrepreneurs across Colorado's 54 counties. Its portfolio includes the Founder Coopetition accelerator series (Idea Factory and Growth Challenge cohorts), quarterly Demo Days, West Slope Startup Week, Rural Startup Days, the Funding Database, and an Advisor Network, all supported through an online community engagement platform.
Is Startup Colorado a public or private company?
Startup Colorado is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Startup Colorado founded?
Startup Colorado was founded in 2011. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Startup Colorado based?
Startup Colorado is headquartered in Durango, United States, in the North America region.
How does Startup Colorado make money?
One revenue line is on record: grant Funding & Donations.
Who are Startup Colorado's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are MassChallenge and Techstars. Direct peers are gener8tor, Village Capital and Center on Rural Innovation (CORI). Others are Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, Rockies Venture Club, InBIA (International Business Innovation Association) and Naturally Colorado. Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network Colorado (BENCO) is listed as an emerging player.
Does Startup Colorado have an API?
No public API is recorded for Startup Colorado.
What industry is Startup Colorado in?
Startup Colorado's product category is Entrepreneurship Support Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAMAHAA, Entrepreneurship Foundations & Startup Basics, with a secondary code of EDAMAHAC, Youth Business Incubators & Accelerators. Its NAICS code is 61171 and its SIC code is 8200.