Innovators Peak
Month
A.I., short for Artificial Intelligence (thank you Steven Spielberg), makes for some of the most interesting characters in science fiction. They’re powerful, emotionless, and often menacing and bent on humanity’s destruction. But regardless of their motivations, we love them anyway. So getting ready for this weekend’s release of Marvel’s Avengers: Age of Ultron, we wanted to know: How soon are the robots taking over, and how do they take their coffee?
(Image property of Marvel/Disney)
Aww yiss, everybody, there’s another beautiful Colorado weekend on the way. And do you know what that means, kids? That’s right, another sweet Denver Lowdown, where we fill you in on all the happening goings on this weekend.
Or, five of them anyway. So, let’s check out what you all are doing this weekend.
If you’re looking for an event that showcases local talent, culinary arts, vintage crafts, all in a funky art warehouse space next to Denargo Farm & Truck, then you gotta check out Friday Night Bazaar. There’s live music, cool cocktails, farm-fresh food, and BEER PAWN, where you barter your unwanted stuff for beer. Every Friday from 6pm to 12am. (photo)
If you’re Denver based (and not just a self-proclaimed foodie) you know Justin Cucci. Or, you know his two premier restaurants – Root Down (1600 W. 33rd Ave.) and Linger (2030 W. 30th Ave.). Root Down opened in 2008 and very quickly set the stage for Denver’s food scene focusing on a farm-to-table approach spotlighting exceptional seasonal, local ingredients.
Food aside, the space Root Down occupies and what set the stage for the theme of Cucci’s following restaurants is fantastic. An old 1950s garage that emulates the old school, original feel of Denver’s Highland neighborhood brings diners back to a simple, working class feel despite the high-class vibe of the restaurant itself.
When executive director Rob Smith co-founded Rocky Mountain Micro Finance Institute (RMMFI) over 7 years ago with a cadre of micro-lending enthusiasts, he had a lot of experience in the financial sector and some experience with failure under his belt.
Together, he and his team saw an opportunity to serve a community in Colorado in need of business resources, financing, and perhaps most importantly, skills. RMMFI has been serving that mission valiantly, launching over 101 businesses in the Denver metro area, and most recently celebrated their 12th boot camp graduation ceremony at Galvanize, launching nine businesses in industries ranging from video production, to catering and interior design.
Hey, so, what’re you doing this weekend? … Nothing? You have no plans? … Really? … Well, let’s see what we can do about that.
That’s right, it’s another edition of the Denver Lowdown, where we fill you in on all the fantastical goings on of the weekend here in Denver.
So, let’s see what you can get into this weekend:
In a world, where movies are filled with dazzling special effects, superheroes, remakes, and Jennifer Lawrence, it’s easy to forget about the film industry’s truly awesome roots. For decades, filmmakers had to craft stories that excited, engaged, and enthralled audiences without making a single sound. This year’s Denver Silent Film Festival will celebrate masters of the silent craft such as D.W. Griffith, King Vidor, Lillian Gish, and Denver-local Douglas Fairbanks. So come check out the Silent Film Festival where silence is truly golden. It starts on Friday through Sunday at Davis Auditorium on University of Denver campus. Tickets are $5 to $12. (photo)
Sometimes finding the right person to go and do something with can be a whole big “to do.” When your friends aren’t always reliable, who can you turn to when you want to go for a bike ride around the city, visit art galleries, or get involved in charity work? TwoNoo (201 Milwaukee Street, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80206), an online networking site based in Denver, encourages users to make friends with similar interests and to get out in the world an explore.
TwoNoo is another of many apps and sites that fit this theme of meeting new people and getting out there. Gociety (700 Colorado Blvd, Suite 264, Denver, CO 80206) is one such app we’ve covered before. But while Gociety is almost exclusively for outdoorsy types, TwoNoo also focuses on events and activities you can take part in around the city. Activities like kickball, brunches, comedy shows, beer tastings, art galleries, and a hell of a lot more.
Have we mentioned that the Denver-Boulder area is up and coming? Ok good – because it is. And fast.
A lot of outsiders tend to look in on us and think about mountains, wildlife, skiing, and legalized marijuana. And they’re not wrong – we love all of that. Who doesn’t? But these conceptions are quickly shifting. Common themes in Colorado today include:
- Innovation
- Entrepreneurship
- Economic Growth
Silicon what?! Seriously – California is so last decade. Haven’t you heard? It’s all about Colorado now.
Another insane week has blown by, you’re bored at home and you’re looking for something to do. Do you know what that means? Oh, yes, it’s time for another edition of the Denver Lowdown, where we sum up the sweet events and goings on this weekend so you can enjoy what Denver has to offer.
So, what’s going down this weekend?
1. The Denver Spring Flea (Bindery on Blake, 2901 Blake Street, Denver, CO 80205)
Sometimes you’re caught in the wrong place at the wrong time. Others times—it’s the right place at the right time. On rare occasions… it can be both. For Brutus—the second ever quadruple amputee dog—it just happened to be one of those rare occasions.
Brutus was just a puppy, maybe a few weeks to a month old, when he unfortunately found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time. The wrong place, in this case, being the backyard of an uneducated breeder. The wrong time: the dead of winter.
So there was poor Brutus—left outside by his breeder, weathering the below freezing temperatures. Predictably, he got frostbite—on all four of his paws. That’s when, in an attempt to salvage the puppy’s paws, his breeder performed at at-home amputation. Brutus was left de-pawed and unable to walk or play without pain.
Denver’s FIRST Robotics Competition are in the books, and there’s still plenty of innovation and creation in the air. Students with engineering and robotics dreams, ranging from ages 9-18, gathered in Denver to compete against each other in designing and building a robot to complete tasks. Students work with engineering professionals to build the best robot they can and ultimately win the competition. You can read more about FIRST in some of our previous coverage.
I had the chance to speak to one of FIRST’s judges Sherita Ceasar, who had plenty of pride to share about the intense competition.
What does every successful business in 2015 have in common? Infrastructure. More specifically—the latest technology that offers excellent connectivity and high speed internet service.
We’ve touched on this before—the latest developments in connectivity are making your quintessential conceptions of a faraway future a quickly approaching reality. Rollout of the hyper-fast internet of the future in major U.S. cities is bringing vast developments in technology applications that not only change the way we navigate and interact in everyday life, but supports us in the way we, as business owners and entrepreneurs, move our companies forward.
A major city that, as of yesterday, will be the beneficiary of such rollout is looking to be the Denver Metro Area. That’s right—Comcast Business announced a major proactive expansion of its advanced network across the area in order to provide access to new high-speed Internet and fiber optic Ethernet service options to local businesses.
So, you’ve just had a crazy week and you’re ready to get out and decompress, but you have no idea what’s going on or what to do? Facebook events? Nothing. Text your friends? They don’t know either. Totally sucks, right? What is one to do when you want to go out and explore the city but you have no idea what’s happening? In steps the Denver Lowdown, where we sum up some of the sweeter events and goings on this weekend so you can get out and enjoy the whole Denver community.
So, what’s going down this weekend?
1. Denver Auto Show (Colorado Convention Center, 700 14th Street, Denver, CO 80202)
Why is it that the wisest old men are always hiding way up at the top of mountains, making us regular folk have to go to great lengths to seek their help? Is it because only the foolish man lives in society? Is it the altitude and the privacy that allows them to meditate so much that makes them so wise in the first place? Or maybe they’re just selfish and want to keep all of that wisdom to themselves?
Luckily for us, we’re surrounded by mountains – so setting out for answers wasn’t as hard as you might think. We climbed and climbed and climbed until we found that wise, elusive old man and sought all of the wisdom, advice, and tips we could get out of him.
Oddly enough – this wise old man was very business-oriented, so we exchanged emails, connected on LinkedIn, and he even offered to help us out with our new advice column: The Tip of the Peak – named in honor of this friendly fellow.
We have good news and better news … We’ll start with the good—
All of you who have been keeping up with us lately know that 2015 has been quite the busy year so far for Innovators Peak. We’re watching and working with countless innovations and startups that are gaining traction, Governor Hickenlooper is off to his second term, the exciting project at 1245 Champa is on its feet, and we’re back from our first trip to SXSW.
So many stories to tell … so little time.
Ahh, April Fool’s Day, a polarizing day for both pranksters and prankees alike. Some of us spend the days leading up to April 1st with glee, others with dread. But whether you’ve been the one to hand an unsuspecting fool an Oreo with toothpaste filling, or you’ve been the unsuspecting fool who ate said toothpaste Oreo, we can all agree that April Fool’s Day is a memorable day that, whether we choose to or not, we all participate in. So, without beating around the bush, here are some pranks that make April Fool’s Day worth all the trouble.
Peer-to-peer file sharing site, The Pirate Bay, announced its most innovative project yet, The Virtual Bay. Thanks to a new devices that connects directly into your brain, download and experience your favorite movies with high definition and noise-canceling technology. Don’t just steal a movie, experience it.