Boulder Startup Week: What I’m Showing Up For
- Collin Christenbury
- Apr 19
- 3 min read
Every year, Boulder Startup Week rolls through town and turns Boulder into this weird, electric mix of founders, creatives, investors, and people who definitely have a startup idea they’ve been sitting on for three years.
It’s free. It’s chaotic. It’s actually useful if you don’t just treat it like a week-long coffee date.
Over 200 sessions. Thousands of people. Dozens of venues across downtown.
This year, I’m not wandering. I’ve got a plan.
Or at least… a curated set of intentions.
What I Signed Up For
🧠 Build + AI + “Let’s See What Happens”
From Idea to Live App in 60 Minutes – Hands-On with Claude CodeBecause apparently we’re all just one prompt away from becoming software engineers now.
Your Vibe Coded App Rules. Now what?Translation: “Cool, you made something… now can you make it not suck?”
Mastering Generative AI for Business GrowthThis one hits close. I’m already deep in content systems and AI workflows, but I want sharper tools, better leverage, and fewer “this almost works” moments.
🎯 Strategy, Content, and Actually Making Money
Craft Your Brand’s Social Strategy in 60 MinutesBold claim. I’ve spent 20+ years doing this… so I’m either about to learn something new or quietly judge everyone in the room.
Learn Vibe BuildHonestly, anything with “vibe” in the title in Boulder could go either way. Could be genius. Could be a guy named River talking about energy alignment. I’m going.
💰 Niche Plays + Opportunity Hunting
AI Builders and Niche Sports OpportunitiesThis feels like one of those sleeper sessions where someone casually drops a $10M idea and everyone pretends they already knew it.
🌿 Let’s Not Pretend This Isn’t On Brand
Cannabis to Enhance Your Pursuits in LifeProfessional curiosity. Obviously.
High-Performance Founders Using Psychedelics (Legally)Boulder stays Boulder.Also… let’s not act like half the room isn’t already doing “research.”
⛓️ Tech + Future + Probably Some Crypto Bros
Boulder BlockchainI’ve been around Web3 long enough to know this could be brilliant… or a room full of people explaining why their token is “different.”
Still going.
🕺 Networking (But Make It Fun)
420 Happy Hour and Dance PartyIf you’re not building relationships here, you’re doing Startup Week wrong.
Deals don’t happen in panels.They happen when someone’s two drinks in and suddenly thinks you’re a genius.
Why I Actually Go to This Thing
Here’s the truth most people won’t say:
You don’t go to Boulder Startup Week for information. You go for proximity.
Proximity to people doing interesting things
Proximity to ideas before they’re obvious
Proximity to opportunities you didn’t know you needed
And yeah… a little bit of ego checking too.
Nothing like sitting in a room full of killers to remind you where you’re sharp… and where you’re coasting.
What I’m Looking For
Better ways to productize what I already do
Smarter AI workflows that actually save time
People building things that need content systems (hello, Fresh Mints)
One or two ideas that make me go, “damn… I should be doing that”
What I’m Probably Avoiding
Panels that sound like LinkedIn posts
“Thought leadership” with no actual results
Anyone who says “we’re building community” but can’t explain how they make money
Your Turn
If you’re going this year…
👉 What sessions am I missing?👉 What’s actually worth showing up early for?👉 And where are the real conversations happening?
Because let’s be honest…
The best part of this week isn’t on the schedule.
If you see me there, say what’s up.I’ll probably be the guy bouncing between AI, cannabis, content strategy… and wherever the most interesting conversation is happening.
Or the bar.Let’s not rule that out.
Collin Christenbury is the Founder of Fresh Mints, a Boulder-based creative studio specializing in content strategy, video production, and SEO-driven growth systems for modern brands. He helps businesses turn attention into actual revenue through scalable content engines.
Explore more at https://www.freshmints.online/
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