The Regis Innovation Challenge is an opportunity for local businesses to build their Denver business ecosystem, gain mentorship, and get hands-on experience. As we enter our seventh year, we are proud to share that we’ve had over 150 businesses pitch to enter our program and have invested over $200,000 into community businesses.
The Regis community is full of entrepreneurs with startups or potential business ideas that need help from you to start running a great company.
This competition is open to anyone – the community, alumni, faculty, staff, and students. Each team must have a current Regis University student on it. We want our students to run businesses that anchor their communities. That is why the Regis Innovation Challenge is different in how we mentor our finalists.
Mentor with the Innovation Challenge
Why does the Innovation Challenge pair teams with mentors?
Mentors are guides, challengers, connectors, introducers, sages, and listeners. They help set expectations for the participants to meet. All experiences are good experiences to be a mentor in the Innovation Challenge.
What is the time commitment for mentors?
We ask mentors to accompany the founders on three Saturdays in the spring of 2024: February 8th, March 8th, and April 5th. The Finals are at 5:30PM on April 18th.
These days provide overviews of strategy, marketing, finance, legal, and community resources with speakers and presentations; active discussions with the mentors help the businesses apply this learning so that the businesses can grow and succeed. Most importantly, the time spent with mentors is one of the main highlights of the Challenge.
We believe entrepreneurship is a community sport. That is why we put multiple mentors around each team (and we realize you might not be able to make all three Saturdays). We provide sustenance and support for mentors throughout the Challenge, including a mentor kickoff and guidance for each day. In between the monthly meetings, mentors give direction and have occasional contact.
If you’d like to connect with a mentor from previous years, contact us to explore.
"It’s my turn now.”
-James Camire, President and CEO of Silicon Mountain Technologies
Who are Mentors?
Business Faculty Mentor
This highlights the mixed academic and applied expertise of our college’s faculty.
Regis Alumni Mentor
Half of all of the alumni from Regis University are business grads and many more have founded, operated, and succeeded in the business world. They represent how our Jesuit education shapes success and the spirit of lifelong learning.
A Community Mentor
The entrepreneurial landscape of Denver is full of vast experience and a willingness to share. These mentors showcase the power of community and help bring our students and the businesses in the Challenge to connect with our wonderful city and its support resources.