Entrepreneur summer camp

The fourth annual TechLaunch is Wednesday, July 11, at the Oxford Suites, 1426 S. Entertainment Ave in Boise. The first day will be packed with entrepreneurial workshops, which cover financing options, the due diligence process and the art of the pitch.

On July 12, seven Idaho companies will have an opportunity to put the theory into practice by presenting their pitch to a murder board, comprised of five judges including a venture capitalist, venture leasing agent, an angel investor, a commercial banker and a Small Business Administration lender.

Because TechLaunch is an educational effort, entrepreneurs are allowed to ‘pitch’ their company and include ‘the ask’ – how much capital they are looking for, how the funds will be used, etc. Unlike the actual pitch to venture capital or angel groups, the audience does not have to be accredited investors. 

“It’s a fantastic opportunity to learn what not to do, if you want to successfully seek funding for your company,” Rick Ritter, president of Idaho TechConnect, said.

But there’s still cash to be earned. This year’s seven participating companies will compete for a $10,000 prize, provided by the Idaho National Lab.

Here’s a summary of this year’s participants:

• Check a Biz offers businesses online tools to solicit customer feedback, monitor the feedback as it streams in, and then communicate with those customers about their feedback after the sale.

• GoSleepGo is a travel-oriented Web site for travelers seeking destination information that ranges from swanky, just-opened restaurants to caves and hiking trails.

• Ivus Industries’ patent pending charging system uses an emerging energy storage technology that can replace rechargeable batteries in a wide range of products in the lighting, power tools, toys and hand-held appliance markets. 

• Meth Lab Cleanup is a certified clandestine drug lab (CDL) training, testing and decontamination company offering quality services nationwide

• OKOS Solutions provides engineering solutions and software development services. The company currently provides technical support and equipment for inspection of nuclear fuel being manufactured for the Department of Energy’s Advanced Test Reactor, both in Idaho and Lynchburg, VA.

• Pronetos is an online community for scholars and a publisher of academic works.

• U2ML provides software and consulting services to meet the needs of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002.

TechLaunch is organized by Idaho TechConnect, the Idaho National Laboratory, the Idaho Economic Development Association, the Idaho Office of Science and Technology and private and public organizations throughout the state. To purchase tickets or get more information, click here.