Senator Michael Bennet - Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network
On April 23, 2014, the Blackstone Charitable Foundation formally announced the donation of $4 million dollars to Silicon Flatirons (at the University of Colorado) to form the Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network of Colorado. The gift and initiative was announced at an event featuring Governor John Hickenlooper, Senator Michael Bennet, University of Colorado President Bruce Benson, University of Colorado-Boulder Chancellor Phil DiStefano, Blackstone Charitable Foundation Executive Director Amy Stursberg, and The Blackstone Group Managing Director Jon Gray.
The Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network in Colorado (BEN Colorado) has a mission to strengthen and grow the networks across the aerospace, bioscience, digital/technology, energy, and natural foods sectors and will focus on the Boulder and Denver Metro Area regions initially but expand to include the entire state over time.
The vision is to combine Master Entrepreneurs and Advisors to open up important networks of influence to a select number of companies on the verge of rapidly 'scaling up'. The goal is to extend, expand, and connect the networks of experience and expertise in and outside of Colorado.
I have been asked to participate in this incredible project on the Steering Committee of the Advisory Board and I am greatly honored to be involved and grateful for the generous Blackstone contribution and their selection of Colorado as a place to implement the vision.
