Collider Launches Second CO.STARTERS Cohort
Local Starters to Participate in 10-Week Business Education Program
Rochester 501(c)3 nonprofit Collider Foundation is excited to announce the launch of their second CO.STARTERS cohort to assist local entrepreneurs on Tuesday, January 31st. This ten week program equips starters of all kinds with the insights, relationships, and tools needed to turn their business ideas into actionable results.
Throughout the course of this program, starters will enter into a local facilitator-led, collaborative process with a small and supportive group of like-minded peers. Working together, they will 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. Each starter will leave the CO.STARTERS program with a deeper understanding of how to create a sustainable business and repeat the process with their next great idea.
Prior participants of the program have given us the following feedback regarding their experience:
“Collider is a critical resource in the Rochester Entrepreneur Ecosystem. They provide a centralized resource for education and mentoring. Collider (and the Co.Starter program) helped our startup solidify our messaging and prepare for a successful launch,” David Razidlo
“I took the Co-Starters program through Collider. It answered so many questions that I had about entrepreneurship and small business. I learned so much. I made friends with other local entrepreneurs and we are still keeping in touch to encourage and help each other,” Jamie West
CO.STARTERS participants at the Collider Cup, September 2022
CO.STARTERS Core will run every Tuesday night from 5:30-8:30PM at Collider Foundation’s coworking location within the Minnesota Biobusiness Center from January 31st through April 11th. The program will end with a public pitch celebration, called the Collider Cup, on April 18th. This 10-week program costs $150 per participant, which includes the curriculum, facilitation through Rochester-based certified CO.STARTERS Core facilitators, and access to a community of support. 11 individuals are currently enrolled in the program; space is still available for interested entrepreneurial starters.
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 at Collider is supported by Think Mutual Bank, Fredrikson & Byron, Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota, and Launch Minnesota.
For additional information contact Amanda Leightner at amanda@collider.mn or call (507) 722-0306
