For anyone who dreads the thought of elders moving in, Tiffany Espinosa might have the perfect daytime solution.
Espinosa, 30, received $10,000 for winning first place at the University of Colorado at Denver’s fourth annual Bard Center Business Plan Competition, held Wednesday at the Marriott City Center.
Espinosa edged out five other finalists and 30 entries overall with her plan for Journey of Life Meetinghouse, a nonprofit activity and care center for senior citizens who are ambulatory.
With her mother and a 98-year-old next-door neighbor as inspiration for the idea, Espinosa wowed the judges during her 35-minute presentation.
She explained how seniors would be picked up at their residence and taken for the day to a “country club” environment with various social activities and meals.
“It was the vibrant component to serve a large market which made her plan stand out,” said Vipanj Patel, co-founder and managing partner of Englewood-based iSherpa Capital and one of the three judges.
Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper, the keynote speaker at the awards luncheon, said he could relate to Espinosa’s dream. Before getting into politics, Hickenlooper was an entrepreneurial brewpub owner with ties to nonprofit organizations.
“This is the soil preparation for our economy,” Hickenlooper said about the competition. “These people are the future of solving social problems.”
Espinosa said she plans to use the $10,000 to help get her idea off the ground.
“My goal is to assemble a strong team of partners in order to pull the whole project together,” Espinosa said. “I have no doubt in my mind that this business plan will happen.”
Espinosa also won top honors as having the best nonprofit business plan.
Second place went to BP Proteomics Inc., presented by Catherine Kunst and Millard Cull. Their idea is a biotech company to develop a new generation of diagnostic devices.
Third place went to Ventless Combustion and Energy, a zero-emissions ventless combustion system. That plan was presented by Stanley Sanchez.
Last year’s winning plan, MetroBoom, a premier salon for men, plans to open in July in Denver, said owner Jung Park.
Staff writer Marcus W. Vanderberg can be reached at 303-820-1209 or mvanderberg@denverpost.com.
