Durango entrepreneurs are invited to take part in Discovery Day, an event that will be put on in April at Farmington’s Four Corners Economic Development group.
Discovery Day is a “shark tank”-like event that will place entrepreneurs in front of experienced businesspeople.
Each presentation and discussion time will be limited to 30 minutes, and all panel presentations will be held in a private setting.
Ray Hagerman, CEO of Four Corners Economic Development, said this allows sensitive and proprietary business and technological information to be shared and fluid discussions.
“The entrepreneurs can actually get in front of people who can help them,” Hagerman said.
Discovery Day will have about 30 panelists, many with money to invest, he said.
“Everyone who will be a panelist has the ability to either further an entrepreneur’s cause or has the ability to put money into the company through investment,” Hagerman said.
The event will be held April 23-24 at 4CED’s offices at San Juan College in Farmington. Application deadline is March 28. Visit www.hddd.org for application details.
Informational sessions will be held at 5:15 p.m. Tuesday and 7:30 a.m. March 11 at 4CED’s offices.
The four businesses participating in the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs, or SCAPE, are encouraged to apply, Hagerman said. The event is open to entrepreneurs in Southwest Colorado.
The event is one of a series of Discovery Days held by High Desert Discovery District, a privately led technology startup accelerator. The Farmington event is co-sponsored by ConocoPhillips, a major presence in the San Juan Basin’s natural gas and oil industry.
A Discovery Day event held in early February in Los Alamos, N.M., resulted in seven of the 14 companies that participated attracting investments.
Hagerman said he expects a similar result in Farmington.
“I’m guessing that seven or eight people will get capital out of this deal,” he said.
Discovery Day also offers a golf tournament to be played at Pinon Hills Golf Course in Farmington intended to facilitate networking and a “casual supper” and networking event at the home of Farmington Mayor Tommy Roberts and his wife, Cindy.
cslothower@durangoherald.com
