Our biggest event of the year!
In mid-2013, we'll announce the date and location.
Pitch Slam Preliminaries
Free and open to the public
The day begins when about 25 entrepreneurs pitch their young company to a panel of recognized experts. It's inspiring and unpredictable. But the goal is the same: get to the finals!
Awards Banquet
Paid registration required
The evening continues mingling over cocktails and a scrumptious natural and organic buffet. The Year-in-Review Video will showcase accomplishments of our local companies. Then, on stage, we'll hear the Pitch Slam Finals, watch the judges pick a winner of a Prize Pack and present awards in five categories!
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THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PITCH SLAM
Pitch Slam is free and open to the public.
Calling all Entrepreneurs in the Natural Products Industry!
If you have a company you want to share with the natural products community, we invite you to pitch your product's unique benefits and potential! The winner receives a valuable prize package that includes a suite of business-building consulting and support from some of the most successful companies in the region.
Entrepreneurs will pitch their business to a panel of judges in.... 3 minutes! Visual aids or samples are welcome, but extra time cannot be given as you adjust your materials. Three finalists will be selected to present at the Autumn Awards banquet at the Boulder Theater that evening.
You can participate in the Pitch Slam if:
- you are a member of Naturally Boulder
- your company has been in business for at least a year with demonstrated revenue
- your business is located in the greater Boulder / Denver area
- and even if you pitched in previous years.
2012 Pitch Slammers
Cheryl Caspi Lovely Lady Products, LLC
Kevin Hobbs The Natural Hapa
Vanessa Dionne Desiderio Chocolates, LLC
Lisa McHugh Veggie-Go's by The Naked Edge
Elisabeth Saucier Zaza Raw
Jen Lane Jen's Zen
Christopher Algea Keen One Foods
Jody Nagel Boulder Granola
Albert Fliman Remeteas
Arn Hayden two rivers foods
Jamie Corder Dressed Up Salad Dressing
Matt Meyer The Bear & The Rat: Cool Treats for Dogs
Gary Gabrel Bridge Marketing
Dara Haid Simply Dara
Kenneth Hess Zest Brands
David Telfer McConaghay NudeFood
Aaron Perry SOURCE Local Foods
Kelsey Riley NAYA Artisan Revival SkinCare
Kaleb Matlack Ave Agave!
Prize Package for 2012 Pitch Slam Valued at More than $45,000
$7,500 – Whizzbang Studios: Brand Video
$7,465 – New Hope Natural Media: Free booth at Natural Marketplace Show, marketing credit toward Expo West, complimentary copy of the NEXT Forecast, complimentary subscription to Nutrition Business Journal
$5,000 – Interact on Shelf: New package or branding design
$5,000 – Fresca Brands Innovation Group: Half-day session with marketing and sales team to focus on brand identity, positioning, target market; sales strategy and plan; marketing plan (winner’s choice)
$5,000 – Fresh Ideas Group: New product PR campaign (1 month services)
$3,750 – Polsinelli Shughart: 10 hours of legal consultation
$3,000 – Spork and Ladle: Creative and technical product development consulting, including a day in the product development lab
$3,000 – O’Brien Braun: Legal services
$1,500 – Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, CU Boulder: Student intern support
$1,350 – Greenberg Traurig: Legal review of website and label (up to 3 hours)
$1,000 – Copy Experts: Copy services
$1,000 – Primeflex: Label printing services
$450 – HUB Boulder: Small business membership to access a network of mentors, entrepreneurs and investors
$200 – Door to Door Organics gift card
$100 – Rocky Mountain Spice Company spice Collection
$50 – Canisters of tea from Teatulia
Mentoring Session with Earth Balance, Udi's and Glutino Marketing Team
Coaching Lunch with Brendan Synott, Founder of Bear Naked Granola
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THE AWARDS
RECOGNITION FOR COMPANIES
- Best Young Business Award: A rising star in our industry, in business five years or fewer, demonstrating the ability to survive and grow in the competitive world of start-ups.
- Company of the Year Award: A successful company in business over five years that has begun proving its ability to thrive and succeed as a leader in the natural products industry.
- Focus on the Future Award: A project or initiative in sustainability which exemplifies a game-changing effort to fuse the principles of sustainability into core business practices.
RECOGNITION FOR INDIVIDUALS
- Local Hero Award: A leader in government, academics, or a not-for-profit whose passion and commitment have made a meaningful contribution to our community.
RECOGNITION FOR PRODUCTS
- Break-Through Innovation Award: An inventive product, service, or process that provides purposeful health and wellness benefits to consumers.
Past Winners
2009
- Entrepreneurial Pitch Slam: Goddess Garden
- Best Young Business: MIX 1
- Company of the Year: Eco-Products
- Local Hero: Jim Baldwin, Community Food Share
- Lifetime Achievement: Mark Retzloff
2010
- Entrepreneurial Pitch Slam: White Girl Salsa
- Best Young Business: Bhakti Chai
- Company of the Year: Rudi’s Organic Bakery
- Local Hero: Ramona Clark, Growing Gardens
- Lifetime Achievement: Steve Demos
2011
- Entrepreneurial Pitch Slam: Bamboobies
- Best Young Business: New Planet Beer
- Company of the Year: EVOL Foods
- Local Hero: Chef Ann Cooper, The Renegade Lunch Lady
- Lifetime Achievement: Hass Hassan
2012
- Entrepreneurial Pitch Slam: Dressed Up Salad Dressing
- Best Young Business: Boulder Soup Works
- Company of the Year: Door to Door Organics
- Local Hero: Joan Boykin
- Focus on the Future: Teatulia
- The Lance Gentry Breakthrough Innovation Award: Cheribundi
- Lifetime Achievement: Paul Repetto
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THE BANQUET
A bounty of mostly-local, all organic and natural chef-prepared foods - this is not to be missed!
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THE YEAR-IN-REVIEW VIDEO
Naturally Boulder members were invited to submit material for our annual Year-In-Review Video. It will be shown on the movie screen at the Boulder Theater during our Autumn Awards & Pitch Slam Party, and posted to our website for all to see.
Year-in-Review Videos from 2012 and 2011 and 2010.
