UW’s Casper Start-Up Challenge Announces Finalists
Casper, Wyo – March 23, 2021 –
IMPACT Casper a business development program of the University of Wyoming with business incubators in Laramie, Casper, and Sheridan will continue to build upon the successes of their Casper Start-Up Challenge with a fifth year of the competition and another $50,000 fund to seed Casper.
“Every year the applicants to the Startup Challenge get better and better.” says Eric Schlidt, Director of IMPACT Casper. “Just narrowing down to our 10 semi-finalists was difficult, and we are really excited to introduce the community to our 5 finalists.”
The finalists businesses and entrepreneurs for the 2021 Casper Start-Up Challenge are:
- B3 (Perri Meeks & Brayton Sanders)
- WyOlsen Designs (Linda Olsen)
- Touchstone Training and Consulting (Emily Farley & Garrett Loyning)
- Hathaway Knives (Gabe Hathaway)
- FireMeister (Michael Gisse)
Eric Schlidt added, “Despite COVID-19 being such a global and local disruptor, Casper clearly has the entrepreneurial spirit, ideas and motivation to diversify the local economy if given the chance.”
These finalists will now work with IMPACT Casper staff and mentors from the community to develop their businesses over the next month, culminating in a final virtual pitch day held April 20th. Three winners will be selected by a panel of judges, each will receive $5,000, one year of free rent at IMPACT Casper and be eligible to apply to the $50,000 seed fund. Pitch day is open to the public and everyone is encouraged to come and support these entrepreneurs.
The Casper Start-Up Challenge is made possible thanks to sponsorship from; Economic Development Joint Powers Board, Hilltop National Bank, Oil City News, First Interstate Bank and WIDC Frontier CDC. For more information on the Casper start-up challenge, please contact Eric Schlidt at 307-315-6401 or eschlid1@uwyo.edu.