CO.STARTERS Core: The First Step in Building Your Business
If you are starting a business and looking for mentorship, then CO.STARTERS Core is the accelerator program for you! Previously hosted at the Commons on Champa, this program now takes place at Downtown Denver Partnership.
ABOUT CO.STARTERS CORE
CO.STARTERS Core is a three-month, cohort-based program that equips entrepreneurs of all kinds with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn business ideas into action. The only prerequisites to joining the program are:
1) Having an idea
2) Being willing to question, shape and fine-tune that idea
3) Being willing to talk about the idea with others
Participants enter into a facilitator-led, collaborative process with a small and supportive group of like-minded peers.
Certified facilitators are experienced business owners from the community who guide participants through the program by asking the right questions, drawing on the knowledge in the room, and using available resources and connections in the community to point participants in the right direction. In addition to exploring different topics each week, guest speakers are also brought in weekly to enrich the conversation and help participants learn from the experience of others in the community.
Working together, participants develop and fine-tune their ideas, critically examining every part and determining next steps through real-time feedback from people in the community. This approach enables entrepreneurs to rapidly uncover flaws in their concepts and find viable models more quickly. Participants leave the program with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business, articulate their models, and repeat the process with the next great idea. Visit the CO.STARTERS website to learn more about program content and additional opportunities.
JOIN OUR JANUARY COHORT
Applications for Cohort #23 are now open! This Cohort will launch in early 2024, with sessions held weekly in the evening at our Downtown Denver Partnership offices. Standard tuition is $350, which includes mentorship, feedback from guest speakers, access to our Mighty Networks platform, program materials and refreshments. Opportunities for financial aid are available. If you are interested in joining a future Cohort, you can still fill out an application and defer to participate in future sessions. Click here to learn more and apply!
BECOME A FACILITATOR
If you are further along in your entrepreneurship journey and interested in giving back to the startup community, consider becoming a CO.STARTERS facilitator! Facilitators undergo a training program to guide participants through CO.STARTERS. By asking the right questions, drawing on the knowledge in the room, and using available resources and connections in the community, they will help point participants in the right direction. Each cohort will be overseen by two facilitators, who work closely with Downtown Denver Partnership's Program Coordinator to ensure a quality program that meets the needs of local entrepreneurs. Facilitators can expect to contribute five hours a week during the ten-week program and will receive a stipend to compensate for their time. If you are interested in becoming a facilitator, please fill out this interest form.
SPEAK AT A SESSION
Share your startup experience with others! CO.STARTERS guest speakers provide a unique perspective on their industry and journey of entrepreneurship. Over the course of a single session, guest speakers will share their story and answer questions about the challenges they have faced and the process of overcoming them. If you are interested in a speaking at a session, please fill out this interest form.
If you have questions or would like more information about opportunities for involvement in CO.STARTERS at Downtown Denver Partnership, please contact Program Coordinator Sloan Holland at sholland@downtowndenver.com.
