StartUp Humboldt Opens $200,000 Competition to Boost Local Entrepreneurs
StartUp Humboldt has opened applications for its $200,000 business competition, offering entrepreneurs access to milestone-based funding, advanced training and individualized support from industry experts. This next phase of the regional initiative aims to advance scalable ventures, expand living-wage opportunities and strengthen Humboldt County’s economy. Innovators with breakthrough concepts or existing enterprises positioned for growth are encouraged to apply.
Uniting leading institutions across education, business and investment, the StartUp Humboldt consortium includes Cal Poly Humboldt, College of the Redwoods, Lost Coast Ventures, Norcal SBDC, North Coast SBDC, the Institute for Entrepreneurship Education and BlueTechValley. As its inaugural flagship initiative, the StartUp Humboldt Competition aims to help entrepreneurs turn promising ideas into durable, high-impact companies rooted in the region. Current sponsors include Rainbow Self Storage and Blue Lake Rancheria.
“We’ve worked for years to build momentum for entrepreneurship in far Northern California,” said Lonny Grafman, Managing Director of the BlueTechValley Northern California Hub and Lecturer at Cal Poly Humboldt. “The AWEsome Competition was an important early catalyst, and the response underscored the need for more involvement, more funding and greater long-term impact. The StartUp Humboldt Competition is a thoughtful progression of that work, bringing together stronger partnerships, expanded resources and a unified vision for supporting founders across the region.”
“After months of community workshops and momentum-building events, we’re thrilled to open the door for applicants,” said Samantha Edwardes, Program Coordinator for the StartUp Humboldt Competition. “Humboldt is a very creative community, and that spirit extends naturally into venture development. We designed this program to remove some of the barriers that hold back our region’s talented entrepreneurs. Now is the time for applicants to step forward and pursue the guidance and resources we’re helping make available to them.”
A select group of Microventure and Scale Venture semifinalists will be notified during the week of February 2, 2026. Those teams will advance to a structured training and mentorship series beginning early next year, featuring university-led instruction and one-on-one advising tailored to each venture’s goals. From this cohort, finalists will qualify to present at the April 2026 Final Pitch Competition and Awards Ceremony.
“Our goal is to empower founders who are ready to grow or launch high-potential concepts,” said Dan Phillips, co-founder of Lost Coast Ventures and former CTO of Hulu. “The right idea, backed by the right guidance, can become a major economic driver for this region.”
“The community’s engagement remains a vital part of this effort,” said Wil Franklin, Director of North Coast SBDC. “Encouraging founders to apply, spreading the word or partnering as sponsors—all of it contributes to a stronger, more resilient regional economy and entrepreneurial landscape.”
Applications are available at startuphumboldt.org/
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