Fremont Startup Challenge awards cash to entrepreneurs in Riverton

(Riverton, WY) – Eight entrepreneurs pitched their startup ideas to a panel of judges Friday night at the Wind River Hotel and Casino during the Fremont County Startup Challenge, hosted by the Bootstrap Collaborative.

More than 100 people attended the event, which was emceed by Jett Odle and catered by the hotel. Five judges scored the pitches: Christine Langley, Director of Founder Success at Startup Wyoming; Ryan Hedges, Branch Manager and VP of Commercial Loans at Wyoming Community Bank in Lander; Rylan O’Bryan, Venture Development Manager at the Wyoming Business Council; and Cindy Olson, Executive Director of the Riverton Chamber of Commerce.

The competition was split into two categories. The Fremont Futures division featured early-stage concepts, while the Homegrown Business division spotlighted ventures already up and running. Each category awarded prizes of $5,000 for first place, $2,000 for second, $1,000 for third, and $500 for fourth.

RJ Jubber took first place in the Fremont Futures division with Q-Score, a real-time risk assessment software platform built for high-hazard industries. Jubber, who has more than 25 years of experience in oil and gas support services and other industrial sectors, said the platform uses human and organizational performance principles to quantify risk at the point of work. Beta testing showed a 30 percent increase in hazard identification, and Q-Score entered the market earlier this year. Jubber has invested $102,000 of his own money into the business.

Gwen Wachter placed second with Melaney & Co., an umbrella for her nail salon, a handcrafted skincare line called Society Soap Co. and a future specialty flower farm. Kodie Andersen finished third with Herd Wise, a subscription-based app designed to help ranchers and veterinarians track and manage cattle. Ella Svensson, a business administration student at Central Wyoming College, took fourth with Smart Fridge, a mobile app aimed at reducing food waste through grocery tracking and meal planning.

In the Homegrown Business division, Sheridan Davis won first place with Sunnyside Daycare, which she co-founded with Shane Hart in May 2025. Davis said the daycare has been growing by about 133 percent monthly and offers full-time, part-time, drop-in and Saturday care. She said the next step is expanding into Lander.

Kirbie Despain, a former librarian, placed second with Forrest & Fawn, a bookstore she described as a community-driven space built around connection and storytelling. Marisha Graves took third with The Busy Mother, a gluten-free baking operation she’s looking to move from a home kitchen to a food truck. Blair Hurtado finished fourth with Bison Basin Soaps & Salves, a small-batch skincare line she runs with her husband, using locally sourced ingredients, including beeswax from area producers.