Venture capital, mentorship support, legal services could be won<\/p>\n
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\u201cRobin Hall, founder of Town Hall Outdoor Co. pitching at the 2024 Startup Colorado Pitch Competition at West Slope Startup Week.\u201d (Courtesy of Startup Colorado and Olivia Reed)<\/p>\n
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The Pitch Competition<\/a> has become one of the most highly anticipated events at West Slope Startup Week. This year, two Durango locals are taking to the stage to present their business ventures with the hope of bringing in funding, connections and support for their companies.<\/p>\n Durango-based participants Mike Milakovic and Matthew Glick will be going head-to-head against four other finalists<\/a> from around the region 2 to 5 p.m. today (Oct. 8) at the Durango Arts Center.<\/p>\n Mike Milakovic, owner of Durango-based company Mighty Mikes Foods, will be participating in the West Slope Startup Week Pitch Competition on Oct. 8 at the Durango Arts Center. (Courtesy of West Slope Startup Week)<\/p>\n Matthew Glick, owner of Durango-based company MTN FX, will be participating in the West Slope Startup Week Pitch Competition on Oct. 8 at the Durango Arts Center. (Courtesy of West Slope Startup Week).<\/p>\n Milakovic, a Denver transplant and Durango local of roughly a year and a half, will be pitching his clean-ingredient veggie snack company Mighty Mike\u2019s Foods<\/a>.<\/p>\n Glick, born and raised in Durango, will be presenting his venture MTN FX<\/a>, a Software as a Service<\/a> operations management platform built for the skiing industry.<\/p>\n After applying and being carefully chosen, each of the six participants were given several weeks to prepare their pitches. Startup Colorado provided coaching sessions to finalists, and supplied an outline of what to cover in the pitch, including the problem or need being referenced, the proposed solution and the target market for the product. Beyond those guidelines, what is contained within each participant\u2019s five-minute presentation has been left up to them.<\/p>\n Milakovic said he\u2019s looking forward to competing surrounded by a community that has been so valuable in buttressing his business endeavors. \u201cDurango is just such a great community,\u201d Milakovic said. \u201cI mean, the support here has been amazing.\u201d<\/p>\n Glick said that while monetary assistance would be nice, he\u2019s also seeking non-financial aid, such as strategic partnership opportunities, through his pitch.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I go up there and do a presentation, and all I do is meet someone else who\u2019s super passionate about skiing, and that opens up an opportunity for a new customer, or if there\u2019s a software developer who\u2019s in need of work, or maybe there\u2019s someone who\u2019s retired and this sparks their interest, (that\u2019s enough),\u201d Glick said. \u201cIt\u2019s more about meeting people and creating those connections and finding strategic partnerships, and if one of them brings in capital, then that\u2019s a bonus.\u201d<\/p>\n Milakovic said his main goal in participating in the competition is gaining more exposure for the business and collecting valuable feedback from investors, audience members, Startup Colorado members and judges.<\/p>\n \u201c(Whether it\u2019s), \u2018OK, great pitch,\u2019 or \u2018Bad pitch,\u2019 it\u2019ll be \u2018Here are the things that you can really focus on to keep moving the business forward,\u2019\u201d Milakovic said.<\/p>\n In 2024, startups were connected with $380,000 in investments from the 14 Founders by Kickstart Fund and the Greater Colorado Venture Fund, along with thousands in cash prizes and mentoring opportunities, according to West Slope Startup Week Content Director Margaret Hedderman.<\/p>\n The stakes are just as high this year, according to the Startup Colorado website<\/a>. Participants will be competing for a mix of funding opportunities, including interest-free crowdsourced loan campaigns, targeted in-kind support like mentorship and legal services, and venture capital.<\/p>\n \u201cFor some founders, this stage may serve as an entry point into institutional capital; for others, it represents validation and visibility that can catalyze growth,\u201d the site said.<\/p>\n Nine judges will be assessing the pitches, including legal and business experts, representatives from Howdy Partners venture fund, and the Kickstart Fund and Colorado State Treasurer Dave Young.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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