Posts by Andrea Van Essen
CO.STARTERS: Where are they now?
It’s already been more than a year since we launched our first CO.STARTERS cohorts, and a lot has changed since then. Here at Startup Sioux Falls, we have graduated four CO.STARTERS cohorts, announced our move downtown and continued our commitment to building a strong and connected startup ecosystem. For the entrepreneurs we have walked alongside…
Read MoreStartup Sioux Falls advances with Community Navigator Pilot Program
Get Started with CO.STARTERS Community Navigator Pilot Program It has now been six months since Startup Sioux Falls announced that it was the recipient of a $1 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) as part of the Community Navigator Pilot Program. The team at Startup Sioux Falls has been hard at work…
Read MoreFounders Club builds momentum for Startup Sioux Falls community
Image by Koch Hazard Architects Join the Founders Club After Startup Sioux Falls announced the launch of its Founders Club at the annual Founders Day celebration on March 2, interest has swelled, with close to half of the available memberships already spoken for. The Founders Club was designed for individuals who are looking to get…
Read MoreUSF students’ entrepreneurship podcast launches second season
A podcast started by a group of students at the University of Sioux Falls (USF) launched its second season today with a special first guest—Mayor Paul TenHaken. The From the Ground Up Podcast first launched during the fall 2021 semester of USF’s Entrepreneurial Team Projects course. Led by Professor Shelly Gaddis, the course is a…
Read MoreStartup community celebrates graduation and pitch night for third CO.STARTERS cohort
Nearly 100 members of Sioux Falls’ entrepreneurial ecosystem gathered on Tuesday night to celebrate the graduates of Startup Sioux Falls’ third CO.STARTERS accelerator program cohort. In just over a year, CO.STARTERS has produced 46 alumni and dozens of incredible business and mentorship connections. Founders have refined their ideas, launched products and services and successfully found…
Read MoreJeff Hayward joins the Startup Sioux Falls team as program manager
Last week, Startup Sioux Falls welcomed Jeff Hayward to the team as its program manager. The position opened up as part of the SBA Community Navigators grant that Startup Sioux Falls was awarded, and its responsibilities are centered around facilitating that project which seeks to reach underserved populations through the CO.STARTERS curriculum and providing more…
Read MoreStartup Sioux Falls expands reach and impact through Community Navigator Pilot Program
check out the project website Thanks to a $1 million grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), Startup Sioux Falls is planning to expand resources, including piloting an expanded version of its CO.STARTERS accelerator program, to better reach underserved communities. The SBA announced the grant opportunity—the Community Navigator Pilot Program—in May 2021 with the…
Read MorePhilanthropy as a Competitive Advantage
Philanthropy study reveals key insights about emerging leaders, state of Sioux Falls’ nonprofit sector Sioux Falls is facing a turning point in terms of its growth and the leadership and infrastructure necessary to support it. That shift is also reflected in the changing landscape of the city’s nonprofit sector. Maximizing Excellence, LLC is a consulting…
Read MoreMeet the entrepreneurs: CO.STARTERS program welcomes third cohort of 2021
Startup Sioux Falls kicked off its third CO.STARTERS program on November 2 with a group of 12 entrepreneurs. When this class graduates at the end of January 2022, we will be able to celebrate a successful first year of facilitating this impactful program. Our team plans to continue hosting three cohorts per year and expanding…
Read MoreZamorano Business Management supports unique needs of Hispanic entrepreneurs
Zamorano on the job site with Cazu Framing LLC. “They were the first company to believe in me,” she said. Selene Zamorano is making an impact in her community by helping Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs navigate the challenges and complexities of running their own businesses. Between her company, Zamorano Business Management (ZBM), a nonprofit organization that she…
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