For 10 years the Southwest Colorado Accelerator Program for Entrepreneurs (SCAPE) has been supporting the growth of startups through education, mentorship and access to funding. To date, our programming has helped launch 52 companies, create 230 jobs, and raise over $40 million in early seed investment capital. 

Over the years, SCAPE companies have also seen much success being selected for national programs like the Stacy’s Rise Project, NextCycle, and Hello Alice. Our companies have also received state recognition from Colorado Companies to Watch, Colorado APEX, and Rural Jumpstart. We’ve helped 11 companies get awarded the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade Advanced Industries grant with nearly $2 million in funding, plus have been involved in $220 million company exits. SCAPE was selected to be a member of the Center on Rural Innovation in 2020 and is proud to have received the National Association of Development Organizations Award in 2016 and the Local First Stellar C3 Award in 2021.

After a decade of working with entrepreneurs, we know first hand that starting a business does not have a one size fits all solution, there are many gray areas, fluctuating timelines, and needs. We’ve learned that meeting a founder where they are makes all the difference in their company journey. In 2022, the SCAPE cohort was our largest and most diverse representation of founders, supporting 9 companies across La Plata, Archuleta, Montezuma, San Juan and San Juan New Mexico. With this growth, we are making changes to better serve our entrepreneurs, mentors, investors, and community.

This year SCAPE will be moving to rolling applications for the program. Instead of designated annual cohorts, we will be assisting entrepreneurs on a need to need basis. Through a digital forward program, we will be supporting founders with on-demand learning that is more accessible, leaving behind time or geographical restraints, and helping companies when they need it the most. SCAPE will continue to provide the same quality of mentorship with more customized and focused attention. For our scale-up ready founders, we will have fast track options available to help back them in raising capital and growing quickly. Community events, partner organization collaboration, and SCAPE’s contribution to the startup ecosystem will continue as we are committed to being a pillar in our business community. 

These changes will only further enhance SCAPE’s mission to help establish more high growth, job-creating companies in rural Colorado. This evolution will be rolling out spring of 2023 as SCAPE celebrates its 10 year anniversary. Learn more: www.goscape.org/decade-of-difference