FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE (July 21, 2020 | Grand Junction, CO) – The Grand Junction Economic Partnership (GJEP) is pleased to announce that Mara Hardy has been awarded the inaugural Anchor Point Foundation’s Startup Champion Award in partnership with the Greater Colorado Venture Fund and Startup Colorado. The award was presented during a virtual session with Techstars’ Brad Feld and David Brown during West Slope Startup Week earlier today.
In its first year, the Startup Champion Award was presented to three individuals in rural Colorado who have demonstrated a strong commitment and dedication to their communities and to efforts that support and elevate local entrepreneurship. Alongside the recognition, recipients receive a $10,000 grant from the Anchor Point Foundation to further support activities that grow local entrepreneurial ecosystems.
Hardy joined GJEP in 2018 to help businesses interested in relocation and expansion primarily in the technology, aerospace and healthcare industries. She quickly immersed herself in the local startup community, working closely with the Business Incubator Center and joining the planning committee for Techstars Startup Week West Slope, which launched in Western Colorado in June 2019 and is now in its second year.
Hardy relocated to Colorado’s Grand Valley from Denver where she had started her own consulting company, Inland Planning, to help communities implement their own initiatives and plans. Prior to consulting, Hardy worked at the Colorado Water Conservation Board, where she directed TAP-IN Colorado, a program that connects the entrepreneurial and water sectors.
“We are so proud to have Mara on our team,” said Robin Brown, GJEP Executive Director. “In two years, she has proven to be an immeasurable asset, spearheading efforts to mobilize the entrepreneurial ecosystem across Western Colorado and elevating the local tech industry by recruiting new business, like INFOCU5, to the Grand Valley. This award is well-deserved!”
Media Contact:
Cilia Kohn
Tel: 970.245.4332 ext. 5
Email: cilia@gjep.org
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About the Grand Junction Economic Partnership
The Grand Junction Economic Partnership (GJEP) works to enhance the economic vitality and quality of life in Colorado’s Grand Valley by supporting high-impact capital investment and job creation. Operating as a 501(c)3, GJEP administers incentive programs and offers services free of charge to organizations interested in relocation or expansion in the cities of Grand Junction and Fruita, the town of Palisade and surrounding communities of Mesa County. Visit www.gjep.org for more information.
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