Do you have a dream? Or maybe you have a really, really good idea? Have you ever wanted to change the world or, at the very least, your world? Now is your chance, thanks to the Casper Start-Up Challenge.
It started with an idea. A select group of men and women realized many years ago that Casper is home to an exorbitant amount of highly intelligent, highly creative entrepreneurs. These people are dreamers. They think big. They solve problems. They make the world better. They’re people who aren’t afraid to ask questions. They’re not afraid to learn something new. They’re not afraid to fail.
These are exactly the type of people that will advance Casper, which is why Advance Casper wants to give them an opportunity to follow their dreams.
The result of that desire is the Casper Start-Up Challenge — a community-wide opportunity for local entrepreneurs to present their small business ideas, find mentorship and maybe even get some financial backing.
“The Casper Start-Up Challenge is designed to help those innovative, high-growth individuals create companies here in Casper, Wyoming,” said Eric Schlidt, organizer of the Casper Start-Up Challenge. “We’ve seen that Wyoming, specifically Casper, has a high density of entrepreneurs. And Advance Casper wants to facilitate their growth and their work in Casper.”
Advance Casper is a company that was created to help the economic development of Casper. It was designed to improve quality of life in the Oil City, through economic and workforce development.
“Advance Casper serves as the principal catalyst for economic development by leading, encouraging, and facilitating diversification and expansion of the Casper-area economy,” the organization’s mission statement pledges.
Advance Casper, along with organizations like Impact 307, 307 First and many others, exists to implore individuals and businesses to stay in Wyoming, helping the state grow and flourish for current and future generations. The purpose of the Casper Start-Up Challenge is empower creative, innovative individuals to follow their dream and create something truly spectacular.
“This model of a start-up challenge is something that has taken place in a lot of different places,” Schlidt stated. “Casper can do it here on our scale and we can keep people here and show those entrepreneurs and those companies that the resources exist here for them to create and innovate right here, in Natrona County.”
The Casper Start-Up Challenge has provided a myriad of opportunities to local individuals and businesses, including Perry Meeks and Brayton Sanders with B3; Linda Olsen with WyOlsen Design; Amber Pollock with Piggyback Cocktails; Toyon Wiggs with Red, White, and Blued; and so many more.
The Casper Start-Up Challenge, for the past eight years, has provided opportunities for people to really strive for greatness. Finalists in the challenge are awarded with a portion of seed money, as well as guidance and networking opportunities with Advance Casper, Visit Casper and other organizations around Wyoming.
“All Finalists will be advised and coached through the full process of building a viable business concept regardless of team makeup or background,” the Casper Start-Up Challenge overview states. “As part of the process, Start-Up Challenge competitors will work directly with incubator staff in building their business concept and have the opportunity to meet and network with successful technology entrepreneurs.”
Eligibility requirements are quite simple:
- Applicants must be for seed, start-up or early-stage companies.
- Submissions may be entered by individuals or teams (up to five members)
- Each team may enter only one idea
- A single individual cannot be the sole qualifying participant for two teams
- Final approval of eligibility is reserved for the judging committee
- Resident of the Casper Regional Area or willing to relocate
The application process is an easy one as well.
“The first step is to fill out an application,” Schlidt said. “The application itself is quite simple. Basically it’s just, ‘What’s your idea?’ We work with people who have even just an idea. You don’t have to have an established company, or an established product, or anything. You can just have an idea. You can have an idea of how to fix a problem and how we can work with you.”
After completing the application, it will be reviewed by a team of judges who will then choose the semifinalists. Those semifinalists will pitch their ideas to the judges, who will choose five finalists. Those five finalists will then work with Advance Casper to prepare to the Casper Start-Up Challenge Pitch Night!
The pitch night is happening on Sept. 5, 2024, and while the biggest goal is to choose three winners, it’s also a chance for the finalists to discuss their ideas, not just with the judges but also with the the community as a whole. Oil City News will highlight each of the five finalists with their own feature story, and the community is invited to the pitch night, where they’ll be able to ask questions and find out more about each idea. Even if a finalist is not chosen as the grand winner, there’s a chance that other possible investors are in the audience as well.
“We encourage everyone to apply,” Schlidt said. “Even people who may not think their idea is good enough. We want to talk to the entrepreneurs in Casper. This is what we wanted. This is what Advance Casper is designed to do. We’re designed to help Casper’s entrepreneurs succeed, grow and be successful here in Natrona County.
Whether an individual has an idea for home healthcare, a new app, an original bar or restaurant or something else entirely, this is a chance for the people of Casper to stop asking “What if?” and start asking “Why not now?”
If you have an idea, if you have the solution to a problem, if you have a dream, then the Casper Start-Up Challenge is the perfect opportunity to pursue it. This is your chance to create. It’s your chance to innovate, your chance to turn that dream into a reality. The Casper Start-Up Challenge is your opportunity to change the world, if only just your small part of it. And all you have to do is apply.
The Casper Start-Up Challenge Pitch Night is happening Sept. 5, 2024. To apply, visit this link. For more information, visit the Advance Casper website and follow them on Facebook for daily updates.
