Innovators Peak
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When you work in the service industry, say if you’re a bartender or server, you have a tendency to check out the same local bars and restaurants before and after work. Service workers give each other a break when it comes to paying full price since finances are dependent on the good will and decency of others. But the problem is that while your regular places, who know you and your work, give you good deals, other places, who don’t know that you busted your butt to make 22 bucks, do not give you those special perks.
Innovators Peak put the spotlight on the 2014 Apex Award Winners in November. This piece is part of a series highlighting various winners.
GeoPoll, the world’s largest mobile survey platform, was once a small startup based in Denver. Now, they extend far beyond Denver. With the goal of “increasing access to research in emerging markets by improving the quality and decreasing the cost of data collection”, the work was certainly set out for the company.
The staggering growth is just one strong indicator to their success – after publicly launching in November 2013 with a $6.6 million Series A Financing round, their mobile survey database has increased from 50 million to 200 million users in just one year.
“We are true to who we are. We had a very clearly defined ethos, vision, concept, and menu – and stuck to it. We didn’t try to be everything to everyone.” Delores Tronco, Work & Class
Innovation in the restaurant industry is crucial – with the explosion of culinary greatness, owners and chefs have to create something that is nothing short of incredible. That, however, does not necessarily mean creating dishes that are overly experimental and complicated. And each component of the restaurant from service to the menu to the bar to the atmosphere is equally important as the last.
Do you ever have that burning desire to go on an adventure, but your friends are being super lame and lazy or they’re unavailable for whatever stupid reason? I know, it’s the worst. Especially living in Colorado, where there are a multitude of activities from skiing in the mountains to rafting down really scary rivers. So what can you do when you want to step out of the house and do something, but can’t find anyone to join you?
Everyone in Colorado knows having a uniquely designed snowboard is just good mountain etiquette. With this in mind, Foundry 301, the student chapter of AIGA hosts an Annual Snowboard Design Competition. Students from across Colorado were invited to submit designs to the competition, the top 10 designs were up for auction at the Access Gallery + Studio on Santa Fe Drive. And this year, Oz Snowboards also chose two of their favorite designs from the competition to feature on their line of snowboards.
Judges of the competition were drawn from leading companies in the design and snowboard industries in Colorado and included Bradley Wajcman from Rise Branding, Zack Dickinson from 7Twenty, Adam Browning from Oz Snowboards and Matt Girard from Design Firm. The top four designs got to head home with a snowboard with their design on it. We chatted with some of these upcoming designers about where they see their careers going in the future and how they plan on innovating within the Colorado economy.
The mission of KidsTek is to increase the technology literacy of K-12 students at Colorado’s highest needs schools. In 2014, KidsTek has worked towards that mission, serving 6 school districts, 20 Colorado schools and 889 students. Leaders from across the Denver tech world gathered last week at Mile High Station to celebrate the varied accomplishments KidsTek made in 2014 and to participate in an auction to raise money for the next year of service to students in Colorado.
In another more innovative move, ten entrepreneurs from across the country (a few from Denver) are taking on a ten-day challenge to try and solve ten “wicked problems” in health. It’s called 10.10.10, and it’s already underway. From February 16th through the 26th, entrepreneurs and CEOs will work together to brainstorm how best to solve our country’s health issues.
We all know how the speech goes:
“I have a dream — that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.”
“I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed — ‘we hold these truths to be self-evident: that all men are created equal.’”
These are some of the moments that most excited listeners. Imagine those specific moments now: The passionate, throaty voice that made it sound more like the words weren’t coming from his brain, but from his gut — or maybe from his heart, as they projected directly into the crowd and penetrated the hearts of others.
Today, more than 50 years later, many of us look back on these moments of the speech as a turning point — a turning point in which one man was able to change the shape of modern America with a single phrase:
For others, there’s a different part of the speech that hits closer to home. A different part that touched on what they had watched play out before them — not the issues of social and racial inequalities that they had read in newspapers or history books, but the ones that they had to fight in the streets.
I am getting an MBA from the Daniels College of Business in Innovation and Entrepreneurship. I guess I am a tech geek - I worked for Cisco and then I started my own company. Our company was like a Kickstarter for mobile apps. People would post the idea on site then we would get investors to fund the mobile app. However, our company was shut down because we needed accredited investors to be involved in any crowd funding operation.
Crossing the boundaries into Northeast Denver (most specifically the “national model for urban development”, Stapleton) you’d never know its only point of interest was an airport, followed by miles and miles of open roads leading to Kansas. Just a decade ago, the Stapleton International Airport shut down, introducing an enormous development opportunity for Denver’s civic leaders.
Do you have an amazing idea for an app that you think could solve a social or environmental issue if only you had somewhere to go with it or help with how to develop it?
Then I have some great news for you. Thoughtbot Denver could be the one to turn this vision of yours into a reality and guess what — it’s on them.
What? How? Why? Calm yourself. Let’s take a step back and look at the “who?” to answer the “why?”
“A 3-D printer with parts 3-D printed from another printer.”
Artistic, functional, mechanical and experimental: 3D printing is demolishing barriers for a huge breadth of applications.
The technology has been around for more than 30 years, but as personal 3D printers have become more popular in recent years, entrepreneurs, experimenters, and creators from every background imaginable are using it as an option to further their ideas.
Chris Coleman, director of the Emergent Digital Practices program at the University of Denver, says that expanding the bodies of knowledge about 3D printing is one of the first steps to helping the industry grow.
Ellen Winkler grew up on construction sites. After studying civil engineering at Villanova, Winkler started working for her father’s construction company out of college, paving highways and managing construction projects. She made some interesting stops along the way, but she has found herself come full circle, managing some of the most exciting design and branding projects in the Denver area, with her many ventures, Drumbeat, Wink, Inc, and now Industry.
Source: StockMonkeys.com
Do you work from home? Do you have an office? Or are you writing from your bed while your cat steps all over your computer and, by proxy, your hopes and dreams? Want to turn your home “office” into a professional place of business? Tired of this sounding like an infomercial? Yeah, me too. Let’s move on.
Working from home is very different than working in an office. It’s a bit of a double-edged sword. On the one hand, you’re in a relaxed environment that allows you to more easily tap into your creative side. On the other hand, there are plenty of potential distractions: TV, Internet, household chores, any pets that demand your attention, kids that won’t shut up, etc. So, what can you do to minimize distractions and enhance your creative flow?
Photo: Mike Kissell, Voormi sales associate, wearing his High-E hoodie.
Trillions of gallons of water are used every year in the U.S., and they’re not going down the bathtub drain or irrigating acres of cropland.
It’s the textile laundering and processing industry that uses a huge amount of water every year.
“Everyone takes for granted that we use so much water to process and clean textiles,” says Brittany Gibson, marketing manager for CO2Nexus, a Littleton, Colo. company that unveiled a technology to improve fabric and garment production in late January.
As long-term water resources are stretched thin, more companies are searching for ways to use less water while still producing quality products. The textile industry, huge but essentially invisible to many, has maintained outdated technologies for decades and continues to use energy-intensive, water-wasteful business practices. But several local Colorado companies are searching out opportunities to shift these practices to more energy and water efficient options.
Source: J.B. Holston
Innovators Peak put the spotlight on the 2014 Apex Award Winners in November. This piece is part of a series highlighting various winners.
J.B. Holston had an inkling about Colorado. Its vibrant environment, collaborative nature, friendly population — he and his family were simply “believers that it would be the next big thing.” That was 18 years ago — and he couldn’t have been more spot on. Holston’s experience in media, technology, and business reaches back even further with an impressive resume that includes Yahoo, General Electric, NBC, and more. For Holston, though, his success and vision as an entrepreneur far surpasses business and technology.
If you need help with a problem, what do you do? Say you need help finding rental assistance, legal aid, or, God forbid, you need an emergency shelter for a night.
Where do you go? Who do you call? Google?
Your best friend? Your mom?
There are some serious problems out there that could unexpectedly leave you in a bad predicament – so hopefully you have a reliable answer to these questions, good connections, and a strong support system in the case of one of these events. Unfortunately, not all of us do.
Source: Flickr
It’s great to be a startup in Colorado. From an educated workforce to excited and inspired investors, Colorado’s a sweet spot to start your own business. There are hundred of startups that are thriving in this inspired state. But since that’s a lot to read about, so here’s a list of five startups on the come up.
Source: Flickr
Whether we admit it or not, most of us want some kind of companionship on Valentine’s Day. If not for the romantic whatevers, then just to fit in with all the other coupled losers out there. But, the truth is that Valentine’s Day is just another day, and plenty of us are alone, not doing anything awesome. Well, if that’s the case, I’ve got good news for you. You can do stuff alone! In fact, there’s plenty of totally sweet stuff you can do alone, even on Valentine’s Day.
“Brittany Ferrell, co-founder of Ferguson, Mo. organization Millennial Activists United, and supporters respond to applause from the crowd."
In February, thousands of people from across the country and the world united in a discussion and celebration of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer education and progress.
But participants of the 27th annual National LGBTQ Task Force’s “Creating Change” conference in Denver bitterly remembered LGBTQ people who suffered and died last year and in the weeks so far of 2015. Further, the connections between race and LGBTQ issues were brought to light.
It’s a common sight – paper cups or reusable mugs glued to people’s hands as they fuel up for the day or fight off the 2 o’ clock fatigue. And you can bet it’s almost always some variation of black gold – caffeinated, smooth, and perhaps a little addictive. But now with a new health craze sweeping the States, those piping hot cups might be something else. Something old as time, something innocuous that might remind you of your grandmother taking care of you as a sick kid. Bone broth – it’s one of the oldest health crazes in the books, taking the progressive nutrition world by storm.
Denver is expanding– population growth coupled with countless new businesses means there is a lot more to keep track of. It may not boast the density of New York City or SanFrancisco, but Denver is quickly fleeting away from that “small-town city” it oncewas.
With this expansion, the city has launched a new mobile application called pocketgov Denver, “a new technology tool that provides residents with a user-friendly way to access city services via mobile device or home computer.” There has been an influx of similar applications in other cities (in fact, it has become such a phenomenon there was a book published this past summer on the subject – ‘The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance’ by Stephen Goldsmith and Susan Crawford). The idea behind the book, and Denver’s pocketgov app, is the notion that there needs to be a more engaging way for citizens to get involved in their community.
Source: TekDry Facebook
We’ve all dropped our phones in a body of water at some point or another. I mean I haven’t, because I take care of my things, but plenty of us have. So what do we do? Well, first we consult Google and see all the Wikihows, the Yahooasks and other various forums where strangers swear that their method works. And then we remember our friend saying that they put their phone in rice for an hour and it totally worked. So we do that, and when we find out our phone isn’t really better, we feel stupid, and now we’ve got a phone with rice stuck in the charge port.
Well, feel stupid no more. Denver company, TekDry (1331 West 121st Avenue, Westminster, CO 80234), has the technology to save your smartphone from permanent water damage. And no, they don’t use rice.
Source: Flickr (Edits Made)
What’s a talent community? A talent community is a social recruiting method to discover a group of people who think your business or idea is awesome and wants to make it super awesome. These people sign up either through email list or social media, and you communicate with them about improving your business.
A talent community gives you a shortlist of motivated candidates you can pick from when you need people to help improve and build your brand. But how do you gather this community and make it thrive? Don’t worry. I’m here to break it down.
Although they only raised 86% of their $30,000 Indiegogo goal, Denver residents Jesse and Lyndsey Manderson have not abandoned their dream of opening an organic, locally-focused, and, most importantly, zero packaging and waste-free market. Parents of a toddler and a six-year-old, the couple manages to lead a trash-free lifestyle themselves, all while running a blog and a website to draw attention to the significance of their effort. It’s no secret that Denver cherishes its health and environment; the evidence can be seen in its ever-growing natural grocery store and restaurant options. Jesse and Lyndsey take it one brave step further. Innovators Peak spoke with Lyndsey to discuss their personal journey in becoming zero waste, opening the market, and balancing their entrepreneurial spirit, sense of activism, and commitment to veganism with raising two young children.
Innovators Peak: Which came first: the decision to open a zero-waste market or the decision to live a zero-waste life?
Lyndsey Manderson: It’s funny because it’s kind of a blur which happened first, a bit like the chicken and the egg. We saw this documentary called “The Clean Bin Project,” and it was about this couple who challenged themselves to live zero-waste for a year. It wasn’t even on our radar before that point. We watched it and were incredibly inspired, although it took us a little while to dive in and do it ourselves. The idea came a bit before the market, but the market came right on its heels, because we found the zero-waste lifestyle really difficult and incredibly time-consuming. It was hard to find what we needed to live this way. The first week of it inspired us to open the market.
Tami Door knows alot about what it takes to get a business to succeed and thrivefinancially. Having been recognized one of the 25 most powerful women in Colorado, Door has transformed the Downtown Denver Partnership (DDP) as its President and CEO into a formidable force in the Denver Metro Area.
This Thursday February 12th at 4pm, Mu Brewery will be releasing a German ale brewed in collaboration with the Northeast Community Co-op Market. The beer will be titled “Noble Beginnings” in honor of entrepreneurship, collaboration, and community wealth building.
New craft beer? Awesome. Representing entrepreneurship, collaboration, and community wealth building? Even better. Co-op market? What’s that?
Turns out, if you mash together members of Colorado’s energy industry with the members of the tech community, you get some pretty interesting “friction.” And that is exactly what the organizers of the Energy + Tech Mashup sought out at Tuesday night’s event at the Denver Petroleum Club (1325 Glenarm St.). Hosted by Karen Suhaka of LegiNation, the Mashup took on a participatory feel. The evening featured an expert panel, but it was audience members and panelists alike that brainstormed together on
creative solutions that could bridge vexing problems in the energy and tech
worlds.
We all know dog is man’s best friend, and there’s nothing like having your fuzzy companion attached at your hip all day. However, we also know the reality of having to leave our cohorts behind when we head to the office. Big puppy dog eyes, tail between the legs – the guilt is too much to handle, but being reprimanded by your boss for bringing your dog to work isn’t fun either (the puppy dog eyes just don’t seem to have the same effect when mimicked by a human).
Many industries in Colorado are known for providing a workplace that favors employees’ well being. Whether this includes in-office gyms, required paid travel time, or yes – bringing your pooch to work – it’s no surprise Coloradans are some of the happiest, hardest working individuals. And having a dog by one’s side certainly helps. Here are some Colorado-based companies that attest to that.
Here’s a pretty cool party trick: convince random people that you’re psychic.
It’s actually really simple. Make broad statements that could apply to anyone, ask a lot of questions to see what you can find out, be really insistent that you’re right, and if you’re wrong, tell them it’s their fault for not focusing enough. Trust me, it works. I have this crazy friend that pays to get this done for them all the time.
But that’s not the party trick—I have a way that you can be a lot more specific just by looking at someone and telling them on the spot about their daily commute. Keep in mind that this trick works best if you’re hanging out in Downtown Denver. Check it out…
The University of Colorado Denver Business School is one mouthful of promise for both its students and the community. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business International has granted the local school accreditation, a coveted designation—less than 15% of business programs are accredited by AACSB worldwide. And they are one of the very few schools in Colorado to be accredited at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. But we know that not the only thing that keeps future innovators on campus. Students choose CU Denver for many reasons, and we’re out to find them. These are the people. These are their aspirations. Meet the students of CU Denver Business School.
Diana
MBA
I want to give back, because Ithink it’s important to take ownership in where you live. I would like to stay in Denver or the DenverMetro Area and serve on a board possibly for a group like MPowered that helps people with financialliteracy skills.
I chose to get an MBA from CU Denver for a couple of reasons. I had a random education and career path. I started in journalism where I was interested in going to law school; then I thought I wanted to be a vet. I ended up working for a company in economic development and commercial lending. I felt like getting an MBA would be a good way to shift my career back to business track. Since I am working in the commercial lending and economic development, I felt like I needed to learn financial skills and I felt like getting an education would be quicker than learning on the job. Plus, my sister has a master’s degree so I don’t want her to be better than me.
The Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center, located in Longmont,Colo., is a PATH Intl. Premier Accredited Center.
Michael Hefner watched through a window as his dad brushed a horse.
Hefner’s dad, Elmo, has been almost completely blind for 40 years, Michael says. But he’s still able to ride once a week, and he loves taking care of the horses just as much as he loves riding.
“If he didn’t have this, I know he’d go downhill real fast,” Hefner says. “This is the highlight of his week.”
Elmo Hefner is a rider at the Colorado Therapeutic Riding Center (CTRC), a non-profit organization in Longmont, Colo. Therapeutic riding, or equine-assisted activities and therapies (EAAT), benefits people with special needs – and those without – by providing a safe atmosphere to interact with horses. Elmo Hefner’s experiences are both emotionally and physically supporting, but assisted horseback riding helps many people with physical limitations.
Starting your own business is seriously attractive foranyone with the slightest bit of ambition. In Denver especially, Forbes’ number two Best Place to Launch a Startup and home to nearly 400 new businesses, it seems like everyone is doing it—and I don’t blame them. I mean, come on—who wouldn’t want to be that 20-something college dropout who lands millions from developing such a simple yet innovative new app? I know I would. But the truth is, doing this correctly can be a lot easier said than done.
Have you ever foundyourself in a less-than-ideal situation where you took a spill riding your bike home after a long day of work? Or perhaps you were concocting a midnight snack and got a little too happy with the knife and found yourself thinking you might need stitches? Accidents have an exceptional variance when it comes to severity – and they are never fun – but now there’s a service for those inconvenient owies that need more than a band aid, but not an emergency room visit.
True North Health Navigation, a Colorado-based, private organization, is bringing a brand new twist on healthcare. True North is the perfect service for that “middle ground” many of us have experienced. As their website states, “True North is rethinking the current system and providing sensible, cost-effective care, when and where organizations and patients need it.”