Sweetwater County Innovation Launchpad Finalists Selected

Six local companies are competing for seed money through the inaugural Sweetwater County Innovation Launchpad (SCIL).

The competition is administered by IMPACT Sweetwater, a collaboration between the University of Wyoming’s IMPACT 307 and Western Wyoming Community College. It is made possible by an Economic Development Administration’s Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act grant.

SCIL is a competition for local entrepreneurs that provides valuable mentorship from IMPACT 307 and local professionals. The first competition attracted 28 applicants, with nine selected as semifinalists before the six finalists were recently named. A panel of professionals from Green River and Rock Springs judged the competition.

Before the finalists were selected, local legal and marketing professionals presented information to the entrepreneurs during a business boot camp.

The six finalists will participate in a Pitch Day competition Tuesday, Sept. 13, at the Broadway Theater in Rock Springs. Seed funding -- from Commerce Bank of Wyoming and State Bank -- will be awarded to the winning companies.

The six finalists are:

-- Dylan Covington founded a woodworking business that focuses on custom cabinetry and built-ins. Covington says he came up with the idea for his company when he waited several months for kitchen cabinets from a big-box store. When the shipment arrived, several of the units were badly damaged. For more information, go to www.facebook.com/shopdogcw.

-- Amanda Finch is a board-certified holistic health care practitioner and certified functional nutrition counselor. She uncovers the root causes of symptoms and develops customized lifestyle programs focused on prevention and mediation to improve her clients’ health. She has 24 years of experience in fitness and 12 years of nutritive intervention. For more information, go to https://p.bttr.to/3RHXWMb.

-- Cody and Brittany Gray founded a startup technology company specializing in safety and reliability for the recreational and automotive industry. Cody is a controls engineer for Enterprise Products. He is a graduate of Western Wyoming Community College and a member of the school’s Electrical and Instrumentation Advisory Board. Brittany is the director of stewardship for Climb Wyoming. She is a UW graduate, a UW Alumni Association board member and a Leadership Wyoming graduate.

-- Born and raised in Wyoming, Glen and Mindy Reddon are starting a custom meats processing facility in Farson, where they reside. They strive to close the gap in their area for domestic meat processing.

-- Wild Sage Market is increasing access to locally produced foods and other healthy products by opening a community-owned grocery store. Memberships provide the initial capital needed to develop the business and to open the store. Founders include Laurie Carollo, James Chavez, Stacey Dolinar, Megan McComas, Chelsie Naylor, Pete Rust, Aaron Slaton and Nick Walrath. For more information, go to www.WildSageGreenRiver.com.

-- Wyoming Apparatus was founded by Justin Hood in 2020 as an avenue for small fire departments to maintain older equipment. The company offers a multitude of services centered on fire trucks throughout Wyoming. Wyoming Apparatus helps fire departments achieve and maintain National Fire Protection Association compliance for Wyoming emergency vehicles. For more information, go to www.wyomingapparatus.com/, or follow on Facebook or on Instagram.

The Wyoming Business Council, Gov. Mark Gordon’s Wyoming Innovation Partnership, Rock Springs Main Street Urban Renewal Agency (URA), Rock Springs Chamber of Commerce, Green River Chamber of Commerce and the Green River Main Street URA sponsor SCIL’s program.

IMPACT 307 is a statewide network of innovation-driven business incubators committed to growing and strengthening Wyoming’s entrepreneurial community by providing resources and support for founders to thrive.