TOP UTAH OUTDOOR RECREATION STARTUPS READY TO SHINE
– Ten Startups to Compete for $30K at Public Pitch Event on May 20 –
OGDEN, UT, May 15, 2015 – Utah is known for its spectacular outdoor recreation and its entrepreneurial spirit. In many ways, it seems only natural to combine the two, and so someone did.
Today, Grow Utah announced the finalists of its 7th annual Outdoor Recreation “Concept to Company” Innovation Contest which will award local outdoor product innovators with cash and services to get their idea off the ground.
Co-hosted by Zions Bank and Beehive Startups, Grow Utah’s Outdoor Recreation C2C contest is for Utah residents with a product or service innovation in the outdoor activities of hiking, camping, biking, paddlesports, snowsports and more. Over 55 entries were submitted to the contest and industry experts narrowed that group down to 10 finalists.
“Utah is an incredible place to start a business, especially in the outdoor industry” said T. Craig Bott, president & CEO of Grow Utah. “Where else can you build an outdoor product, test it right out your back door, find local investors, manufacturing providers, talented workforce, shipping infrastructure, and everything else needed to succeed. That is happening here in Utah and we are excited to help innovators step forward and succeed here.”
The 10 finalists will show off their innovations at a public pitch event on Wednesday May 20th at the Historic Browning Building in downtown Ogden. The presenting finalists will be:
- The Prival Daily Kit, by Prival Concepts LLC – The Daily Kit is a lightweight, compact, avalanche safety kit.
- 3D Terrain Maps, by CreoTree – CreoTre has developed a new style of consumer and corporate 3-D terrain maps using 3-D printers. Crafted in Utah, these maps will assist outdoor recreators to plan and understand the geography they enjoy.
- Avalanche Safety System, by Outdoor Safety Solutions – The Avalanche Safety System is a unique helmet and backpack design that protects the winter recreationalist from suffocation due to burial in an avalanche.
- Fogo, by Fogo Digital– Fogo is the ultimate adventure gadget with a built-in flashlight, GPS, bluetooth, backup battery, digital walkie-talkie, and app-friendly interface.
- InFuze Flavoring System by InFuze– Infuze is an inline flavoring system that attaches to any hydration pack. It allows users to go from plain water to flavor and electrolyte options in seconds.
- Plan Go Share, by PGS– Plan Go Share is turn-by-turn trail navigation app for the iPhone and the Apple Watch.
- Sol Guide Certification – Sol Guide certification is a specialty certification that teaches fitness professionals and recreation-minded individuals how to lead outdoor fitness experiences using a method that integrates traditional fitness modalities, mindfulness disciplines, and outdoor guide skills.
- Original ArmPack, by RunBand– The Armpack is an innovative hybrid of the fannypack & armband. With five unique pockets, its sleek design is the next generation of personal storage while running, cycling, and more.
- Onblay.com – Onblay is the AirBnB of outdoor adventure tourism. Onblay is an online marketplace that connects people looking to share their skills or equipment with people who are looking for adventure.
- SpekPack – SpekPack is a unique cart rolling cart that bundles everything a family needs for a day at the park or mountain picnic. It bundles chairs, shade, cooler, etc. into a stress-free, one person pack.
The winners of this contest will receive a significant amount of support. The Grand Prize winner will receive $10,000 in cash and $5,700 in services and the two runner-up winners will each receive $5,000 in cash and $2,600 in services. Prizes contributors are Grow Utah, Zions Bank, SEED Weber-Davis, NorthFront BRC, Cotopaxi, Durham Jones Pinegar Law, Espiritu Design, and Adventure + Gear Expo.
The Concept to Company competitions are Utah’s premier ongoing innovation contests. They are held in various regions across the state with each contest focusing on a different industry. To date, the Concept to Company contests have distributed more than $1.1M in prize money and services and have helped launch over 100 companies. Additional contests will be held later this year focusing on Gaming, General Tech, and more.
To attend the final event, RSVP at: www.Crowdpitch21.eventbrite.com. For more information on the contests, visit: www.ConceptToCompany.org.
About Grow Utah
Grow Utah, is a privately funded non-profit organization dedicated to accelerate the creation of innovative, entrepreneur-led, high-growth businesses that will strengthen and expand the future growth of Utah’s economy.
The vision of Grow Utah is to create a robust entrepreneurial ecosystem in Utah that fosters entrepreneurial talent, drives innovation to solve market needs, aligns community resources and support, and ensures funding for products, entrepreneurs and businesses of promise. www.GrowUtah.com
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PR Contacts:
Justin Bott
Grow Utah
(801) 593-2269
Info@growutahventures.com
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