On the last Thursday of April, more than 100 attendees came out to the CU Denver Business School’s Jake Jabs Event Center for the 24th annual THE CLIMB | Startup Pitch Competition. The evening event featured live pitch presentations from six CU Denver student teams, a distinguished panel of judges, and a gathering of Denver’s top business leaders, seasoned entrepreneurs, and most promising innovators. All came to see who would walk away with the $10,000 first-place award.
It was not the only pitch competition run by the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship that week. On Wednesday, May 23, the prior afternoon, the same event center hosted five finalist teams for the TechUp Track, a grant-funded addition to this year’s THE CLIMB that supports aspiring tech entrepreneurs in the local area. The TechUp Track and its finalists nearly doubled the size of this year’s THE CLIMB, making it the largest pitch competition series at the Jake Jabs Center to date.
Between both the Student and TechUp tracks, this year’s competition received over 50 applications, from which nine total were chosen. Finalists were then given a few weeks to prepare their live pitch and final business plan. They had only four minutes on stage to present, followed by four minutes of Q-and-A with the judges.
The $10,000 first-place award for the Student Track went to Anchora, an everyone-friendly skincare brand that’s an effective and safe brightening solution. The at-home skincare treatment uses spicules and melanin- and pregnancy-safe ingredients to treat hyperpigmentation, acne, aging, and scars.
Brittany Guzmán Taylor, a current MS in Entrepreneurship student, came up with the idea a few years ago while running her Denver-based day spa, Limn Skincare & Massage. She saw that spicules — hollow, needle-like structures that can be filled with active ingredients — were an excellent and overlooked delivery system in skincare. In 2022, she started experimenting with ingredients, refining her formula, and collecting feedback from her clients. She intends Anchora to be an affordable alternative to costly professional treatments.
“My biggest challenge was trusting that my idea was important enough to put it out there and be heard,” said Guzmán Taylor. “My entrepreneurship classes at CU Denver helped me evaluate Anchora’s value and realize how far-reaching the impact could be. … THE CLIMB put something that began as a dream within my reach.”
After winning first place, Guzmán Taylor now plans to work with an IP lawyer and begin initial product manufacturing, two areas she now has connections for through THE CLIMB’s mentorship and networking opportunities.
“My best advice is to first attend THE CLIMB as a guest,” she said. “I was at last year’s competition, and it was so helpful to see how the event works. Also, be sure to connect with your mentors and professors; they have invaluable insights and guidance.”
For the TechUp Track, both the first-place and second-place winners happened to be drinkable products. Rooted Broth, the first-place winner, is a functional wellness brand that creates tea bags of sipping bone broth inspired by global recipes. It aims to be the only complete-protein bone broth on the market with 10 grams of protein and 5-7 grams of collagen per serving.
“I saw other companies doing well with vegan sipping broths in tea bags, but I wanted to create something with the nutritional benefits of real bone broth,” said Danielle Drescher, founder and CEO of Rooted Broth. “As soon as I heard about THE CLIMB, I knew I wanted to apply and challenge myself. … It helped calm some of my nerves knowing that the environment was encouraging and that everyone genuinely wants the presenters to succeed.”
The TechUp Track’s second-place award then went to Anbessa Coffee, a premium Ethiopian coffee brand focused on delivering the world’s best coffee beans. Faven Assefa first launched the brand (formerly known as Luxe Coffee) back in May 2023. She has since been developing and running the business as she pursues her MS in Entrepreneurship degree and participates in the TechUp programs at CU Denver.
Back to the Student Track, the $5,000 second-place award went to First Decree, a fashion startup that aims to liberate women from the tyranny of the bra. Its first product, the Theratop, is a fashion-forward top with a built-in support structure designed with comfort, functionality, and elegance in mind. First Decree is run by Sandra Halvatzis, founder and CEO, and Jaqueline Berrum Martinez, head of product development and a current BSBA in Entrepreneurship student.
“I started First Decree because I had a cancer scare last year and had to have surgery,” Halvatzis said. “After that, I found that bras were either comfortable but clinical, or stylish but uncomfortable, so I made my own. Soon enough, my sister and my friends wanted to order one. I saw that other women also wanted something more practical.”
Dawn of Dreams Africa (DADA) — an organization focused on empowering young mothers in Kenya through counseling, education, and vocational training — won the Student Track’s Mission-Driven Award and its $2,500 cash prize. The Mission-Driven Award is made possible by the generous sponsorship of Joanne Posner-Mayer of the Posner Center for International Development.
Vicky Chepkirui, founder of DADA and a current MS in Entrepreneurship student, developed the idea while taking entrepreneurship courses earlier this spring. Going through THE CLIMB was a learning experience that helped strengthen her confidence, she said. Chepkirui partnered up with Denis Muthike, a friend and assistant research professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering at CU Boulder. Winning this award proved to them that others believed in this idea and that it was worth pursuing, she said.
This year’s Pitch Night was hosted by Bree Davis, host of City Cast Denver, and Paul Karolyi, senior executive product of City Cast Denver. The Jake Jabs Center was excited to feature one of Denver’s most popular daily news podcasts as part of the community event.
Judges for the TechUp Track included Leonard Dixon, instructor of entrepreneurship and information systems at CU Denver; Mae Podesta, operating executive and executive coach; Omaira Portillo, startup consultant and instructor at CU Denver and CU Anschutz; and Bryan Stear, founder of Shoot Indoors Franchising and instructor of entrepreneurship at CU Denver.
Judges for the Student Track included Joel Appel, serial entrepreneur and co-founder of Launch Pad and Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery; David Birzon, CEO at Snooze, an A.M. Eatery; Arieze Evans, operations coordinator at Access Mode; and Robin Glenn, chief product and learning officer at 7Mindsets.
At the beginning of Pitch Night that Thursday evening, Mayor Mike Johnston addressed the crowd inside the Jake Jabs Event Center via video. “The future of this city here in this room,” he said. “Whether you win or not tonight, just getting up to pitch and share your vision — that’s already a huge step. So, keep going, keep building. The city and the world need what you’re working on right now.”
About THE CLIMB | Jake Jabs Startup Pitch Competition
Since 2001, THE CLIMB | Jake Jabs Startup Pitch Competition has supported the growth of collegiate startups and innovative ventures across the Front Range.
Backed by the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship at the CU Denver Business School and infamous entrepreneur, Jake Jabs, THE CLIMB is an annual pitch competition and event series that helps students and future business owners transform concepts into viable companies. We strive to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with the network and resources they need to succeed, including mentorship, educational experiences, financial support, and real-world industry exchanges. With more than 600 mentor hours shared and $1.2 million awarded to date, the competition continues to grow and shape student experiences, local businesses, and the Colorado entrepreneurial community.
The Jake Jabs Center is so thankful for the ongoing support from our sponsors, especially our Title Sponsor, Mr. Jake Jabs and American Furniture Warehouse, and our Gold Sponsors, the Posner Center for International Development and Zaidy’s Deli & Bakery. We also thank our bronze sponsors, Colorado Health and Tech Centers and Alpha Capital Family Office, and for the special support from Brian McDonald and Sarah and Kyle Ehrhardt.
About the Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship
The Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship (JJCE) is a multidisciplinary resource center located in the University of Colorado Denver Business School. Emphasizing real-world experience, JJCE is dedicated to educating and empowering undergraduate and graduate students to think and act entrepreneurially. Through its academics, extracurricular programs, and events, the Center provides door-opening networking and mentorship opportunities for students of all backgrounds, whether they go on to launch their own startups or join existing organizations.
Media Contact: Sarah Soenke | Jake Jabs Center for Entrepreneurship 630.346.5050 | sarah.soenke@ucdenver.edu
NOTE: Photos and interviews with winners of THE CLIMB are available upon request
