Students to highlight "Startup Saratoga"

Startup Tech Valley, the big monthly meetup for entrepreneurs that usually takes place in Troy, comes north in a special “Saratoga Startup” event this Wednesday, Oct. 14, at Universal Preservation Hall, 25 Washington St., Saratoga Springs.

Organized by the Saratoga Chamber of Commerce in partnership with Startup Tech Valley and Saratoga TechOUT, the evening will begin at 5:30 p.m. with food provided by local restaurants. This will be followed at 6:30 p.m. by a pitch event in which two Skidmore teams will present: Double Dee’s, founded by Stella Langat ’16, and Allstolen Apparel Co., founded by Elizabeth Worgan ’16 and David Florence ’16. Each will give a five-to-seven minute presentation followed by a Q&A session.

Double Dee’s took the first-place $20,000 prize in last year’s Kenneth A. Freirich Business Plan Competition. Taking second, Allstolen was awarded $10,000.

Both companies have made major progress since the final round of the competition last April. In August, Double Dee’s had its market launch in Nairobi, Kenya. Allstolen started online sales of its new clothing line just this week.

“These teams epitomize the opportunities that the Freirich Competition opens for students,” said Roy Rotheim, professor of economics and director of the competition.

Now is the time for Skidmore students who’d like to participate in this year’s competition to indicate their interest, he added.

As in last year’s competition, students may enter either of two categories: for-profit businesses or non-profit initiatives focused on social entrepreneurship.

Students who wish to participate should submit the “intent to compete” form available on the Freirich Competition home page.

Every student whose creativity points toward entrepreneurship should enter the competition, says Langat, who is exploring exhibiting her firm’s bras at two trade shows in China In the next few weeks.

“Starting your own business is a journey – a fun journey that I look forward to every day,” she said. “You learn so much and meet wonderful people along the way.”