"It fills a void in the Denver market, largely because it's a morning event," says Gary Gaessler, Co-Founder of
Cloud Elements and one of four local entrepreneurs acting as Community Leader for the program. (The others are Alvin McBorrough, Mike Stemple and Karen Suhaka.) "There's no drinking -- start off your day with startup stuff and networking." Gaessler says 1 Million Cups fills another local void in that it's not tech-specific.
Starting at 9 a.m. every Wednesday, two local startups will pitch their business for six minutes apiece, followed by twenty minutes of feedback and "encouraging advice," says Gaessler. "It's not a shark tank." The inaugural event will feature
Hot Straw and
Wimbo Music.
The first 1 Million Cups program started in Kansas City in April 2012. There are now 10 programs across the country. Gaessler says the Kauffman Foundation plans to launch 20 more in 2013.
Gaessler met Kauffman CTO Annette Beck at the
Big Omaha startup event in April and asked about the possibility of expansion to the Front Range. "I said, 'When are you going to come to Denver?' and she said, 'We haven't found the right person.' I told her, 'You have now.'"
The program's name comes from its caffeinated mission, Gaessler adds. "The Kauffman Foundation wants to facilitate one million cups of coffee with entrepreneurs to help facilitate success and jobs."
Contact Confluence Denver Innovation & Jobs News Editor Eric Peterson with tips and leads for future stories at eric@confluence-denver.com.
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