MONTHLY CHANCE MEETINGS
Monday, September 9th, 5 - 7 pm @ The Virginian Saloon
Please register below
Sometimes all you need is the right connection and a little inspiration. Well, what are you waiting for? Find both at our free monthly networking event. You never know...
Theme: Pitch Day Sneak Preview
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. Our finalists have been hard at work perfecting their pitches with the help of expert volunteer mentors.
Join us for a Pitch Day sneak preview on Monday, September 9th from 5 to 7pm at The Virginian Saloon to hear about the coaching process and progress finalists are making leading up to the big event.
Pitch Day is free to attend and open to the public. and will be held on Wednesday, October 9th from 5:00 - 7:30 pm at Center for the Arts with a reception to follow. Please register for Pitch Day HERE.
NEWS AND NOTES
ANNOUNCING THE SUMMIT FORUM
The Summit Forum program is a brand-new unique opportunity for business leaders and entrepreneurs to enhance their leadership skills, solve complex problems, and achieve significant growth, while building a trusted, supportive cohort. Our mastermind brings together a select group of 8-12 vetted participants, providing a collaborative environment where you can leverage the collective experience of peers, mentors, coaches and the Silicon Couloir Ecosystem.
PAY IT FORWARD WITH OLD BILL'S
Has participating in Silicon Couloir’s programs made a difference in your life and company? Have opportunities for networking, mentoring, education, or business coaching helped you with strategic planning and problem solving, accelerated your growth and leadership skills, or increased your confidence? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, then we hope you’ll become a financial supporter of Silicon Couloir via Old Bill’s.
Gifts will be accepted until Friday, September 13th at 5pm! Please help support our work to empower entrepreneurship in the Tetons for a healthy, vibrant community. We can't do it with out YOU!
JOIN US FOR OUR NEXT VIRTUAL
NOONTIME KNOWLEDGE
VISIONARY VENTURES
SERVING UP LEADERSHIP LESSONS FROM
THE TENNIS COURT
"Our recent Trustee Circle event on Aug.14th, hosted by the swashbuckling crew at Pirate Ship, featured Jeff Moore, whose unique perspective on leadership stems from his successful career coaching championship athletes at the University of Texas. Moore sparked a thought-provoking dialogue about the nature of leadership for founders in our entrepreneurial ecosystem," states Silicon Couloir ED Rob Kellogg.
"As we unpacked Moore’s concept of “competitive excellence” from his 2019 book “Strive Together,” I found myself reflecting on how it both aligns with and challenges popular leadership theories. Moore’s approach, honed on the tennis courts of collegiate athletics and applied to education and the business world, offers a fresh take on leadership that could be particularly valuable for our startup founders."
WELCOME TO NEW TRUSTEES
It is with tremendous gratitude that we thank Marnie Peterson and Tasso Coin for becoming Trustees. Silicon Couloir Trustees are the economic engine for empowering entrepreneurship in the Teton region. Thank you for your generous and lasting commitment to our community, Marnie and Tasso.
Dr. Marnie Peterson, PhD, PharmD (founder and ex-CEO of Extherid) is an expert in antibiotic resistance, antimicrobial stewardship, experimental therapeutics, and microbial pathogenesis. She has 20 years of experience in clinical pharmacy, research in antimicrobial resistance and development of therapeutics for infectious diseases.
She was tenured faculty at the University of Minnesota, Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology. In that position, she successfully established a research and training program in infectious diseases with support from the National Institutes of Health, Department of Defense, foundations and industrial partners. She holds a patent for a new antimicrobial in development which served as the basis for the establishment of a clinical stage start-up company, Hennepin Life Sciences. She earned a PhD in Infection from the University of Birmingham, Medical School, United Kingdom, and PharmD and BS degrees from the University of Minnesota. She also completed an American College of Clinical Pharmacy fellowship, residency and post-doctoral fellowship in microbial pathogenesis at the University of Minnesota. She has recently joined the University of Wyoming faculty as a Professor. She was a Minnesota Business Magazine 2014 Leader’s in Health Care Finalist, which is awarded to an individual who is driving advancements in discovery and innovation through research, delivery of care, or a new procedure.
Tasso Coin is a Portfolio Manager for the Small Cap Value style and shares the responsibility of stock research and selection, portfolio management, and client communication with his team. Tasso joined Peregrine in 1995. He is an owner of the company and a member of Peregrine’s Board of Directors. Before coming to Peregrine, Tasso was a Research Officer with Thomas White Asset Management, where he was responsible for investment research and management of the Small Cap Value portfolio. Prior to that, he worked at Morgan Stanley as a Research Assistant. Tasso holds a BBA from Loyola University. He is a member of the CFA Institute.
ROB KELLOGG VISITS FRONTIER DAYS
"In July, I had the privilege of attending Cheyenne Frontier Days as a guest of the University of Wyoming business school," states Silicon Couloir ED Rob Kellogg. "This iconic event, often called the "Daddy of 'em All," provided a unique backdrop for engaging discussions about entrepreneurship and innovation in our state. Amid the excitement of rodeo events and western celebrations, I had the opportunity to connect with UW faculty, administrators, and students, all passionate about fostering Wyoming's entrepreneurial ecosystem. Our conversations ranged from the challenges faced by rural startups to the potential for cross-pollination between traditional industries and emerging technologies like wind power and agtech."
"The enthusiasm I witnessed reinforced my belief in the vital role that educational institutions play in nurturing the next generation of Wyoming entrepreneurs. This experience not only strengthened our relationship with UW but also provided valuable insights that will inform our ongoing work at Silicon Couloir, particularly as we embark on the Startup Wyoming project with the Wyoming Business Council."
TETON LEADERSHIP SUMMIT DISCOUNT FOR SILICON COULOIR COMMUNITY
We'd love to share a special offer to the Silicon Couloir ecosystem for $50 off registration (20% savings). Please use code SILICON when registering online.
And, if you missed the last Teton Talks with Rob Kellogg and Fred Keller, you can catch it on YouTube!
LOCAL JOB OPPORTUNITIES WITH EXTRAORDINARY COMPANIES
If you're looking for meaningful work with a local company, please consider apply to Pirate Ship or User Evidence.
Pirate ship is hiring an Office Manager. Details and application HERE.
User Evidence is hiring a Senior Sales Development Representative. Details and application HERE.
DOWN HOME EATS HAS A NEW HOME
"As of Sunday, September 1st, I will be the new owner of Sky High Cuisine and Bakery," shares Leah Dow-Sanchez. "With my own kitchen space and the addition of GF and Vegan products I am excited at where this will be headed. I will be launching a Kickstarter Campaign on September 3rd. Ready Made meals will be starting back up in October and running through June 15th, 2025."
BEYOND THE RANGE PODCAST FEATURES
SILICON COULOIR
Yerguides, in partnership with Wyoming Public Media, produces the Beyond the Range podcast, which explores the critical need for economic diversification in Wyoming. Featuring thought leaders from diverse backgrounds across the state, the podcast aims to make this essential topic engaging and accessible to everyone—from a barley farmer in Lovell to a UW economics professor in Laramie, and all points in between. If we can make economic diversification both entertaining and informative for such a broad audience, we know we've succeeded.
"Yerguides wants to be a Wyoming based company leading the conversation on economic diversification for our state," explains Marko Ruble Co-Founder & CEO of Yerguides.io. "Following the principles of Silicon Couloir's People, Profit, Planet triple bottom line the Beyond the Range Podcast honors people, unlocks profit, and promotes the planet for folks across the Equality State."
gBETA ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS FOR FALL COHORT
gBETA Fall 2024 Application LINK (deadline to apply is September 30th, 2024-applying early is highly recommended). Make sure to choose "gBETA Wyoming Fall 2024" as the program you're applying to
Interviews begin October 1st through October 11th (virtual)
October 17th & 18th (virtual) to December 6th
Showcase (in-person): December 12th in Cheyenne
The time commitment for founders is around 5 hours per week, and is meant to be part-time for founders/teams, but will require some commitment outside of meetings as "founder homework"
The program provides weekly "lunch and learn" content with guest speakers, two 1:1 coaching meetings, mentor meetings (at least 30-35 intros by the end of program), and a full week of investor meetings on the last week of the program (25+ meetings/intros)
The program is fully virtual each week, so founders must familiarize themselves with Zoom and Google Drive/Sheets/Slides/Docs to be prepared
During the program, founders will create an executive summary, a pitch deck, and target KPIs designed for meeting with investors
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.