The Hatchery at Innosphere gets five new startup tenants from CSU Venture Accelerator Lab

By: InnovatioNews Tuesday August 12, 2014 Tags: Charisse Bowen, deYrd, Fort Collins, Greyfall Training, Innosphere, Living Ink, Mike Freeman, Tadpole Pedicabs, The Hatchery, TurfToes

 

FORT COLLINS - Five new tenants have moved into the Colorado State University Hatchery at Rocky Mountain Innosphere, Northern Colorado's premier business startup incubator.

The new companies are all graduates of the Venture Accelerator Immersion Lab in the CSU College of Business. The lab is a 16-week course in the Institute of Entrepreneurship that pairs student entrepreneurs with mentors and business advisors.

"The mission of the Accelerator program is to educate students and to be an integral part of the Northern Colorado entrepreneurship ecosystem by providing real-life experiences, connection to resources and funding opportunities with the ultimate goal of creating self-sustaining ventures," said Charisse Bowen, Institute director.

"The Hatchery extends the support we can provide to some of the most promising businesses."

CSU was recently named as one of the 50 Most Entrepreneurial Universities in the nation by Forbes magazine.

The new Hatchery companies are:

• deYrd, a producer of easy-to-use wireless ear buds


• Greyfall Training, a company dedicated to providing survival training to private individuals and consulting services to law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs and federal agencies


• TurfToes, maker of flip-flops that recreate the sensation of walking barefoot through grass


• Tadpole Pedicabs, a provider of pedicab city tours


• Living Ink Technologies, which makes greeting cards treated with blooming algae

 

The Hatchery opened in 2013 with the first three companies graduating in May of 2014.

"Innosphere is very excited to be partners with the CSU College of Business on the Hatchery program," said Mike Freeman, Innosphere CEO.

"Over the past year, Innosphere has developed a customized process for supporting the CSU startup companies that helps identify and drive business outcomes by each company on a quarterly basis. We see supporting The Hatchery as a long-term program to support student startups in Fort Collins."

The Hatchery is funded by private donations and sponsored by the CSU College of Business.