Final judging event prize includes $30,000 cash and consulting resources
Denver, CO — Guerrilla Gravity was named the grand prize winner of the Denver Office of Economic Development’s JumpStart BizPlan Awards at a judging event. Presented by Deloitte and U.S. Bank, the awards program features a $30,000 cash award and consulting resources to assist the firm with its future growth.
“Denver has become a mecca for innovation, where the next generation of startups are growing and reaching new heights here each and every day,” said Denver Mayor Michael B. Hancock. “We’re proud to celebrate the best and brightest business ideas emerging out of Denver, and to shine a spotlight on the importance of our small business community.”
Guerrilla Gravity is a rider-focused mountain bike manufacturing company dedicated to fabricating bikes in Denver. The company was founded on the basis that things could, and should, be done differently. Gurrilla Gravity’s differentiating core aspects include its design philosophy, sales model, and dedication to Colorado-based manufacturing.
The top three finalists of the competition, Arthroventions, Guerrilla Gravity and Übergrippen Indoor Climbing Crag, each presented overviews of their business plans and answered questions from an expert judging panel. In addition to the $30,000 award, the grand prize includes legal counsel provided by Polsinelli, strategic marketing services from dovetail solutions, and entrepreneurship mentoring from TiE Rockies and Rockies Venture Club.
Applicants for the awards program represented a wide variety of industries including health care, manufacturing, technology and consumer electronics, apparel, and retail and restaurants.
The citywide business plan competition also included a category for young entrepreneurs, sponsored by Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc. At today’s judging event, Chris Cordova and Janeth Mancha of Sport Cabanas were named the winners of the TeenBiz Plan Award, which included a $5,000 cash prize.
Sport Cabanas is a tent rental company for youth sporting events that takes the hassle out of setting up. Parents can reserve their team cabanas, which are complete with a canopy, chairs, cold drinks, and a mister or heater depending on weather conditions.
“Today’s event is proof positive that there is no shortage of great entrepreneurial ideas sprouting from Denver’s youth,” said OED Executive Director Paul Washington. “The future of our small business market is sure to remain strong thanks to the healthy pipeline of ideas and innovations sparking across generations.”
The 2015 JumpStart BizPlan sponsors include Deloitte, U.S. Bank, Junior Achievement-Rocky Mountain, Inc., Polsinelli, dovetail solutions, TiE Rockies, Rockies Venture Club, Business Catapult, AppIt Ventures and Waste Farmers.
The Denver Office of Economic Development (OED) is dedicated to advancing economic prosperity for the City of Denver, its businesses, neighborhoods and residents. Working with a wide variety of community partners, OED operates to create a local environment that stimulates balanced growth through job creation, business assistance, housing options, neighborhood redevelopment and the development of a skilled workforce.
