WSU and Startup Ogden Host ‘1 Million Cups’ to Energize Entrepreneurs

OGDEN, Utah – Young entrepreneurs and local startups will get critiques for their business ideas during a monthly event called 1 Million Cups (1MC), debuting at Weber State Downtown July 6 at 9 a.m.

1MC is a national program developed in 2012 by the Kauffman Foundation of Kansas. Founders recognized that entrepreneurs often discover business solutions and make important professional contacts over coffee. 1MC provides the coffee and structure to help those relationships brew in more than 35 states. Ogden is the third community in Utah, after Salt Lake City and Provo, to adopt the 1MC model.

The event will be held at Startup Ogden, located on the third floor of WSU Downtown, in partnership with Weber State and Ogden’s Small Business Development Center (OSBDC). Brandon Stoddard, OSBDC director, compared 1MC to the popular reality television show “Shark Tank.”

“Rather than hoping for investments, entrepreneurs will pitch their ideas for feedback and solutions to problems,” he said.

On the first Wednesday of each month, two local startups will present their business models. Each company will make a six-minute presentation, followed by 20 minutes of questions and suggestions from the audience.

1MC provides a format for local entrepreneurs to be open and honest about business challenges and receive feedback and solutions from community members and fellow entrepreneurs.

“Ogden is a hot area for entrepreneurs and small businesses and will continue to build momentum as programs such as 1 Million Cups become available,” Stoddard said.

The first event will feature two local businesses: O-Town Kitchen, which employs single moms to make handmade preserves for food that previously would have been wasted, and Apprintus, which creates custom-textured fine art from photographs.

The event is open to the public. “This is a way for the community to come together. We can each get personally involved in making Ogden one of the most enviable places to work, live and play,” Stoddard said.

Ogden City is sponsoring breakfast from local restaurant Even Stevens, and the Wildcat Store at Weber State Downtown will provide coffee and other hot drinks.

Visit weber.edu/wsutoday for more news about Weber State University.

Author:

Bailey Lefthand, Marketing & Communications
801-626-7948 • baileylefthand@weber.edu

Contact:

Brandon Stoddard, Small Business Development Center director
801-626-7232 • brandonstoddard@weber.edu