By Kayleen Cohen

‘West Slope Startup Week’ is returning for its fourth annual event Monday July 11 through Friday July 15 with 45-plus free educational workshops and networking events happening virtually and in-person in Grand Junction, Colorado. West Slope Startup Week brings together hundreds of regional entrepreneurs to learn, teach, and mentor each other. Events include the Greater Colorado Pitch Series, Celebration Party, Keynote Address, and more.

This is the first year that the event will offer an entire five days of virtual programming, allowing audience members in rural Colorado to join from wherever they are.

Four days of in-person programming will take place Tuesday July 12 through Friday July 15 in downtown Grand Junction. This event is expected to draw 250+ entrepreneurs from outside of Mesa County for a week of mingling and mixing.

West Slope Startup Week is a volunteer-run event curated by rural Colorado entrepreneurs for the startup community. The first West Slope Startup Week was held in Grand Junction, Colorado in 2019. West Slope Startup Week also includes the Greater Colorado Pitch Series, which offers regional founders an opportunity to pitch their blossoming business ideas in front of a group of qualified investors and support organizations.

The event is already off to a productive start with eight Hometown Events happening across the Western Slope in the weeks leading up to the main event in Grand Junction. Groups gathered in Montrose, Durango, Steamboat Springs, Silverthorne, and more to celebrate West Slope Startup Week and the regional startup community. These events help foster new entrepreneurs and provide resources for individuals with business ideas and growing companies.

“People from all ages and industries attend West Slope Startup Week,” said Kayleen Cohen, Lead Organizer for West Slope Startup Week 2022. “It’s not just young people in tech, West Slope Startup Week appeals to manufacturers and makers, and small business owners of all variety. With 45+ sessions to choose from entrepreneurs can ‘choose their own adventure’ and get exactly what they want from the programming.”

West Slope Startup Week is a completely free event for participants, thanks for financial support from 20+ regional sponsors including Startup Colorado, SCAPE (Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs), Greater Colorado Venture Fund, Aspen Technology Group, Downtown Grand Junction, Greenline Ventures, Grand Junction Economic Partnership, Mindsprings Health, Cloudrise, Alpine Bank, Routt County Economic Development Partnership, HubSpot for Startups, Coventure, and Four Points Funding.

Persons interested in attending West Slope Startup Week should visit westslopestartupweek.com to learn more about the programming. The complete schedule of events is available on the Sched platform for easy registration and attendance. Attendees must register in advance for any sessions they wish to attend, including virtual and in-person sessions. The schedule will remain open for new registrations throughout the event.

Kayleen Cohen is a Lead Organizer with West Slope Startup Week.

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