We're All Connected
At The Cellular Level
We've collaborated with many great people and organizations over the past 30 years. As a consultant, board member, mentor, judge or advisor to both small and large scale businesses and organizations it's important to give back and pay it forward. This means the world to us as they expand our worldview.
Silverwood Partners
Silverwood Partners draws on deep industry knowledge and an unmatched network of industry contacts to create high value transaction outcomes for the Firm’s clients.
With over 70 Industry Focused Professionals and 15,000 active industry contacts, Silverwood's senior professionals have advised some of the leading companies in the firm's focus industries, and have been involved in transactions ranging in size from millions of dollars to billions of dollars.
Keiretsu Forum
Keiretsu Forum is a global investment community of accredited private equity angel investors, venture capitalists and corporate/institutional investors. Keiretsu Forum is a worldwide network of capital, resources and deal flow with 46 chapters on 3 continents. Keiretsu Forum members invest in high-quality, diverse investment opportunities. Keiretsu Forum was founded in the San Francisco East Bay in California in 2000 by Randy Williams. Keiretsu Forum members invest in high-quality, diverse investment opportunities. The community is strengthened through its involvement in social and charitable activities.
We've been involved with the Keiretsu Forum since 2008 and have been impressed with the extremely high quality of their work with entrepreneurs. We've seen first-hand how they not only provide capital to budding entrepreneurs, but also how they nurture, guide and counsel them as well as provide exceptional training.
CircleUp
Their mission is simple: Help entrepreneurs thrive by giving them the capital and resources they need. Through a better experience and machine learning, CirlceUp connects innovative, early-stage consumer brands with capital markets, empowering entrepreneurs to thrive and investors to participate in their growth. The result is much more innovation, which improves what we eat, drink, wear, put on our skin, and how we live our lives.
New Hope
New Hope Network is the premiere digital marketplace that connects the healthy lifestyle industry from supply to shelf with news and trends in natural products news, trends, data, and trade shows. They run the very popular and well-attended EXPO Natural Products shows, the West show bringing in nearly 90,000 attendees.
Foerstel Design
Established in 1985 in Boise, Idaho, Foerstel Design has grown to become an eclectic group of creative individuals with a passion for design, a zealous work ethic, and a deep appreciation for all things organic, natural and sustainable. We have worked on numerous projects together.
Their collective of personalities, talents, and diverse interests strengthens the fabric that makes up their tight-knit team, lead by their Founder, Tom Foerstel. You’ll find cooks, musicians, vegetarians, NASCAR enthusiasts, gym rats, and poets. And that’s just their accounting department
Compass Natural
Based in Boulder, Colorado - considered by many to be the "Epicenter of the Natural Products Industry," Compass Natural is a boutique digital marketing, branding, PR, and business development agency serving the rapidly growing market for natural, organic, socially responsible, eco-friendly and other healthy lifestyles products.
Founded in 2002 by Steven Hoffman, he is driven by a commitment to create a better world through business. Compass Natural has been a leader in the Lifestyles of Health and Sustainability (LOHAS) market since its inception.
Stanford BASES Challenge
The Business Association of Stanford Entrepreneurial Students (BASES) Challenge is Stanford’s oldest and most competitive annual entrepreneurship competition. Students and alumni enter their business or social venture ideas to compete for $100,000 in prize money and developmental opportunities. The application process begins with an electronic written application and culminates in two rounds of live judging.
As mentor and judge it's beyond words to describe the energy, drive, intelligence and open-mindedness we have experienced over the years. Viewing these from up-close provides a unique opportunity to witness first-hand the careful crafting and honing of businesses that are designed with a keen social impact.
Big Ideas @ Berkeley
Big Ideas@Berkeley is an annual contest aimed at providing funding, support, and encouragement to interdisciplinary teams of students who have “big ideas.” Since its founding in 2006, Big Ideas@ Berkeley has inspired innovative and high-impact student-led projects aimed at solving problems that matter to this generation.
Duke Start-up Challenge
The Duke Startup Challenge, founded in 1999, is designed to help Duke's entrepreneurship community flourish, with a year long entrepreneurship competition followed by an accelerator program. As a judge we've been enormously impressed with the quality of thinking, presentation and community that comes out of this competition.
Clean Tech Open
The CleanTech Open is a global accelerator for early-stage clean technology startup companies. We run an annual six-month program to connect startups with the incredible people, resources, and visibility to help them succeed.
As a sustainability mentor, generalist mentor, judge and advisor this competition has been a revelation in the area of technology, renewables, smart transportation, food tech and global supply side innovations. Viewing these competitions over the years has been tremendous.