Entrepreneurship Day returns to Colorado Mesa University

GRAND JUNCTION, Colo. (KKCO) - Colorado Mesa University hosted its 15th annual Entrepreneurship Day, bringing in students, business leaders, and employers to mingle and hear pitches from student entrepreneurs.

This is the first time the event has been held since the COVID-19 pandemic, and organizers say they’re excited to have it return.

The event gave students the chance to meet with business leaders and employers. One part of the event also gave four students the chance to give their elevator pitch to those in attendance for their own business ideas.

“It’s also an opportunity for our best and brightest students to pitch themselves and their ideas to 500 prospective employers and funders,” said John Marshall, President of Colorado Mesa University. “So it really is a great day to celebrate business, to celebrate our students and to bring people together.”

There was some prize money involved for the student who would take the top spot in the elevator pitch as well. Those in attendance got to vote via text for their favorite pitch of the day.

“We’ve been pitching for three or four weeks now,” said Joshua Kolb, a senior at CMU. “Last week we had our original competition and the 30 people there got narrowed down to four and then we’ve been practicing all week to get to this point.”

Kolb was one of four students competing in the elevator pitch competition. His business idea has to do with marker flags. He said usually they’re made of metal stems, with plastic flags. His flags are biodegradable. His hope is to get more people to use them since they’d be more environmentally friendly.

Everyone who attended also had lunch together, and the keynote speaker was cyber-security expert Kurtis Minder.

President John Marshall also announced the school received a $100,000 scholarship initiative for the Davis School of Business.