Founded in FoCo 2025

Share your expertise at Founded in FoCo! We welcome proposals for sessions from a wide-array of experience and expertise.

Our annual theme is: "Be Future-Proof: The Power of Connection & Innovation"
Bringing the community together to be ready for tomorrow: Adapt. Connect. Thrive. Learn more here >

** The Priority Deadline was October 20th @ 8pm MT. You may still submit a proposal but priority will be given to submissions received by the deadline. **

Do you need to be based in Fort Collins? NO! We welcome diverse perspectives and experience regardless of your home base.

Your submission is more likely to be reviewed and accepted if:

• Your proposal is complete with a compelling title, description, clear audience, and takeaways
• Fits well with our theme and demonstrates an understanding of our Tracks and/or priority programming (see below)
• Includes enough detail about your expertise and/or experience
• A session format that promotes learning and/or connection way more than selling your service/product/offering

Our 2025 Tracks include:

• Builders Track: Sharing expertise around the barriers, strategies, and opportunities to BUILD a business with employees.
• Nonprofit Track: Innovation and best practices in the nonprofit and social impact sector.
• Solopreneur/Freelancer Track: Lessons learned and strategies for building a successful solopreneur/freelancer business.
• Mental Health Track: Sustaining your efforts over the long haul without losing sight of you and your team's personal wellbeing.
• NEW! Creative Track: What it takes to bring Creative work to market.
• NEW! AI Track: New technology is advancing quickly; be prepared.
• NEW! Social & Networking Track: We're elevating our programming to help you meet new people and build relationships to its own track this year so we can offer even more FUN and opportunities to meet people. Have an idea? Share it with us!

Our audience:

• Over 725 people were part of Founded in FoCo last year (2024) including speakers, attendees, partners and more.
• We draw from Fort Collins and the surrounding communities of Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming.
• Attendees represent many parts of our economy from small businesses, remote workers, technology, social services, and more.
• We find many are excited to meet new people, get inspired, and are currently or dreaming of having their own business someday.

Session formats -- your ideas welcome! We aim to have a variety of formats to enhance the experience and serve a variety of learning styles. E.g. presentations and panels are typically 45 minutes long. Workshops are 1.5-2 hours long.

If there’s anything we can do to make it easier for you to apply, please do let us know. We’re committed to supporting diverse members of our community and challenging known and unknown barriers to providing access to the opportunities we offer. Reach out to us at hello@foundedinfoco.com

** The Priority Deadline was October 20th @ 8pm MT. You may still submit a proposal but priority will be given to submissions received by the deadline. **

Speakers and panelists receive free entrance into the event.