Fifteen teams will compete as finalists in bizMIX 2015, the annual business plan competition for start ups conducted by professional networking and economic development group MIX Santa Fe. This year’s finalists were chosen from more than 85 applicants.  They will take a journey over the next few months to: develop a great business pitch, put together financials, create strategies for marketing, and network with business leaders and prospective team members in Santa Fe.

More than $50,000 in cash and prizes will be awarded to winners when the competition culminates this August.  For the 4th year in a row, the bizMIX finalists are an eclectic group, from Japanese knives to baby travel solutions to Ethiopian cuisine, the finalists are listed below:

  • Enchanted Barrel Exchange – A New Mexico craft taproom and small brewery offering seminars and hands-on experience for local beer enthusiasts and the public.
  • Shihan Fine Knives – Blacksmithing shop committed to making high-quality, hand-forged Japanese style kitchen cutlery by combining rigorous metallurgical processing with the streamlined production methods of Japanese artisans.
  • The Kitchen – A community focused commercial kitchen and food business (food truck, restaurant, pop-up) incubator providing full service kitchen facilities with multiple stations and a dining/classroom area.
  • Flying Duchess – Motorcycle clothing tailored specifically for female riders.
  • Parlour – A private club serving specialty drinks, affixed with parlor games and more!
  • Pedal Speed Bags – Handmade, high-quality, functional and attractive bike bags for cyclists to carry gear for day rides and multi-day trips, designed with emphasis on durability, reliability and ease of use.
  • BeneTrkr.com – A mobile platform designed to help people track and discover their government benefits. It is designed for the millions of people collecting a government subsidy, such as those on disability, veterans, retirees and anyone trying to navigate government benefits.
  • Cafe Roha – Serving authentic and exotic Ethiopian food with generous hospitality—the hallmark of the Ethiopian dining tradition—through pop-ups, private catering and participating in festivals as a window to Ethiopia’s rich cultural heritage.
  • Squash Blossom – Restaurants’ wholesale avenue to local farm products through a streamlined, user-friendly, online order system with products available from dozens of local farms, priced reasonably, with reliable quality, harvested within 24-hours of delivery to their kitchen door.
  • Integral Training Santa Fe – Theater-based professional development workshops, training and coaching that focuses on skill-building in collaboration and public speaking to local businesses, enterprises and organizations that bring meetings and conferences to Santa Fe.
  • MeowSkratch – A patented, user-friendly wonder of a sculpting medium that is non-toxic, dries quickly, does not shrink, sands easily, adheres to most surfaces, adheres to itself, can be drilled into and has structural integrity after drying, while being affordable to artists, builders and craftspeople.
  • HoneyMoon Brewing HoneyMoon brewing is among the first kombucha beers on the market, a unique and healthier take on fermented beverages, catering to the dry and hoppy palate of craft beer drinkers in New Mexico.
  • Comet House – Designing and building “tiny homes,” non-permanent structures that are an alternative to the contemporary housing market/process, focusing on creating designs and structural plans that make the most of a limited building footprint and incorporating low energy technology and self supporting systems.
  • kittyloo (working title) – New and improved design for a kitty litterbox environment, manufactured and produced by environmentally friendly, locally-sourced design that is simple, clean and modest.
  • Babierge – Family access to baby and kiddo equipment rentals while on vacation. Babierge does the ‘heavy lifting’ of sourcing, delivery, setup and pickup of rentals, suggestions for nannies and recommendations for local family-friendly activities, making travel less stressful and allowing for more memories while on vacation.

The bizMIX 2015 competition would not be possible without the generous support of sponsors in the community.  Please join MIX in thanking these visionary supporters.

Sponsors to date:

  • LANL Feynman Center for Innovation, Venture Acceleration Fund
  • CHRISTUS Health Plan
  • PNM
  • Santa Fe County
  • Thornburg Investment Management
  • City of Santa Fe, Economic Development
  • Century Bank
  • Los Alamos National Bank
  • New Mexico Bank & Trust
  • Positive Energy Solar
  • Santa Fe Community Foundation
  • Bank of Albuquerque
  • Los Alamos National Security, LLC
  • Hotel Santa Fe
  • Inn on the Alameda
  • San Francisco St. Bar & Grill
  • Slazer Technologies
  • 4-LEET
  • Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce
bizMIX News | April 16th 2015

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