On December 6th, the High Country Tech Growth Challenge wrapped up with our Demo Day, and I’m still grinning with pride and excitement. When I joined the Summit Economic Partnership last December, I dreamed of creating a regional pitch competition. It felt ambitious—maybe even a little far-fetched—but I couldn’t shake the idea. A year later, that “BHAG” (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) became a reality.

I’m excited to share that on December 6th, we’ll be hosting the Demo Day for the FallHigh Country Tech Growth Challenge. It’s been an amazing journey working alongside Yampa Valley Entrepreneurship Center and StartupColorado to bring this opportunity to life for 12 innovative companies that are working hard to shape the future of tech in our mountain communities. This Demo Day is not just a celebration of their hard work but also a moment to reflect on the power of collaboration between Summit and Routt counties.

Today, I want to share how diversifying our local economy can stabilize it by reducing our reliance on tourism through the creation of new jobs and industries. Diversification has been successfully done by towns, cities and even states throughout the United States. The goal with Economic diversification is to build resiliency in Summit’s and make sure it’s a place where locals can continue to call Summit home.

Today, I want to share how diversifying our local economy can stabilize it by reducing our reliance on tourism through the creation of new jobs and industries. Diversification has been successfully done by towns, cities and even states throughout the United States. The goal with Economic diversification is to build resiliency in Summit’s and make sure it’s a place where locals can continue to call Summit home.

When I first took this job, I wanted to create programs for our business owners that were truly impactful by helping businesses grow. So, in partnership with Startup Colorado, we set out to give scalable businesses in Summit County a shot at a $5,000 business grant, while also helping them fine-tune their strategies, learn from other rural entrepreneurs, and understand their financial path to success.

In an interview with Thayer, Erwin Germain, founder of TreadShare, discusses his carpooling mobile app designed to link drivers and riders, aiming to reduce vehicle numbers and promote eco-friendly travel in Summit County, Colorado. Erwin celebrates TreadShare's acceptance into the competitive Rockies Venture Club HyperAccelerator program, which offers mentorship, resources, and investor connections vital for scaling their business.

In this inaugural post, I want to touch upon the state of the economy in Summit County and share why an entity like SEP is vital for our community. For those of you who love to geek out on data, I highly recommend diving into our Roadmap to Recovery report, which goes into great detail about the need for industry diversification in Summit County. But if you're more of a Cliff Notes reader, stick with me!