Silicon Couloir’s 14th Annual Pitch Day, its signature event of the year, will be held on Tuesday, October 7th from 5:00 to 7:00 PM MT at the Center for the Arts in Jackson, WY, with a reception to follow the main event. Pitch Day is free to attend and open to the public. A livestream will be available for those who can’t attend in person. Full details and registration are available HERE.
Pitch Day features select Wyoming entrepreneurs showcasing their innovative and creative businesses to a panel of esteemed judges and a live audience. This year’s five finalists have each participated in five intensive coaching sessions with 22 coaches, composed of successful entrepreneurs and business leaders. All finalists this year are generating revenue from their respective ventures.
Silicon Couloir will once again provide free Spanish translation services to ensure the event is welcoming and inclusive. This year, we’re also excited to debut a new app, generously developed and donated by Cinch, that will make the program more interactive for our audience.
Above: After months of practice the stage is set for entrepreneurs to strut their stuff.
2025 Finalists
Caucell | Founders: Kwat Medetgul-Ernar, Kate Medetgul-Ernar | Driggs, ID
AI-driven, at-home blood test that screens for autoimmune and chronic disease, cutting diagnosis time from years to weeks.
Cowboy Country Milling | Founders: Stuart Lerwick, Emily Jarrell, JD Corson | Albin, WY
Strengthening Wyoming’s food system by sourcing local and healthy wheat, milling in Pine Bluffs, and creating jobs while keeping dollars circulating in the state.
MayPall | Founders: Lucas Wall, Leo Gomelsky, Mark Gomelsky | Laramie, WY
An all-natural mouthwash for kids developed from University of Wyoming research that is clinically effective and completely safe to swallow.
Rise Centered | Founder: Emily Byrne | Jackson, WY
A wellness brand helping people reconnect with themselves through beautifully designed, phone-free products like their flagship sunrise alarm clock.
Simple Learning | Founder: Tina Kramer | Ammon, ID
Educational tools for individuals with learning disabilities, including a patented sound device inspired by the founder’s personal experience with ADHD.
Above: Pitch Day Panelist Choice Award winner Zoë Worthen of Uplink Robotics adeptly responds to panelist question.
Record-Breaking 2025 Prizes
This year’s Pitch Day will award a total of $80,000 in cash and in-kind prizes, surpassing our goal of $75,000 and representing a 67% increase over last year’s prize pool.
For the first time ever, every finalist will receive a cash prize. Even those not receiving a top award will be recognized with a participation stipend for completing the coaching and presentation.
Highlights of the 2025 prizes include:
Panelist Choice Award: $25,000 cash + $1,000 Pirate Ship shipping credit
Audience Choice Award: $18,000 cash + one year membership at The Cowork Space + $1,000 Pirate Ship shipping credit
Bob Arndt Community Caretaker Award: $10,000 cash + six month membership at The Cowork Space + $1,000 Pirate Ship shipping credit
Finalist Participation Stipends: $3,750 each for two finalists
Additional Contributions:
One-year membership to Dreamers & Doers ($2,800 value)
Ten nights of lodging for out-of-town finalists donated by The Virginian Lodge
$3,600 in travel stipends provided by Laramie County Community College
Above: Michael Edwards of Snake River Bioscience explains breakthrough research for treating depression.
Distinguished 2025 Panelists
The Pitch Day judging panel is comprised of leaders in business, technology, healthcare, and community development, who bring a wealth of experience to this year’s event:
Bert Adam: Managing Director at Wyoming Venture Capital (WYVC), Bert is a strong advocate for the venture capital network in Wyoming. With a background in engineering, UX, and product development, he has helped fund and mentor companies across fintech, healthtech, energy, and SaaS. WYVC is a sponsor of Silicon Couloir.
Gaile Gordon: Co-founder of TYZX (acquired by Intel) and former VP at Enlighted (acquired by Siemens), Gaile is a pioneer in computer vision technology. With more than 20 patents and extensive experience advising startups, she now consults in intellectual property and serves as a Silicon Couloir mentor.
Hailey Morton Levinson: Former Mayor of Jackson with over a decade of public service, Hailey is now Community Manager at Pirate Ship, a Legacy sponsor of Silicon Couloir. She brings deep expertise in community engagement, small business operations, and entrepreneurship support.
Dr. Marnie Peterson: A Professor at the University of Wyoming and founder of Extherid which was acquired by Perfectus Biomed in 2020, Marnie is an internationally recognized expert on antimicrobial resistance and therapeutics. She has extensive academic, clinical, and entrepreneurial experience, and is a Silicon Couloir Trustee.
Michael Coles: Co-founder of the Great American Cookie Company and former CEO of Caribou Coffee, Michael is a transformational business leader, education advocate, and motivational speaker with decades of entrepreneurial success. He is a Silicon Couloir Trustee.
Pitch Day would not be possible without the generous support of Silicon Couloir’s Legacy Sponsor Pirate Ship along with our Innovation Catalyst Sponsors the University of Wyoming College of Business, Wyoming Venture Capital, Laramie County Community College and The Virginian Lodge.
We are also grateful for the approximately 40 volunteers who contribute their time and expertise for selection, coaching, and judging to support this year’s Pitch Day event.
