The Telluride Venture Accelerator, a program of the Telluride Foundation (a 501(c)(3) community foundation, had its entrepreneur, Kristin Carpenter-Ogden, lead a panel of three great entrepreneurial minds in the active outdoor lifestyle markets: Thea Chase, Director of the Telluride Venture Accelerator (TVA), Gordon Seabury, Founder and CEO of Toad & Co. (formerly Horny Toad Activewear) and Ross Saldarini, President of Mountain Khakis. The full podcast can be found here.
Discussions revolved around creating success and impact with a business in the outdoor, bike, snow, endurance, travel and health-and-wellness markets. Listeners will also learn why TVA is an exceptional accelerator program for founders in these markets and perhaps most importantly, each of Kristin’s guests shares their inspiration around creating a business that is also a vehicle for positive change.
TVA invests human and financial capital in innovative enterprises with the aim of building and strengthening the entrepreneurial community in the Telluride region to create a self-sustaining entrepreneurial ecosystem bringing innovation, jobs, ideas and a renewed dynamism. TVA combines a scenic background with world-class mentors and an outstanding investor community to provide a 5-month residential business accelerator program.
During the program, companies benefit from over 1,000 hours of mentor time, are guided through building and testing their business model, develop their operational plan and prepare for fundraising. Throughout the program, special attention is given to developing founders as entrepreneurial leaders. After 5 months, companies will have validated their business model and will present to Telluride’s unique investment community including Demo Day in Telluride and roadshows in Boulder/Denver and San Francisco.
