ESPRiT
A BOULDER CHAMBER enterprise
November 14, 2019 Embassy Suites • Boulder, Colorado
BOULDER CHAMBER
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ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR EVENT
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ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR 2019
ESPRiT ENTREPRENEUR SPONSORS PRESENTING SPONSOR
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Be bold. Transforming ideas into reality. At CU Boulder, we encourage students and faculty to pursue their passions and develop meaningful connections with our entrepreneurial community. Our CU Boulder Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative connects our campuswide ecosystem. Key opportunities include: • • • • • • • •
New Venture Challenge Catalyze CU Commercialization Academy Business minor Social Innovation Certificate Startup Hub at the Village Center Entrepreneurial Mentor Network Seed funding
No. 1 college town for innovation (American Institute for Economic Research, 2017)
Top 15 public university for entrepreneurship (U.S. News & World Report, 2019)
colorado.edu/innovate 2
Students Manasa Ponnapalli (right) and Gregory Gomez work on a circuit project in the PhET interactive simulations lab.
ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR 2019
ESPRiT ENTREPRENEUR AGENDA 5:30 p.m.
NETWORKING RECEPTION
6:35 p.m. WELCOME TO ESPRiT John Tayer President and CEO • Boulder Chamber 6:50 p.m. boulder Innovation venture 2.0 Report Preview Clif Harald Executive Director • Boulder Economic Council Brian Lewandowski associate director • business research division, leeds school of business, cu boulder 7:20 p.m.
KEYNOTE tamar and asa mckee founders • khala & Co.
7:35 p.m.
INTRODUCE ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE JUDGES
7:40 p.m. ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE CONTESTANTS: shineon rogo fire boogaloo beds LIVE VOTING Please see instructions below 8:15 p.m.
ANNOUNCE ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE WINNER
ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE TEXT-TO-VOTE INSTRUCTIONS Text BOULDERCHAMB774 to 22333 to join the session. To vote, text: • 1 for shineon • 2 for rogo fire • 3 for boogaloo beds BOULDER CHAMBER
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ABOUT ESPRiT ENTREPRENEUR For over thirty years, trailblazers in the local business community have connected through the Boulder Chamber's annual Esprit Entrepreneur event. The event features the Esprit Venture Challenge, a live pitch competition in which three Boulder startups compete for a $10,000 grand prize. The winner is selected through live audience voting, and a panel of judges comprised of renowned leaders in the local startup community facilitate the competition. Last year's event recognized Bo and Trish Sharon of Lucky's Market as the 2018 Entrepreneurs of the Year and awarded Eyeflite, an assistive technology startup, with the top honor of Esprit Venture Challenge winner. "The Esprit Venture Challenge allowed Eyeflite to get our initial beta units out to clinics and organizations in Georgia, Minnesota, Missouri, Kansas, and Colorado," said Andrew Smerek, co-founder of Eyeflite. "This then allowed us to get the first shipment of units out to customers." "Seeing the impact it has on people, especially those with limited finger or hand dexterity has been really heart warming," Smerek continued. "At an expo in Chicago, one young man refused to take it off until the battery died! Trying our technology has given many people hope that the future will bring advances that will allow them to be more independent in their daily lives, which is extremely meaningful to young people with disabilities." Thank you to our 2019 Esprit Entrepreneur attendees for supporting Boulder's vibrant startup community! Top: From left to right - John Tayer, Boulder Chamber; Trish and Bo Sharon, Lucky's Market at Esprit Entrepreneur 2018 Second: Attendees at Esprit Entrepreneur 2018 Third: 2018 Esprit Venture Challenge judges. From left to right - Bernee Strom, Dr. Terri Fiez, and Asa McKee Bottom: Eyeflite accepting the $10,000 grand prize from John Tayer as the 2018 Esprit Venture Challenge winners
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ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR 2019
ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR BOULDER INNOVATION VENTURE 2.0 REPORT PREVIEW With the successful publication and launch of the inaugural Boulder Innovation Venture in 2018, the Boulder Economic Council is planning a complete update of the groundbreaking first edition of the report. Boulder Innovation Venture 2.0 will feature the most up-to-date metrics comparing the performance of Boulder's innovation ecosystem with other leading centers of innovation and entrepreneurship in the U.S. Clif Harald is the Executive Director of the Boulder Economic Council (BEC), the economic development arm of the Boulder Chamber. Clif is responsible for the BEC’s mission: to sustain Boulder’s economic vitality. He also leads the BEC’s plan of work priorities, including proactive support for existing businesses across Boulder’s key industries and engagement with Boulder’s entrepreneurial ecosystem and its startup businesses. Clif has over 15 years of economic development leadership experience in Boulder County and the metro Denver region. Previously, he held management positions with technology and financial services firms, and founded his own management consulting practice. Clif has a Master of Urban Planning degree from the University of Washington and an undergraduate degree from the University of Colorado.
Brian Lewandowski is Associate Director of the Business Research Division at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado Boulder. Brian provides regional business and economic information and education, including economic and revenue forecasts, policy studies, economic impact analyses, and data workshops. Brian has 13 years’ experience conducting economic studies at CU Boulder. Prior to CU, he worked in both the private sector and government. He is currently the president of the Denver Association of Business Economists.
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ESPRiT ENTREPRENEUR KEYNOTE: TAMAR & ASA MCKEE, KHALA & CO. "It all began with some homemade beeswax wraps simply intended to reduce our family's environmental footprint. It is now a mission to embrace the power of natural materials to cultivate zero waste possibilities for all." Khala & Co., a Boulder company founded by Tamar and Asa McKee, produces wraps made from 100% natural beeswax as a practical alternative to plastic food wraps. Originally founded as Khala Cloths, the company has expanded to offer a wider array of eco-friendly products. The couple entered the Boulder Chamber’s Esprit Venture Challenge in 2017 and were voted the grand prize winner by a live audience of 350 attendees. Since then the company has earned several accolades, including the 2019 Green America "People and Planet Award" for Best Alternative to Plastic. Asa McKee has worked in the outdoor industry for over twenty years. He has helped develop training programs and environmental policies at ski resorts, as well as participated in river clean-ups and public awareness programs. Raised in a family that grew their own food and cultivated keen environmental awareness, Asa turned to both his upbringing and his knowledge of the food and landfill waste issues of the 21st century in raising his own family. From this, he and his wife, Tamar McKee, started making their own reusable food wraps out of beeswax and cloth, calling them “Khala Cloths." Now expanded into “Khala & Company” to offer even more natural alternatives to help people go plastic-free, Asa is the cofounder and CEO of one of the most award winning reusable food wrap companies in North America. Asa also serves as co-chair of the Front Range steering committee for 1% for the Planet, and is father to two amazing children who deserve to inherit a planet not drowning in plastic and food waste. Tamar McKee is a cultural anthropologist, museum professional, artist and entrepreneur. When she became a mother, she grew even more concerned not only about the impact the environment would make on her children, but what environmental imprint her growing family would make on the planet. Ever the researcher, Tamar began looking into what human communities used for food storage before plastic, going back in time and across cultures to discover the beeswax-treated cloth solution that became Khala Cloths. Combined with Asa’s propensity for tinkering and engineering, Tamar contributes to the artistic and creative possibilities of Khala & Co.’s products and branding as co-founder and CCO. When not spearheading Khala’s print design and community relations programs, Tamar manages the research center at History Colorado, serves on the boards of the Boulder County Horse Association and The Arts Hub in Lafayette, and still finds time to pick up all the plastic her kids point out to her on their walks and hikes around Boulder County. 6
ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR 2019
ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE FINALISTS
TEXT "1" TO 22333 TO VOTE FOR SHINEON ShineOn directly addresses the number one concern of cyclists: safety. The ShineOn Dual Beam is the world’s safest bike light, making cyclists more visible than ever before. At ShineOn, we are dedicated to making the world more bike friendly & sustainable. As cyclists ourselves, we know that feeling when drivers can be careless or distracted. That’s why we invented the ShineOn Dual Beam: the first light that illuminates your body as well as the road ahead. By lighting up the rider’s torso, a cyclist can be seen seconds sooner than with a traditional bike light due to the 250x greater surface area. Our light works not only through more visible area, but also through biomotion, which is the human brain’s receptivity to organic movement. It’s the mechanism where we instinctively notice a cat in the bushes, or a bird in the sky, or most importantly, a human cyclist out of a sea of distracting points of light. Fresh off our successfully funded kickstarter, ShineOn is now in production & manufacturing, but needs your help to reach more cyclists! Join us in pioneering safer, sustainable transportation options and giving the future a better world. Alex Mulvaney • Kathy Vega • Taylor Brooks-Murphy
PRESENTER
BOULDER CHAMBER
Alex Mulvaney, Co-Founder and CEO: Alex studied aerospace engineering at CU Boulder, studied business in California, and worked as a professional chef before becoming an engineer at Ball Aerospace. Most recently, Alex was the program manager for a $500,000 satellite project at CU Boulder where he organized people’s efforts and worked with students to develop their skills in preparation for their future careers. As a cycling commuter himself, Alex thoroughly understands the safety challenges a cyclist experiences daily. His personal experiences inspired the ShineOn design. In his daily life, Alex simply strives to make a net positive impact on the world.
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ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE FINALISTS
TEXT "2" TO 22333 TO VOTE FOR ROGO FIRE RoGo Fire is developing an advanced satellite communication system designed to enable wildland firefighters and first responders to communicate and access data in remote areas where there is little or no cell service. Our First Responder Asset, Communication and Tracking System (FACTS) can be used in any natural disaster to improve communication, coordinate efforts, track resources and access web-based data. At RoGo, it’s our mission is to reduce line of duty deaths and improve situation awareness by delivering a system that will help first responders be more effective, efficient and ultimately safer in real time utilizing state-of-the-art communications technology. Rod Goossen • Ken Chez • Derek Goossen
PRESENTER
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Ken Chez, Founder and COO: Ken is the co-founder and Chief Operating Officer of RoGo Fire, which develops satellite communication devices for wildland firefighting and first responders. Prior to starting RoGo Fire, Ken spent over 20 years working in technology sales, marketing and operations with some of the leading computer hardware and software companies in the industry including Harris, Sun Microsystems and Oracle. This summer he and his partner earned their "Red Card" certification to fight wildland fires. He is a member of the Rockies Venture Club and Denver Angels. Ken lives in Boulder with his wife and two pups, Mable and Dixie.
ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR 2019
ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE FINALISTS
TEXT "3" TO 22333 TO VOTE FOR BOOGALOO BEDS Boogaloo Beds: 1 in 40 children are now diagnosed with autism. 80% have daily sleep issues and over 50% have severe safety concerns. Boogaloos are insurance-covered smart beds with customizable safety and sensory features designed to improve the lives of special needs kids and their families. Our story started with a scream in a hostel in Scotland. My girlfriend woke up to a guy standing over her, staring. This sparked the idea to create pod beds for shared sleeping spaces. While showing off these products, we learned from parents and doctors that our product could help special needs families. The founder had a childhood friend with Down Syndrome and decided that this would be a more impactful need to address, so we decided to evolve the mission and build products to help this population. Caleb Polley • Kevin Custer
PRESENTER Caleb Polley, Founder and CEO: From building rockets and hovercrafts as a kid to scaling a six-figure eCommerce business through high school, Caleb has always been a tinkerer and business builder. Most recently, he spent the last 4 years as a sales executive at SendGrid as they went public and then were acquired. His passion for helping people with special needs stemmed from an early friendship with a young man with Down Syndrome named Ben. His goal is to build a scalable business with a scalable impact.
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Make the mark. “Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.” — Steve Jobs
Plante Moran would like to congratulate all the entrepreneurs of the year who are being honored by the Boulder Chamber. plantemoran.com
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ESPRIT ENTREPRENEUR 2019
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ESPRiT VENTURE CHALLENGE JUDGES Sharon Matusik is the Dean and Professor of Strategy and Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School of Business, University of Colorado. Dr. Matusik’s research focuses on entrepreneurship, innovation, knowledge assets and venture capital. Her work has been published in top international academic journals, and is widely cited in the management field. Each spring, she takes a group of MBA students to an emerging economy, most recently to Cuba, to study the role of entrepreneurship and innovation in economic development. Dr. Matusik has served in a variety of leadership roles, including senior associate dean for faculty and research and academic director of the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship at the Leeds School, and as a board member for nonprofit organizations such as the Strategic Management Society and MBA Women International (formerly Graduate Women in Business [GWIB]). She speaks regularly on topics related to innovation and entrepreneurship, and advises local entrepreneurial ventures. She is the 2014 recipient of the Leeds School’s William H. Baughn Distinguished Service award, and has also received awards for her research, teaching and service to her profession. Asa McKee is the co-founder and CEO of Khala & Co. He has helped develop training programs and environmental policies at ski resorts, as well as participated in river clean-ups and public awareness programs. Raised in a family that grew their own food and cultivated keen environmental awareness, Asa turned to both his upbringing and his knowledge of the food and landfill waste issues of the 21st century in raising his own family. From this, he and his wife, Tamar McKee, started making their own reusable food wraps out of beeswax and cloth, calling them “Khala Cloths." Now expanded into “Khala & Company” to offer even more natural alternatives to help people go plastic-free, Asa is the co-founder and CEO of one of the most award winning reusable food wrap companies in North America. Asa also serves as co-chair of the Front Range steering committee for 1% for the Planet, and is father to two amazing children who deserve to inherit a planet not drowning in plastic and food waste. Matt Zwiebel is the Director of Pledge 1% Colorado. Having spent the first part of his career as employee #2 of an early stage startup and later helping run Galvanize, a co-working space and coding bootcamp in Denver, Matt has turned his focus to helping Colorado entrepreneurs find creative ways to support their local community. At Pledge 1% Colorado, Matt’s work is centered on building a network of companies who set aside a percentage of their resources to be allocated to impactful non-profits in the area. Outside of work, Matt is an avid snowboarder and enjoys seeing live music whenever possible.
Thank you to public speaking coach & storytelling expert, Johanna Walker, for her assistance with the 2019 Esprit Venture Challenge Finalist presentations. www.johannawalker.com BOULDER CHAMBER
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