RMI2 Spring FastTrac

RMI2 on FastTrac this spring

By Staff

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February 22, 2010 --
FORT COLLINS - The Rocky Mountain Innovation Initiative announced the launch of its FastTrac TechVenture program this spring.

The program, developed by the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation, is designed to spur entrepreneurialism in the clean energy, bioscience and technology industries. It provides business planning and educational programs through a combination of instruction from experienced business professionals, one-on-one business mentoring with coaches, and peer learning. Entrepreneurs complete the class with detailed business plans, executive summary presentations and an understanding of how to finance a startup company.

"FastTrac is ideally suited to the sophisticated needs of the technology entrepreneur," said Mark Forsyth, CEO of RMI2, in a prepared statement. "The combination of expert mentoring, a high-quality curriculum and hands-on business plan development makes it both unique and highly effective."

RMI2 is partnering on the program with the Kauffman Foundation, Colorado State University and CSU Management Corp., the city of Fort Collins and the Larimer County Workforce Center. The Workforce Center, in conjunction with WIRED/Metro Denver, will provide a limited number of scholarships to qualified applicants.

"Training displaced and underemployed professionals to create new businesses is a great way to create new opportunities and jobs in our community, while capturing and focusing the amazing talent for which we are well recognized," said Geniphyr Ponce-Pore of the Larimer County Workforce Center.

The inaugural session of the program is scheduled to begin March 31 and is open to all entrepreneurs building their businesses in Colorado. The seven-week program includes two three-hour workshop sessions per week with additional time spent working on their business plans. More information and registration can be found at www.RMI2.org/47/FastTrac.

For information on coaching, guest speaker or sponsorship opportunities contact Amanda Bodak at 970-347-7233 or email fasttrac@RMI2.org.

Sponsors include the city of Loveland; University of Northern Colorado Monfort College of Business; EKS&H; Woodward Governor; West Mountain Asset Management; Cochran, Freund & Young LLC; Faegre & Benson LLP; Davis, Graham & Stubbs LLP; and Kennedy and Coe LLC. The program is also sponsored by the FastTrac Launchpad Initiative, a joint initiative of the Kauffman Foundation and Deluxe Corp. Foundation.