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The Big Idea

Thursday workshop for the Big Idea
Trevor Barron and Jesse Marble were awarded $38,000 for their team, Brayn. Photo by Esther Chan '16.

In April of 2013, Colorado College will be hosting a momentous entrepreneurial event for its students—a Colorado College Pitch event.

President Jill Tiefenthaler, Dean of Students Mike Edmonds and CC ’89 Alum and Coordinator of Innovation and Incubation Stephen Kaczmarek have all worked in collaboration to organize an event during which a group of five selected teams will present their ideas before a judge panel in order to compete for $50,000 in funding.  The judges will have the ability to award the $50,000 to one team or split it up to any of the five teams participating.

So just how does one win this funding? The Pitch will be held at 2 p.m. on April 4, 2013 in the Cornerstone Arts Center's Richard F. Celeste Theatre and will be open to all student and community members free of charge.  Our goal is to provide any student with an idea the opportunity to compete. Every Thursday there will be workshops to assist students with development and every third Thursday there will be a speaker designed to provide start-up education to the students and teams entering the competition as well as any student enrolled at CC who might be thinking about a new idea or business.

Master Calendar

EventDec.TimeLocationNotes
Workshop 13 1pm Palmer 128 One page business plan and P&L / Balance Sheet
Speaker 13 6pm Slocum Jonathan Liebert - Aspen Pointe / Social Entrepreneurism
  Jan.      
Workshop 24 1pm Palmer 128 The Pitch / Marketing Plan
Workshop 31 1pm Palmer 128 Profit vs. Non Profit
  Feb.      
Workshop 7 1pm Palmer 128 Equity / Raising Money / Angels and Venture Capitalists
Workshop 21 1pm Palmer 128 Your Team / Partners / Suppliers / Contractors
Workshop 28 1pm Palmer 128 Business Formation / Exit Strategy
Registration Ends 28     All teams must be registered by midnight
  Mar.      
  5 6pm Kaczmarek House

Mr. Mueller – Succeeding as an Entrepreneur
Workshop 7 1pm Palmer 128 Bootstrapping / Starting Up
Workshop 21 1pm Palmer 128 Trademarks / Patents / Agreements & when you need a lawyer
  21 5:30pm McHugh Commons Colorado Springs Technology Incubator Best Practices when pitching to VC and Angel investors.
Elimination Round 28 1pm Palmer 128 Selection of final 5 teams
  Apr.      
THE BIG IDEA 4 2pm Cornerstone Giving away $50,000

Can anyone join these events? Any student with good academic and behavioral standing may compete. Stephen Kaczmarek recommends that you contact him either by email (skaczmarek@coloradocollege.edu) or by phone (719) 502-7952 in order to ensure that you are recognized, get registered and participate in the events.

Registered Teams

See the links below for more information about each team.