Q&A with Juliana Silva - Collider Community Incubator

Q: What is the incubator program and what can participants expect to learn?

A: The Incubator is a structured program designed to support early-stage entrepreneurs by equipping them with the foundational knowledge, resources, and mentorship needed to grow their businesses. Over the course of the program, participants engage in workshops, peer learning, and one-on-one coaching that covers essential business topics such as customer discovery, business model development, financial literacy, branding, and pitching. The program fosters a collaborative environment where entrepreneurs can build confidence, connect with the local startup ecosystem, and refine their ideas into sustainable ventures.

Q: Collider launched the incubator program in April of last year, how would you say the program has developed and changed over the past year?

A: Since its launch, the incubator program has evolved based on participant feedback and community needs. We’ve refined our curriculum to be more hands-on, incorporating more real-world applications and guest speakers from diverse industries. We’ve also expanded support beyond the structured workshops, offering more mentorship opportunities and networking connections to help entrepreneurs navigate challenges specific to their industries. Additionally, we’ve seen a greater diversity of participants, which has enriched discussions and broadened the impact of the program.

Q: Who would you say are the ideal candidates for the program?

A: The ideal candidates for the incubator are early-stage entrepreneurs who have a business idea or an emerging startup and are looking for guidance to refine and grow it. We welcome individuals from all industries and backgrounds, whether they are first-time founders or experienced professionals transitioning into entrepreneurship. The program is especially beneficial for those who are eager to learn, open to feedback, and committed to taking action on their business goals.

Q: What lesson from the program do you find most impactful?

A: The most impactful lesson is learning to embrace the iterative process—refining a business model based on real-world insights rather than just assumptions.Beyond that, the structured nature of the program provides a logical, step-by-step guide to building a business, ensuring that participants address all critical aspects—such as customer discovery, financial planning, branding, and market positioning—in a cohesive way. This structured approach prevents entrepreneurs from overlooking key elements and helps them build a strong foundation, increasing their chances of long-term success. Instead of piecing together knowledge from different sources, participants receive a clear roadmap that ties everything together, making the journey from idea to execution much more efficient and strategic.

Q: What are the details for the upcoming incubator cohort?

A: The next incubator cohort will run from April 17th to July 2nd, culminating in a Demo Day where participants will have the opportunity to showcase their businesses. The program requires a time commitment of approximately 3 hours for workshops, along with additional mentorship opportunities.Workshops will cover key topics such as business model development, financial management, marketing and branding, sales strategies, and preparing for funding opportunities. Participants will also benefit from access to guest speakers, networking events, and peer support sessions, ensuring they receive a structured, comprehensive roadmap to building and growing their businesses.

Does the Collider Community Incubator Program sound like the right fit for you and your business journey? Learn more here and apply today!

Collider to Host Community Celebration for Fifth Cohort of CO.STARTERS Graduates

Collider Foundation is excited to announce that we are hosting our fifth Collider Cup pitch event, which was designed in 2022 to celebrate our CO.STARTERS graduates, give them the opportunity to share their unique business ideas with the Rochester community, and compete for a cash prize, provided by CO.STARTERS sponsor, Minnwest Bank. Seven participants will be graduating from the cohort based program, having spent the past ten weeks fine tuning their business ideas and determining next steps they need to take to move forward. 

This event will additionally include a community expo, featuring seven local business owners and giving them an opportunity to showcase their products and services to the community. The community expo is funded by the City of Rochester through their Community Building Funds Grant. 

The Collider Cup and community expo will take place on Tuesday, March 25th at Collider’s space in the Minnesota BioBusiness Center from 5:00-7:30pm. This event will serve as a business pitch competition as well as a community celebration for these emerging entrepreneurs in Rochester. Five of our CO.STARTERS graduates will be verbally pitching their business ideas. A panel of judges will determine the winner of the pitch competition. Interested individuals can learn more and register for the event here.

Collider Foundation believes that the support, education, and growth of our entrepreneurial ecosystem is a pathway to a more prosperous and inclusive future for the Rochester community. We as an organization aim to identify and assist local innovators in overcoming barriers to success by empowering an impactful, inclusive, and entrepreneur-first ecosystem. We are excited to have had the opportunity to fulfill our mission through CO.STARTERS and offer assistance to local entrepreneurs through this cohort. 

CO.STARTERS and the Collider Cup are supported by Mayo Clinic Department of Business Development, Otto Bremer Trust, Fredrikson & Byron Foundation, Southern Minnesota Initiative Foundation, Small Business Development Center, Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development’s Small Business Technical Assistance Program, Minnwest Bank, Entrepreneurs First, Think Bank, and the City of Rochester’s Community Building Fund. 

For additional information contact Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn or call (507) 722-0306

Collider Foundation Awarded Funds by the City of Rochester’s Community Building Grant

Collider Foundation is pleased to announce that it was recently awarded $12,250 by the City of Rochester through their Community Building Funds Grant. 

This grant support will assist in funding Collider’s project, Startup Spotlight: Elevating Rochester Entrepreneurship. This project aims to raise the visibility and awareness of early stage businesses in our community, with a focus on those businesses led by people who identify as women, BIPOC, LGBTQ+, refugees, immigrants, veterans, persons with disabilities, or those living below poverty level. This work would elevate the startup stories of these businesses and provide them with completely free materials that could be used in their own marketing efforts to raise the visibility of their business within the community. 

Examples of provided services include a business expo which will showcase 10-15 local companies, podcasts and written interviews which will elevate business stories within the community, free professional photo services, and short business video tours — all of which will be provided at no cost to the entrepreneur. This project will allow us to expand upon our storytelling work and offer some new communication services to entrepreneurs we serve, helping them to share their own story with potential customers. 

These efforts align with Collider’s mission to serve our community’s early stage entrepreneurs and make entrepreneurship more approachable and accessible, particularly for those who face the greatest barriers to business ownership. This project would lower barriers for entrepreneurs served through this work, providing them with professionally developed photos and promotional content that they could use in their own marketing efforts, which can be a significant cost challenge to many small business owners during early stages. Additionally, this work would expand how people view entrepreneurship within the community with its focus on early stage businesses run by founders who are traditionally underrepresented in mainstream media.  

Collider Foundation is grateful for the support from the City of Rochester, and for their work in taking steps toward making business ownership more accessible for entrepreneurs from all walks of life.

If you have any questions about Collider or our work within the community, please contact Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn or call (507) 722-0306.

If you are an entrepreneur who would benefit from these services, please contact us at hello@collider.mn

Collider Foundation’s Continued Dedication to Serving Underrepresented Entrepreneurs

In 2019, Collider Foundation was founded as a nonprofit organization with a mission to lower barriers to entrepreneurship for anyone in our community with a great idea and a passion to see it grow, particularly for those who face the greatest barriers to business ownership. 

Today, we are just as deeply committed to making the path to business ownership more approachable and accessible for each individual we serve through our work. We know that entrepreneurship is a powerful tool for social and economic change, and yet many aspiring business owners here in Rochester face obstacles that hinder their success. These barriers—ranging from limited access to capital, networks, and business education—are disproportionately felt by women, people of color, and immigrants. Our organization seeks to dismantle these obstacles by providing resources, mentorship, and educational opportunities tailored to those who need them the most. 

As a data driven organization, we know from years of research and direct community feedback that the entrepreneurial landscape is not always equitable. For many in historically marginalized communities, the dream of owning a business can feel out of reach due to systemic challenges such as discrimination, lack of access to funding, and limited support networks. To address these disparities, we focus on creating an inclusive ecosystem that provides hands-on support to underrepresented entrepreneurs. 

Our dedication goes beyond just making entrepreneurship accessible—we aim to foster a culture of empowerment, where all individuals feel confident and capable of turning their business dreams into reality. By providing startup support, accessible business education, and a community of like-minded entrepreneurs, we are helping to create a more diverse, equitable, and vibrant entrepreneurial landscape. We believe that when people from all walks of life have the tools, resources, and support they need, they can break through barriers and achieve lasting success in business. 

Rochester is home to many women, BIPOC and immigrant owned businesses and there are countless ways to show support to the business owners in our community who may have encountered significant obstacles in getting where they are today. Next time you’re going out to eat, consider trying something new. Take a moment to find some local businesses on social media and give them a follow. Seek out and attend an event that may be unfamiliar to you. Small actions can have a big impact on small businesses and community support is what keeps our diverse, vibrant business ecosystem alive and well.

CO.STARTER Q&A

Take a moment to get to know one of our recent CO.STARTERS participants, Denise!

Q: What is your business or idea?

A: A social enterprise that provides ongoing age-appropriate prevention education on drugs and addiction to parents and their school-aged children. Passionate people living in recovery would help develop the education material, provide mentoring services, and produce exclusive artwork apparel for customers who wish to spread the word about our work visually (or just enjoy local wearable art). All artwork will be created by adults and children impacted by addiction, telling their stories of heartache and hope. This dual-impact model will not only provide essential education and opportunities for parents of school-aged children to connect - it will also provide economic opportunities and creative outlets for those rebuilding their lives after addiction.

Q: What do you hope to learn/get out of the CO.STARTERS program?

A: I'm in the startup phase and stuck, so I hope to learn how to figure out my next steps. I don't know what I don't know, so I hope to learn a lot from the facilitators and other participants' ideas and approaches that will help me grow my business effectively and impactfully, in the right direction, so that it will be sustainable.

Q: What is your motivation for pursuing your business idea?

A: I believe youth are at an ever-increasing risk of addiction and overdose because of the growing mental health crisis, social media pressures, and prevalence of dangerous street drugs in our community - and the county. Many people with lived experience of addiction are turning their lives around and have a passion for helping youth avoid the road they traveled. I am passionate about creating meaningful connections between the right people to help address this problem as a community.

Q: What is a fun fact about you?

A: I am an electrical engineer who worked at IBM for 28 years and then operated a custom cabinetry business with my husband for 8 years. I love camping, reading, exercising, TobyMac, and investing time with our kids and grandkids. I grew up in the Detroit area but have lived in Rochester for 35 years, so I call Rochester home. I thrive on change and solving real problems, and I love connecting with people - especially on topics that aren't commonly discussed.