Pangea Organics, Simple Energy Inc, and Dabble successfully competed against seven other businesses by pitching their business plans at the i4c Campaign event on July 13th in Denver. The winning companies each received $50,000 equity investment from the host venture capital company, Galvanize, who is also offering a year’s worth of rent-free workspace in downtown Denver as well as general consulting and mentoriship assistance to the winners.

Pangea Organics, based in Boulder, distributes natural skincare and personal hygeine products online and through retail outlets like Whole Foods. Pangea’s product line ranges from hand soaps to lip balms and lotions. Their winning pitch involved investing in a “social selling” plan, using home parties to sell discounted product and to increase word-of-mouth sales.

Simple Energy is another Boulder-based startup that aims to educate and engage consumers on energy reduction by creating interactive social campaigns online. Their pitch detailed a fusion of behavioral science and game mechanics to create a online game motivating players to adopt more efficient energy consumption habits.

A third company based in Denver, called Dabble, also took home some prize money. Dabble is a website that connects instructors and students by arranging “classes” for almost any topic ranging from pottery to web design. This encourages users to “dabble” in a wide variety of activities, engaging in hobbies or crafts that they might not have had the courage to try without direct instruction. All classes are $20 to attend, and instructors make $10 per attendee.

As a Colorado attorney specializing in small business formation, I know how challenging it can be to start a new project from the ground up. That is why it’s thrilling for me to see all the creative and successful startup companies flourishing across the state.

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