There’s a saying about the cruel effect that money has on the quality of a product: “It eats quality and poops quantity”, William Burroughs. (Ok fine, he uses a different word for poop). For so many expanding businesses, this insight seems to be true. Quality of product is surrendered to the quantity produced, as companies’ main goals are to become as large as possible, while trading in the integrity of their original products. Newton Running Shoes and ROLL Recovery (in my last two posts) have proved to evade this sentence, succeeding based on their commitment to quality, rather than quantity,... Read More

   “Leave the research to us. We’ll leave the training to you.” Admit it. You’ve ordered something online for the sole purpose of getting to look forward to a package coming in the mail. It’s really not that sad or desperate. Getting something specifically sent to you feels awesome and let’s you know someone out there took the time to prepare the thing, send it, and now it’s here. Just for you. Runnerbox, the Boulder start-up founded in 2012 by marathoner and nurse, Staci Dietzel, harnesses a similar concept. Except ordering a Runnerbox requires even less deliberation... Read More

Grab your smartphones and tablets and get ready, because automated learning just got cuddly with this local startup’s toy. Meet Ubooly, the uber cute and unboring toy for your kids ‘guaranteed to outlast any other toy’. At its most basic, Ubooly is an interactive, smart technology based stuffed animal that is powered by your smartphone or tablet.   When you purchase an Ubooly, you receive the adorably furry toy case for your phone or tablet as well as a free membership for Ubooly’s interactive features to provide your child with an engaging and educational play experience. Once your... Read More

Endurance sports are rigorous and demanding, which means athletes are always focused, serious, and mostly boring. “We are purveyors of fun.” -Endurance Conspiracy False. Behind tough and blister-ridden exteriors, endurance athletes like triathletes, cyclists and long distance runners all seem to share a similar light-heartedness and love for their lifestyles. The ability to find joy in the hard work required from these sports makes the endurance sport community closer, faster and stronger. Endurance Conspiracy, an endurance-sport-apparel-retailer in Boulder, manufactures hilarious,... Read More

A kooky philosophy professor of mine used to refer to foods that were vegan, gluten free, and free of refined sugar as “morally pure”. Though he was being a bit silly and facetious, the word “purely” captures perfectly the ingredients, mission and values, and intentions of the now Boulder-based natural food company, Purely Elizabeth. In 2008, Elizabeth Stein was a nutrition student with a dream of opening a natural foods/nutrition company like Nucific and moving out west: the manifest destiny of someone hoping to change the game of healthy gluten-free, vegan foods forever.... Read More

Almost anyone with a dog will tell you that their furry friend is more than just a pet, it’s their beloved best friend and they do everything they can together; walks, runs, hikes and in the case of some of the lucky well behaved and registered support dogs, even errands! And in a city where tech and dogs rule all, its no surprise that one of Boulder’s youngest startups offers smart technology for mans best friend. WÜF is a smart dog collar striving to become the leader in smart technology for animals.  Their mission: to enable better dog owners and provide unique communication with... Read More

  Generally speaking, most companies offer a multitude of benefits for their employees. Benefits can range anywhere from local bus passes to health and dental benefits or 401k matching. But nowadays, with startups and new businesses placing such a heavy emphasis on engaging company cultures, new and unique takes on employee perks and benefits are popping up all over, it’s not just your average health insurance coverage anymore. Major companies like Eventbrite offer employees weekly massage, acupuncture and chiropractic sessions covered by the company; Thrilllist and Foursquare allow their... Read More

“Our story is simple. We thought hummus could be fun. We wanted something organic, made without cutting the good ingredients for cost, as well as something more innovative. We wanted something fresh to dip our veggies into, and voilà! Our Spicy Avocado Hummus was born.“- Hope Hummus    Hope Hummus began much like many other natural foods companies. With an idea for a fun twist on a classic food, and the passion to pursue the dream of turning their fun idea into an actual company.   Hope Hummus offers hummus in vibrant packaging with the mantra “Spread Good Things”... Read More

Everyone is very familiar with the rise and dramatic fall of the dot com boom. Now we are embracing a similar rise in technology that people are calling the “startup” era. The main difference between the late 90s – early 2000s and now is that technology is solving true problems. Problem solving is a constant reminder to entrepreneurs and innovators alike that there are still untouched sectors of every market just waiting to be capitalized on. Both people and businesses are faced with seemingly insurmountable problems on a daily basis and startups serve to find innovative solutions. One... Read More

Ever heard of Sir Richard Branson? Chances are, you most definitely have. Richard Branson is the English businessman and investor that created Virgin Group, which currently umbrellas over 400 companies world-wide. Somewhere within his busy schedule, Sir Branson decided to create a tech challenge. Starting in 2014, Sir Richard Branson developed the Extreme Tech Challenge (XTC) in order to “bring together targeted resources and world class advisors to help high-energy, wicked-smart entrepreneurs that are executing on big ideas”. The final showdown takes place on Neckar Island (Sir Branson’s... Read More