Following an extensive search, Silicon Couloir is pleased to welcome Rob Kellogg as the organization’s new executive director. Kellogg’s unique combination of entrepreneurial knowledge, executive-level experience and nonprofit service makes him an ideal leader for Silicon Couloir. Kellogg is a seasoned social impact leader, founder, and educator with 25 years of expertise in organizational management, strategy, and sustainability. Throughout his career, he has served as COO, executive director, and general manager, building and leading high-performing teams with businesses, nonprofits, and start-ups. For the past five years, he has been on faculty at the Watson Institute, teaching and mentoring social entrepreneurs in their flagship accelerator. Recently, he has also served in fractional executive roles with two VC-backed climate tech startups, and was the Executive Director of a Social Venture Partners chapter. In 2007, he co-founded a firm providing environmental, social, and governance risk analysis of foreign public companies to institutional investors.
A native of San Francisco, Kellogg has substantial intercultural experience, attending a French bilingual elementary school and living and traveling in more than forty countries. He holds degrees from St. Lawrence University, SIT Graduate Institute, and the University of Oxford's Saïd Business School.
"I am thrilled and honored to join Silicon Couloir as the new executive director,” states Kellogg. “I look forward to working with the talented team and dedicated community to further Silicon Couloir's mission of connecting local entrepreneurs with the resources they need to thrive. Together, we will continue to foster innovation, growth, and positive change in the Teton region and beyond.
Says board chair Tom Quantrille, "I am thrilled to announce that the Silicon Couloir board has chosen Rob Kellogg as our new Executive Director. Rob brings extensive experience across all of our core competencies and has a proven record of leadership. We are confident that this foundation, coupled with his passion, integrity, and focus, will have a meaningful impact on the success of our entrepreneurs and, ultimately, the communities we serve."
Kellogg follows Gary Trauner's tenure as Executive Director. Trauner oversaw tremendous growth of the organization in his 5-year tenure, and has departed the organization for retirement.
PITCH DAY APPLICATION KICKS OFF TOMORROW WITH HYBRID INFORMATIONAL SESSION
Photo: 2023 Pitch Day Finalists on stage.
Photo: Griffin Post pitched Cruxley Field Goods.
Silicon Couloir is pleased to announce that we will accept entrepreneur applications for our 13th Annual Pitch Day beginning Wednesday, May 15th and ending Friday, June 28th.
Pitch Day, which is free and open to the public, will be held at the Center for the Arts on the evening of Wednesday, October 9th. Our signature event of the year, Pitch Day features local entrepreneurs showcasing their innovative and creative businesses to a panel of esteemed judges and a live audience. Cash prizes will be awarded in three categories: the Panelist Choice Award prize of $20,000; the Audience Choice Award of $10,000 plus one year free use at The Cowork Space; and the Bob Arndt Community Caretaker Award of $5,000, an invitation to join the TEAMS Program, and six months free use at The Cowork Space.
Selected entrepreneurs will have five coaching sessions with a team of successful and experienced business experts leading up to the main event. A critical and high-value feature of the program, coaching helps entrepreneurs hone their delivery and synthesize their concept, financials, and presentation.
Pitch Day is a celebration of the highly successful entrepreneurial ecosystem in the Teton region. We hope to inspire audience members and others in our community to dream up or begin their own entrepreneurial journey.
Applicant criteria:
Stage: Pitch Day applicants will be considered in the following stages of their business cycle: developmental, pre-revenue and post-revenue.
Funding: Companies should be actively raising a pre-seed, seed, or early Series A round of financing or plan to do so in the next six months.
Growth potential: Priority will be given to ventures with a business model that has potential to scale and grow significantly.
Geography: Preference will be given to ventures with the greatest potential for impact in the Teton region.
Values-Based: Silicon Couloir is a values-based, mission-driven organization, and applicants will be required to provide a description of how their venture relates to Silicon Couloir’s guiding principle of “Profit. People. Planet.”
Silicon Couloir Ecosystem: Previous participation in other Silicon Couloir programs may be considered as a value-add by the selection committee.
How to apply:
The application period opens Wednesday, May 15th and all applications are due by Friday, June 28th.
All applicants must either 1) contact Brittney Ziebell, Director of Entrepreneurship, at britt@siliconcouloir.com for instructions on how to apply and program commitment for applicants and finalists, or 2) attend the hybrid information session. The information session will be held on Wednesday, May 15th from noon to 1 pm at the Cowork Space conference room located at 140 East Broadway, Suite 22B in Jackson. Please visit www.siliconcouloir.com/pitch-day for the Zoom link if you can’t attend in person.
LEARN MORE ABOUT SILICON COULOIR
HAVE NEWS TO SHARE?
As always, please feel free to send news of your company's press, events, successes, and milestones to Rob@siliconcouloir.com and we'll do our best to feature them in our newsletters!
ARE YOU A COMMUNITY CARETAKER?
Silicon Couloir strengthens our Teton regional community by empowering the entrepreneurial ecosystem. More than just business development, we believe in enriching our community character and enhancing our mountain town culture. Help us support business pioneers in the Tetons by becoming a community caretaker!
To offer your time or talent, please email us at Rob@siliconcouloir.com.