2 DAYS! 13th Annual Pitch Slam & Autumn Awards

Breakout Brand

Goddess Garden

Industry Leader / Community Champ
Sylvia Tawse

October 12, 3-7 PM @ St Julien Hotel

Pitch Slam Preliminaries & Innovation Showcase

New Hope Network is the inaugural sponsor of
Naturally Boulder’s Pitch Slam!

Pitch Slam Preliminaries

Our biggest event of the year begins when 20 entrepreneurs pitch their young companies to a panel of experts and 300 audience members. It’s inspiring and unpredictable. But the goal is the same: get to the finals!

• 1st Place: Free booth at Expo West, $5,000, suite of free business services
• 2nd & 3rd Place: Suite of free business services
• 4th & 5th Place: Free Naturally Boulder membership

Prize Pack Contributors

Over $65,000 in cash, prizes, and business services!

Pitch Slam Companies

4:10 Annabella
4:17 Cusa Tea
4:25 Beyond Broth
4:32 The Jackfruit Company
4:39 Highland Bees
4:46 Vukoo Bar
4:53 Lithic
5:00 BREAK
5:15 The Honest Stand
5:22 Nytro Jack
5:30 Down Dog Snacks
5:37 UglyFruit
5:44 Sherpa Chai
5:51 Veda Life Ayurveda
5:58 Seed Ranch Flavor Co.
6:00 BREAK
6:15 miche’s kitchen
6:22 Ethan’s
6:30 Kim and Jake’s Gluten Free
6:37 Good Spread
6:44 Foremother Foods (Picaflor brand)
6:51 Know Brainer Foods

Judges

Debra Eschmeyer – DanoneWave, V.P. Communications & Community Affairs
Russ Forester – The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., Senior VP, Analytics & Insights
Justin Gold – Justin’s, Founder
Koel Thomae – Noosa Yoghurt, Co-founder & Chief Australian Officer

Innovation Showcase

Newly added this year, we will showcase 40 of the most cutting-edge innovations from our region’s natural products industry. What’s hot? What’s next? See for yourself!

Innovation Showcase Companies

Alpine Start
Birch Benders
Bobo’s
Cusa Tea
Down Dog Snacks
ePac
Etalia
Ethan’s
Frau Fowler
The Good Crisp Company
Good Spread
Holland & Hart
I and love and you
inner-eco
Jackson’s Honest
Justin’s
Keen One
Know Brainer
KO
Makeena
Metro Caring
New Hope Network
Noosa Yoghurt
Simple Startup
Snowrise
Techstars Start-up Weekend
The Brand Chefs
Wild Planet

October 13, 4:30-8 PM @ St Julien Hotel

Pitch Slam Finals & Autumn Awards

Reception

The magic of Naturally Boulder happens mostly in-person. This reception is an annual high point as we gather together the industry’s leading manufacturers, service providers, investors, retailers, and buyers.

We’ll delight you with an organic and natural buffet and passed appetizers, mingling, free drink tickets, and the Pitch Slam showcase rooms.

 

Keynote

John Foraker led Annie’s for 17 years, first as CEO and later — following the 2014 acquisition by General Mills — as president. He recently announced his departure, citing he’s not cut out for corporate life and is ready to re-engage in the start-up community by working with a new food company, which he intends “to grow big and fast into a highly disruptive force in the organic food space.”

Pitch Slam Finals & Autumn Awards

Pitch Slam Award
From the multitude of promising young brands achieving early successes, only one company will be recognized as the Naturally Boulder 2017 Pitch Slam winner! If you’re in the audience for the Finals, you’ll hear five Pitch Slammers…then you’ll vote! The audience vote carries the same weight as each of our other judges! And the winning company will receive a Prize Pack that can change the course of their business forever.

Breakout Brand of 2017 Award
This award will be presented to a Colorado-based company which, over the most recent 12 month period, has significantly raised its profile via breakthrough innovation, accelerated market performance, media buzz, philanthropic efforts or other means. Although we take into reasonable consideration a company’s long-term financial viability, we also place emphasis on the company’s product set, business model, and mission and purpose. Must have at least one person in organization who is a Naturally Boulder member.

Industry Leader / Community Champ Award
This award will be presented to an individual who has advanced the Colorado natural products community through deliberate and considerate advocacy, mentorship, and/or leadership. Consideration is given to the length and depth of commitment the individual has demonstrated to the Colorado natural products community. Must be a Naturally Boulder member.

Past Winners

2016
Pitch Slam: Frau Fowler
Breakout Brand: Lucky’s Market
Industry Leader / Community Champ: Jane Miller

2015
Pitch Slam: Wild Zora
Breakout Brand: Quinn Popcorn
Industry Leader / Community Champ: Steve Hughes

2014
Pitch Slam: Appleooz
Best Young Business: Noosa Yoghurt
Company of the Year: Boulder Brands
The Lance Gentry Breakthrough Innovation Award: Quinn Popcorn
Lifetime Achievement: Joan Boykin

2013
Pitch Slam: Compo Keeper
Best Young Business: Alfalfa’s Market
Company of the Year: WhiteWave Foods Company
Local Hero: Bryce Winton Brown
Focus on the Future: Silk
The Lance Gentry Breakthrough Innovation Award: Goddess Garden
Lifetime Achievement: Mo Siegel

2012
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

2011
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

2010
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

2009
Pitch Slam: Goddess Garden
Best Young Business: MIX 1
Company of the Year: Eco-Products
Lifetime Achievement: Mark Retzloff

2008
Pitch Slam: Sticky Fingers Cooking

2007
Pitch Slam: “Under Research”

2006
Pitch Slam: Phil’s Fresh Foods (later changed to EVOL Foods)

2005
Pitch Slam: “Under Research”