July 3, 2025
Powering Rural Entrepreneurship Across Utah
Some of Utah’s most exciting ideas are taking root in unexpected places — small towns, farming communities, and main streets miles from the Wasatch Front.
The Rural Utah Chambers Coalition strengthens the chambers that support these rural entrepreneurs, equipping them with the tools, networks, and advocacy to grow thriving local economies. With 31 chambers working together in a state where rural communities make up the majority, the coalition is proving that innovation thrives not only in cities, it flourishes where community runs deep.
Learn how the Rural Utah Chambers Coalition helps entrepreneurs grow through local chambers.
SadieB
Before most students chose a major, Sadie Bowler was launching a business with her sister. SadieB Personal Care, a beauty brand rooted in empowerment, would soon make its way onto the shelves of Target stores nationwide. Created with individuality in mind, the sisters didn’t just aim to enter the beauty industry but change the conversation entirely. With support from the Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute and Utah’s tight-knit startup community, the duo turned their idea into a national product line.
Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute
The Lassonde Entrepreneur Institute, housed at the University of Utah’s Eccles School of Business, is a nationally recognized hub for student innovation and entrepreneurship. From housing and mentorship to pitch competitions like Get Seeded, the institute equips students with the tools to launch real businesses. With the recent appointment of alum Scott Holley as the new executive director and a generous contribution by the Lassonde family, the institute is poised to expand its impact even further, providing a shining example of how a supportive and nurturing space is vital in contributing to the future of entrepreneurship.
June Winners
Do you have a business idea? Utah’s Get Started Business Idea Challenge encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to transform their ideas into thriving businesses. This competition is open each month to Utah residents with any idea and awards winners with $500 in non-equity funding.
Recent Get Started winners include:
A La Card, AIBridge Tech Solutions, Dyno Outfitters, FeedFreed, Fueld, MVP Launcher, Scrapp’d, TechConnect
Learn about each winner and how you can join Utah’s thriving startup community.
The Utah Office of Tourism invites early-stage agritourism (farm/agricultural experiences) and astrotourism (dark sky events/experiences) businesses to participate in the Tourism Business Pitch Competition. This event was established in collaboration with the Governor’s Office of Economic Opportunity’s Center for Rural Development to encourage innovative product, service, and business development or expansion that will help bolster Utah’s tourism economy.
Application deadline: July 25, 2025
Event: Aug. 12, 2025, at the Tourism Business Development Workshop
- Meet June’s Get Started: Business Idea Challenge Winners
- ViewPoint Simulations: A Utah Professor’s Mission To Redefine Learning
- How a Statewide Coalition Is Fueling Entrepreneurship In Rural Utah
- San Juan Chamber’s Revival Marks a Turning Point in Rural Utah
- How SandBar Turned a Beach Sport into a Year-Round Utah Business
- Pitch Competitions: Providing Funding, Feedback, and Validation for Utah Startups
- ICYMI: June Newsletter
Thank you to ViewPoint Simulations, Attestiv, VirtuSpect, PinPark, and Halda for being a part of Utah’s startup community. Share your story with us for the chance for your company to be featured.
Want this sent right to your inbox? Subscribe to the Startup State Initiative newsletter so you can receive monthly updates on entrepreneur resources, tips, events, and more.