DENVER – Starting your own business isn’t easy. It takes lots of work, time and money.
Thankfully, you don’t have to do it on your own. There’s a wide range of business accelerators and incubators in Colorado that can help entrepreneurs with mentoring, funding and other business help.
Here are six programs that have helped startups in Denver, Boulder and other cities along the Front Range:
Techstars
Arguably one of the most well-known business accelerators in the area, it’s hard to find a startup in Boulder that hasn’t gone through the program. Techstars has expanded across the country and companies it has funded include Uber, Timehop, Plated, Occipital and Sphero.
Founder Institute
Founder Institute has programs all over the world, including Denver. The company bills itself as “the world’s premier idea-stage accelerator and startup launch program.” Founder Institute says 72 percent of companies that have gone through its program are still in operation.
MergeLane
Women are highly underrepresented in the business and startup world and MergeLane aims to change that. Its program works to support businesses that have at least one woman in a leadership role. MergeLane also organizes leadership camps to help people develop the skills they need to be good leaders.
UpRamp
UpRamp focuses its efforts on helping startups make connections in the cable, broadband and wireless industries. While many accelerators are focused on securing funding for young companies, UpRamp’s Fiterator program is all about perfecting the company and obtaining business deals.
Canopy
If your startup has to do with the marijuana industry, Canopy might be the perfect fit. It’s accelerator program works with a wide range of startups that are related to cannabis (but not growing/selling the plant). Its latest class of companies just finished the program earlier this month.
Innosphere
Innosphere, which has locations in both Denver and Fort Collins, helps guide startups in the science and technology fields, with three areas of focus: health, software/hardware and energy/advanced materials.
