Boise Entrepreneur Week invites North Idaho entrepreneurs to compete for more than $210,000 in funding
Joni Kindwall-Moore (left) receives a giant check for winning Trailmix competition at Boise Entrepreneur Week.
COEUR d’ALENE — Boise Entrepreneur Week is inviting North Idaho entrepreneurs to register for its annual pitch competitions taking place in Boise from Oct. 2-6. Past winners include Coeur d'Alene-based Snacktivist, which provides wholegrain, gluten-free, vegan foods to people with food allergies and food intolerances.
“Since winning Trailmix, Snacktivist has secured distribution of its breakfast and baking mix line with Albertsons in Boise and Meridian,” said Joni Kindwall-Moore, CEO and founder of Snacktivist. “This year, our brand has also expanded to leading retailers Harmon's, Market of Choice and Giant — with more product lines launching soon.”
This year, Boise Entrepreneur Week will provide more than $210,000 in funding. In addition to cash prizes for winners and runners-up, Connetic Ventures will select an applicant from the main pitch competition, Trailmix or any of Boise State University’s public pitch competitions to offer $100,000 in equity funding.
Boise Entrepreneur Week organizes a main pitch competition that is open to companies from any industry and the Trailmix pitch competition, presented by Albertsons, which helps food and beverage startups take their products from the farmers market to the supermarket. The Trailmix grand prize winner will receive a cash prize and shelf space at Albertsons’ Broadway store in Boise, with the potential for expansion into other regional stores if sales are strong.
Each competition has allocated $50,000 for its grand prize winner and $5,000 for a runner-up. To be eligible, participants’ businesses must be registered in Idaho and have less than $1 million in annual recurring revenue. Additionally, past winners of a pitch competition may not pitch again in the same competition. Applications are being accepted online at boiseentrepreneurweek.org until Aug. 14.
The following pitch competitions will also take place:
• The Youth Innovation Challenge allows students to propose solutions to real-world problems facing Idaho. Students compete for $4,000 in scholarship money by forming teams during the event and submitting a video pitch by Nov. 13. Advance registration is not required.
• Hacking for Homebuilding, presented by Boise State University’s Venture College and College of Engineering, allows participants to form teams, choose a problem provided by homebuilding partners, and propose a solution in the form of a new venture. Cash prizes will be awarded and applications will be accepted at boisestate.edu/venturecollege
• The HealthTech Challenge, organized by HealthTech Idaho, Boise State University’s Venture College, and Trailhead Boise, allows participants to form teams, choose a health care problem provided by organizers, and propose a solution in the form of a new venture. Cash prizes will be awarded and applications will be accepted at boisestate.edu/venturecollege
Boise Entrepreneur Week is made possible by Title Sponsor Idaho STEM Action Center; Platinum Sponsor Zions Bank; Gold Sponsors Umpqua Bank, Vynyl and Albertsons. The event is accepting additional sponsors until Aug. 18.
