entrepreneurship

  • Leading the U.S. Dept. of State International Visitor Leadership Program Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Training

    Leading the U.S. Dept. of State International Visitor Leadership Program Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Training

    Last week I led 16 international business leaders in the IVLP Science and Technology Entrepreneurship Training seminar at the Posner Center for International Development. The seminar, hosted by World Denver on May 23, 2024, covered the roles of government, private enterprises, professional organizations, and universities in fostering entrepreneurship. Participants explored how innovations are adopted across…

  • Teaching the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative Startup Investor Pitch Workshop

    Teaching the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative Startup Investor Pitch Workshop

    Today, I led a Startup Investor Pitch Workshop for the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative alongside entrepreneurs Don Novak and Danny Effron. During a three-hour session, we coached 12 entrepreneurs from the Americas on their pitches, covering topics like storytelling, value proposition, and handling rejection. The workshop included interactive individual and group sessions, culminating…

  • Teaching Global Innovation Catalyst’s iX Online October Program Fundraising and Ownership Workshop

    Teaching Global Innovation Catalyst’s iX Online October Program Fundraising and Ownership Workshop

    Recently, I was honored to teach the Global Innovation Catalyst’s iX Online October 2021 Program Fundraising and Ownership Workshop for a great group of global entrepreneurs: Webinar 11: Fundraising and Ownership | GIC iX Online October 2021 Program – January 13, 2022 The Global Innovation Catalyst (GIC) Innovation Execution (iX) Program takes participants through the…

  • Speaking on Entrepreneurship with the Russian CIEE Russia Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Virtual Exchange Program

    Speaking on Entrepreneurship with the Russian CIEE Russia Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Virtual Exchange Program

    Thanks to the Russian CIEE Russia Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Virtual Exchange Program for having me speak with them about startup investing and entrepreneurship. Looking forward to hearing the business pitches at the end of the program. Russia Youth Leadership and Entrepreneurship Virtual Exchange Program Program description This virtual exchange program for Russian and American…

  • Reverse Pitching Boomtown at Denver Startup Week

    Reverse Pitching Boomtown at Denver Startup Week

    This week, I was happy to pitch Boomtown Accelerators at the Denver Startup Week Reverse Accelerator Pitch Session. Thanks GAN for hosting, and for all of the great questions from the audience. GAN is a highly-curated community of accelerators, partners, and investors who all share a collective purpose of creating opportunities for startups around the…

  • Mentoring German Marshall Fund YTLI Fellows

    Mentoring German Marshall Fund YTLI Fellows

    This week, I was proud to spend a bit of time working with a group of international entrepreneurs participating in the German Marshall Fund of the United States Young Transatlantic Innovation Leaders Initiative Fellowship, supported by the U.S. Department of State. We discussed: The quick expansion of the Denver/Boulder area entrepreneurship landscape and opportunities for…

  • Guiding discussion on Startup Network Building at Montreal StartupFest

    Guiding discussion on Startup Network Building at Montreal StartupFest

    This year at Montreal StartupFest, I hosted a discussion with startup accelerator and venture investment leaders on startup network building, alumni services, and dealflow community. Thanks to Montreal StartupFest for a solid event. Startupfest is the leading startup event in Canada. Founded in 2011, it has become the annual gathering at which entrepreneurs, investors, makers,…

  • Keynote – “Startup Investing in the United States” at Kazakhstan’s GoViral Conference

    Keynote – “Startup Investing in the United States” at Kazakhstan’s GoViral Conference

    During the June 2019 GoViral Conference in Almaty, Kazakhstan, I gave the keynote speech on Startup Investing in the United States. Featured on: Instagram – GoViral.kz, Facebook – GoViral.kz, Facebook – US Embassy Kazakhstan Go Viral is an international festival sponsored by the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan that brings together innovators in media, culture, business,…

  • Forbes KZ – Making the connection between US and KZ investors

    Forbes KZ – Making the connection between US and KZ investors

    I had a wonderful time speaking with journalist Ulyana Salapaeva writing for Forbes Kazakhstan about making the connecting between US and KZ investors. In summary, I feel that there are a ton of options for Kazakh startups to approach US investors. It’s important to understand the mindset of the US investor, fully realize the type…

  • Discussing Kazakh startups going international at GoViral Almaty

    Discussing Kazakh startups going international at GoViral Almaty

    On Day 1 of GoViral in Almaty, Kazakhstan, I participated in an engaging panel discussion covering details, nuances, and issues with Kazakh startups appealing to an international audience. Thanks for a solid discussion, panel! Go Viral is an international festival sponsored by the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan that brings together innovators in media, culture, business, and…

  • How to position your startup for investors – GoViral KZ Interview

    How to position your startup for investors – GoViral KZ Interview

    I had a solid discussion about how to position your startup for investors during GoViral.kz in Almaty, Kazakhstan with U.S. Embassy Tashkent Information Officer Susannah Wood. Thanks for the awesome discussion! Go Viral is an international festival sponsored by the U.S. Mission to Kazakhstan that brings together innovators in media, culture, business, and technology to…

  • Mentoring Startups from Emerging Markets at Seedstars World Summit 2019

    Mentoring Startups from Emerging Markets at Seedstars World Summit 2019

    I’m proud to have spent an action-packed week mentoring startups from global emerging markets at part of the Seedstars 2019 World Summit in Lausanne, Switzerland on behalf of Boomtown Accelerators (where I currently serve as Investment Director) It’s always a pleasure to connect with founders from across the globe, trade ideas, and teach them about…

  • Mentoring startups at the Seedstars CEE Summit

    Mentoring startups at the Seedstars CEE Summit

    In December 2018, I was honored to mentor startups and speak at the Seedstars CEE Summit. Meeting with leading edge entrepreneurs in the CEE region was an inspiring project, and I’m looking forward to continuing to work with this engaging group. A few of the key topics covered included: Key considerations for CEE startups appealing…

  • Pitching Boomtown at the University of Colorado’s Tech Transfer Office Accelerator Seminar

    Pitching Boomtown at the University of Colorado’s Tech Transfer Office Accelerator Seminar

    Today I had the opportunity to speak to a group of grad students and early entrepreneurs about the details of the startup accelerator and incubator ecosystem in Boulder. I was joined by industry colleagues from Innosphere, Rockies Venture Club, Boulder Small Business Development Center, and CatalyzeCU. Boomtown Accelerator is currently accepting applications.  

  • Mentoring Startup Summer Pitch Night

    Mentoring Startup Summer Pitch Night

    This week, I was pleased to mentor Startup Summer Pitch Night with Silicon Flatirons, at the Boomtown Accelerators office.  What a great set of teams! Pleasure working with Sarah Phillips of Boulder Bits. Startup Summer 2018 concludes with a pitch competition, where students from the program pitch their unique startup ideas. This summer, students have interned at local tech startups and built their…

  • Teaching the Galvanize Workshop: What’s Next for My Startup?

    Teaching the Galvanize Workshop: What’s Next for My Startup?

    This week, I was proud to develop and teach the Galvanize workshop titled “What’s Next for My Startup?“. During this hour-long workshop, I worked with a group of emerging entrepreneurs to discuss pathways for their startups, analyze the state of venture capital, and go over the model we’re pursuing at Boomtown.  

  • Discussing International Investing and Russian Startups on The Syndicate Podcast

    Discussing International Investing and Russian Startups on The Syndicate Podcast

    This week, I had the pleasure of recording an interview with Matt Ward of The Syndicate Podcast: “The Russian Startup Scene and What Founders and VCs Need to Know with Jeffrey Donenfeld of Boomtown Accelerator” Listen to me on The Syndicate Podcast: Apple Podcasts, Android, RSS, Direct Here’s what I discuss with Matt on the…

  • Boomtown Accelerator Demo Day Spring 2018 showcases our 10th Cohort

    Boomtown Accelerator Demo Day Spring 2018 showcases our 10th Cohort

    Last Friday, May 18th, I was proud see Boomtown Accelerator’s 10th cohort showcase their businesses at Demo Day, part of Boulder Startup Week. As Investment Manager at Boomtown, it’s always a satisfying experience seeing the companies I helped to bring into the program finally graduate, with the growth and success of their businesses on the…