Sheridan Start-Up Challenge Announces Three Winners

IMPACT 307, Sheridan’s business incubator, has announced three winners for the 2023 Sheridan Start-Up Challenge entrepreneur competition. The Pitch Night event took place Nov. 1 at the historic WYO Theater in Sheridan.

IMPACT 307 is a startup business development program of the University of Wyoming and a part of the state’s Business Resource Network. It is administered by UW’s Research and Economic Development Division. The not-for-profit business incubator system provides startup and early-stage companies with the expertise, networks and tools necessary for the development of successful businesses.

This year’s challenge attracted 35 applicants. A panel of local entrepreneur judges selected 10 plans to advance to the semifinal round before that number was pared to five finalists.

“The feedback that I received from our judging panel indicated that this was a very strong group of finalists,” says Scot Rendall, IMPACT Sheridan director. “The high quality of presentation content and delivery was consistent across all five entrepreneurs, making decisions on winners difficult. I look forward to working with each of the finalists and helping them successfully launch their ventures and grow their businesses.”

Winners selected by the judges are:

-- IXNAY, founded by Anna Bailey, is developing an iOS phone app that will screen food products for those affected by food allergies, plus chemicals or other ingredients that consumers wish to avoid eating.

-- NotFoundBot, founded by Travis Todd and Matt Elliott, is a software tool that uses artificial intelligence-powered redirection to assist e-commerce internet users experiencing “404 page not found” errors. For more information, go to www.notfoundbot.com.

-- Van Dorsten Custom Firearms, founded by Scott Van Dorsten, is a gunsmith business that is developing several products that address niches not currently being served by larger firearms manufacturers. For example, the company is developing a scout rifle-scope mount that can be used to convert a bolt-action rifle to a scout rifle, as well as other firearm accessories. For more information, go to www.vdcfirearms.com.

Additionally, Van Dorsten Custom Firearms was named winner of the 2023 Audience Choice Award from votes submitted by live audience and livestream viewers.

Each of the Pitch Night winners will receive $5,000 and will be eligible to apply for additional funding from the balance of the $100,000 Sheridan Start-Up Challenge seed fund. The judging panel will reconvene in January with the three winners to review progress made on business plans and consider funding requests that will help advance the progress of all three winners.

Big Horn Records, founded by Shawn Day, and Pilot Project Solutions, founded by Bret Noecker, were other finalists that presented their plans.

For anyone interested in viewing the Sheridan Start-Up Challenge program, the livestream recording will remain up on www.sheridanmedia.com for a few days.

For more information, call Rendall at (307) 675-1939 or email srendall@uwyo.edu.