Colorado Companies to Watch forms Entrepreneurs Consortium of Colorado with CTLF and BEN Colorado

DENVER - March 9, 2017 - PRLog -- Creating a tighter association and alliance, Blackstone Entrepreneur's Network (BEN), Colorado Companies to Watch (CCTW), and Colorado Thought Leaders Forum (CTLF) are pleased to announce the formation of the Entrepreneurs Consortium of Colorado (ECC). ECC is a consortium with the mission to foster a robust Colorado economic environment through the growth and support of entrepreneurial companies and their leaders.

"By working together to do fewer higher-impact events and programs, we believe we can deliver more value while giving back time to the leaders we serve," said Sara van Rensburg, President of the Colorado Thought Leaders Forum.  "We know the power of our combined communities of leaders is far greater than the sum of the parts."

ECC is dedicated to convening successful, generous, influential entrepreneurs and leaders who are moving the marketplace forward, and to creating a resource and content-rich, relationship-oriented environment that enables business leaders and their companies to grow and flourish in the State of Colorado. It will focus on topics, programs and resources viewed as new, innovative, or unique to help move the community forward as thought leaders.

"CCTW is excited for the opportunity provided by ECC to bring more value to the 2^nd stage companies and their leaders that we serve," said Rick Ninneman, Chair of Colorado Companies to Watch. "Second stage companies are the growth engines and job creators, and with ECC, our Winners become part of a more robust community."

"The impact of ECC comes from aligning industry, business and community leaders to make Colorado a premier ecosystem for business," said Greg Greenwood, Executive Director of the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network.

ECC held its first event last week: Kent Thiry, CEO DaVita keynote at the Four Seasons, Wednesday, March 1, 2017. This event was attended by over 300 senior executives from companies throughout Colorado.  Kent presented his journey building DaVita's dynamic transparent culture from bankruptcy to a thriving Fortune 200 enterprise featuring the company as a village and him as mayor. He included how his own personal 360-degree Evaluation has shaped his own growth and leadership development.

ECC will work to provide access to more statewide resources as well as new, innovative programs and awards. "ECC is founded on authentic collaboration and a collective purpose of generosity that makes Colorado a thriving place to build a business," added Greg Greenwood.

About

Colorado Companies to Watch

Colorado Companies to Watch is an awards program honoring 2nd-stage companies headquartered in the state of Colorado. The 400 companies that have been honored since the program's inception demonstrate high performance in the marketplace or exhibit innovative products or processes. The program is designed to seek businesses from a wide range of industries throughout the state, not just the major metropolitan areas. The 50 companies selected each year make an astounding impact on Colorado's economy by collectively providing thousands of jobs and contributing millions of dollars in revenue. The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) launched the program in 2009 in conjunction with the Edward Lowe Foundation and valuable community partners from across Colorado. | Visit ColoradoCompaniestoWatch.org (http://www.coloradocompaniestowatch.org/), facebook.com/ColoradoCompaniestoWatch and Twitter @coloradoCTW

Colorado Thought Leaders Forum

The Colorado Thought Leaders Forum (CTLF) was founded in 2009 to bring actionable, timely, value-rich content to the Colorado business community.  Regardless of the format, all CTLF events and programs have in common two things – helping thought leaders, senior executives, and proven leaders grow themselves and their companies, and creating strong, giving relationships.  | Visit www.ctlf.org

Blackstone Entrepreneur Network

The Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network ("BEN" or "the Network") in Colorado is funded by a $3 million gift from the Blackstone Charitable Foundation to the State of Colorado and is administered by the University of Colorado's Silicon Flatirons Center for Law, Technology, and Entrepreneurship. In parallel with other Silicon Flatirons projects, like Startup Colorado and the CU-Boulder campus entrepreneurship initiative, BEN identifies promising Colorado-based companies across industries (namely, technology, health, aerospace, energy, and natural products) and geographies, and provides guidance and meaningful connections to help these companies scale. | Visit www.bencolorado.org