In only its second year, the Fort Lewis College Hawk Tank Business Plan Competition has proven to be a special partnership between the College and Durango. Innovation is a key to economic success, both in business and in communities. The Hawk Tank aims to give budding entrepreneurs the expertise and funding to bring new ideas to bear to create the next great business born in Durango.
With this idea in mind, Swan Global Investments, a national firm headquartered in Durango, has signed on as a Platinum Sponsor of the FLC Hawk Tank. The First National Bank of Durango is the Hawk Tank’s Presenting Sponsor.
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| Justin Bates |
“Swan Global Investments wants to aid in the development of a new generation of entrepreneurs,” says Justin Bates, Swan’s director of operations. “The phrase ‘we have always done it this way’ has pervasively spread through the economy, slowly putting to death competitive American innovation. Entrepreneurs have the ability to regenerate the US economy, through their imagination, innovation and disruptive capabilities.
“Durango, CO, is home to many innovative and disruptive companies, and we believe this has created an environment whereby the FLC Hawk Tank will accelerate the next generation of entrepreneurs’ success.”
The goal of Hawk Tank is to help teams create a winning business plan. Hawk Tank participant teams must be led by a FLC student or recent alumni. The teams have the opportunity to work with business experts through a series of workshops held this spring to refine their business plans. The final plans are due by the end of March 2017, with the winners announced in April.
Last year’s Hawk Tank winner was The Mate Exchange, a company that works directly with suppliers in South America to create a tea that offers sustained energy without the crash of coffee or energy drinks. Mr. Bates is counting on Swan’s investment in the Hawk Tank producing more entrepreneurs with new ideas.
“The idea and vision Swan has for each of the 2017 FLC Hawk Tank teams is to develop and mobilize their unique, disruptive and innovative ideas into their specific business segments,” he says.
Learn more about the Hawk Tank Business Plan Competition at www.fortlewis.edu/businessplan.