Reposted from Colorado Biz Magazine
“With the right dose of technology, experience and ambition, entrepreneurs can set up shop just about anywhere nowadays. Still, one thing hasn’t changed.
“Creating companies from nothing is hard – period,” said Brad Feld, co-founder and managing director of Boulder-based Foundry Group LLC, a venture capital firm that invests in early-stage information technology.
But from corner to corner of Colorado, the collective startup swagger is evident. Businesses are materializing with support from meet-ups, pitch competitions, incubators, accelerators, co-working spaces and other startup forums.
“Data shows that startups are major contributors of new jobs in the economy,” said Jason Schrock, chief economist, Colorado Governor’s Office of State Planning. “Though a lot of new businesses fail, those that survive grow more rapidly than older businesses. Colorado’s relatively higher proportion of new and young firms among states is likely one factor why Colorado has had one of the fastest rates of overall job growth among states in recent years. It is also important to note that (startups) are important for innovation and productivity gains, and thus improved living standards over time.”
Read the full article including an interview with Gary Masner of Durango who is CEO of Advanced Mobile Propulsion Testing and the founder of the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs (SCAPE)
Find out more about Western Colorado Entrepreneurs’ MeetUp events