Greater Colorado Venture Fund Launches Virtual Pitch Series for Rural Colorado Startups

DURANGO, Colo., June 9, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Startups located in rural Colorado outside of the Fort Collins through Colorado Springs urban corridor have until June 30, 2020 to apply for up to $250,000 in investment from Greater Colorado Venture Fund (GCVF) through the newly launched Greater Colorado Pitch Series. This virtual and fully remote pitch event will be broadcast online on July 30, 2020.

In 2019, the vast majority of the $2.5 billion in venture capital invested into Colorado startups went to the Front Range urban corridor. Greater Colorado Venture Fund, a $17.5 million dollar venture capital fund with investments in 14 rural Colorado companies to-date, has committed to invest $250,000 into the Pitch Series winners.

The Pitch Series was originally scheduled to be a statewide event series, culminating in a finals event in Grand Junction during West Slope Startup Week. Due to COVID-19 public health precautions, this format was canceled – leaving GCVF wondering how best to surface, celebrate, and support Rural Colorado companies.

Cory Finney, a partner with GCVF, said, "We miss traveling to these communities to see firsthand the incredible work of our rural Colorado founders.  These rural entrepreneurial communities make us feel like locals when we visit their hometowns; we look forward to bringing that same spirit to this new digital format for entrepreneurs and viewers alike."

GCVF is re-launching its pitch series as a singular event on July 30th, 2020 from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. Mountain Standard Time. The two-hour show is a headline event of the virtual West Slope Startup Week, Western Colorado's largest startup community gathering. The broadcast will feature pitches from the top ten Rural Colorado companies as well as a showcase of Colorado's small-town entrepreneurial ecosystem.

"The Greater Colorado Pitch Series will be a first for Rural Colorado," said Marc Nager, a partner with GCVF.  "While we have a quiet history of large business success stories, these parts of the state have never had dedicated growth capital available to them."

The deadline for founders to apply online is June 30, 2020. GCVF will run an accelerated investment process to select the presenting companies, each of which will receive pitch coaching and access to mentors and resources.

Online registration to virtually attend the Pitch Series show is also open now. To apply for investment or attend the finals broadcast, visit: https://www.greatercolorado.vc/pitchseries.

About Greater Colorado Venture Fund
Greater Colorado Venture Fund is pioneering venture capital for rural America.  As a $17.5 million fund, GCVF invests in seed-stage companies with high growth potential located in Colorado, outside fo the Front Range urban corridor.  Startups in the GCVF portfolio join an unparalleled network of mentors and founders working to create great companies and returns from their Colorado hometowns.

SOURCE Greater Colorado Venture Fund