Eastern Idaho entrepreneurs invited to compete for $120,000
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The following is a news release from Zions Bank:
IDAHO FALLS — Boise Entrepreneur Week is inviting Eastern Idaho entrepreneurs to register for its annual pitch competitions taking place in Boise from Oct. 2-6. Past local winners include Rexburg-founded Cargo Made, which developed a motorized strap system that integrates into truck beds and flat-bed trailers to help prevent theft, liability and cargo damage.
“Boise Entrepreneur Week helped transform my entrepreneurial dream into a reality,” said Adam Stock, CEO and founder of Cargo Made. “The cash prize helped me file a patent and purchase equipment to test and manufacture my prototypes — allowing me to refine my product for commercial adoption.”
This year, Boise Entrepreneur Week will provide more than $210,000 in funding. In addition to cash prizes for winners and runners-up, Connetic Ventures will select an applicant from the main pitch competition, Trailmix or any of Boise State University’s public pitch competitions to offer $100,000 in equity funding.
Boise Entrepreneur Week organizes a main pitch competition that is open to companies from any industry and the Trailmix pitch competition, presented by Albertsons, which helps food and beverage startups take their products from the farmers market to the supermarket. The Trailmix grand prize winner will receive a cash prize and shelf space at Albertsons’ Broadway store in Boise, with the potential for expansion into other regional stores if sales are strong.
Each competition has allocated $50,000 for its grand prize winner and $5,000 for a runner-up. To be eligible, participants’ businesses must be registered in Idaho and have less than $1 million in annual recurring revenue. Additionally, past winners of a pitch competition may not pitch again in the same competition. Applications are being accepted online at boiseentrepreneurweek.org until Aug. 14.
The following pitch competitions will also take place:
The Youth Innovation Challenge allows students to propose solutions to real-world problems facing Idaho. Students compete for $4,000 in scholarship money by forming teams during the event and submitting a video pitch by Nov. 13. Advance registration is not required.
Hacking for Homebuilding, presented by Boise State University’s Venture College and College of Engineering, allows participants to form teams, choose a problem provided by homebuilding partners, and propose a solution in the form of a new venture. Cash prizes will be awarded and applications will be accepted here.
The HealthTech Challenge, organized by HealthTech Idaho, Boise State University’s Venture College and Trailhead Boise, allows participants to form teams, choose a healthcare problem provided by organizers, and propose a solution in the form of a new venture. Cash prizes will be awarded and applications will be accepted here.
Boise Entrepreneur Week is made possible by Title Sponsor Idaho STEM Action Center; Platinum Sponsor Zions Bank; Gold Sponsors Umpqua Bank, Vynyl and Albertsons. The event is accepting additional sponsors until Aug. 18.