Press

Reach, connect, teach. Karen is interviewed by Tony Scelzo on The Line about how makeena helps people make healthy choices anywhere they shop easier, and save them money.

Sixteen promising Colorado startups pitched at Galvanize’s first-ever Colorado Demo Day.  Four were pitched by female founders or co-founders. And of those, the companies are involved in security (Front Door Software), oil and gas (Earth Index), e-commerce (Bold Betties Outfitters), mobile apps (Makeena), farming and restaurants (Rooster Market) and online dating (Meet Mindful).

Several Boulder-based startups will pitch at Galvanize’s first Demo Day on Thursday, with a chance to pitch at Google for Entrepreneurs’ Demo Day in California in April on the line.

Boulder-based startups participating include Native, Conspire, Kapta, Makeena, Sportsy, Parkifi, Rooster Market, Notion and All4Staff.

About 20 years ago, Karen Frame started a business in Boulder aimed at making shopping in a natural foods market more consumer friendly.

Users of the Makeena App are given access to healthy, sustainable products that allow users to earn money if they purchase.  Shoppers are able to find items from a variety of brands, and companies who sell products are able to market through the app.  Makeena makes it easy to find exactly what users are looking for, by allowing them to search by brand, category, store, and even attribute (i.e., non-GMO, Gluten-Free, Vegan, Organic, Local, etc.).

Telluride has long been known for two things:  music festivals in the summer and steep, untracked lines in the winter. Now, the mountain town hopes to add “innovation hot spot” to its identity with the Telluride Venture Accelerator (TVA).  Launched in 2012, the TVA is the country’s first startup incubator based (loosely) on outdoor industries such as tourism, recreation, the environment, water, health, and wellness.  The nonprofit reviews applicants from around the country annually and then invests $25,000 in a handful of selected companies in return for a four percent equity stake.  Three of the four companies from last year’s program have gone on to raise at least $300,000 in financing, and this month, the six groups that won 2014’s TVA investments will present their business plans to other potential investors.  Here’s a look at some of the ideas Telluride’s new incubator is helping bring to the market.

You could pick up the “Prescription for Natural Cures:  A Self-Care Guide for Treating Health Problems with Natural Remedies Including Diet, Nutrition, Supplements, and Other Holistic Methods” – the bible for easy-to-understand information on natural treatments and remedies for a host of common ailments…

But what if you do not suffer from aches and pains?

What if you simply want to buy products that keep you and your family in the pink, while living more sustainably on this earth?

A new crop of startups is set to receive assistance from the Telluride Foundation’s Venture Accelerator program this year, and with a diverse set of ideas, the six candidates hope to make it big.

An online health and life skills education platform, an organic children’s hair care brand, and a social networking application geared toward adventurers will be among the participants of the 2014 Telluride Venture Accelerator program.

Telluride Venture Accelerator (TVA), an initiative of the Telluride Foundation, announced the six winners slated to participate in the five-month 2014 program on Thursday.

The winners were selected from a very competitive field that saw applicants from throughout the U.S. and the world, according to TVA officials.

These 26 companies have proved that they are ready for angel investment. We’ve seen the deck, we’ve discussed the deal, and they are ready to pitch to investors!

I often find myself saying, “today is not like yesterday,” especially when it comes to eating smarter and healthier. What truly baffles me the most in life, is that there still is a stigma that exists in our culture for some people that “eating healthy’ is a task that requires time, money and pressure. Why? A lot of smart people who have great jobs, personalities and families just don’t eat a balanced healthy lifestyle. Perhaps it’s still not easy? I happen to  live and love vegetables, fruits and cooking in general, but not everyone does. That’s okay. It’s also a fact that not everyone eats the same types of foods, but what we have in common is we all do desire to eat well, look good, and we crave different sweets and salts pending our lifestyle and our biological needs that are unique to our stages in life. Maybe Makeena can help you…

DENVER — At the Angel Capital Summit, entrepreneurs had the chance to get together with investors for an opportunity to grow their businesses on Wednesday.At the University of Denver’s Sturm Hall, 26 Colorado companies pitched their products and services to accredited investors.