Sam’s Club and Hatched Invite Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming Entrepreneurs to Audition at Fort Collins Startup Week

Feb 16, 2017 | Member News

Retailer and “Hatched” Investors Looking for Memorable Products at Casting Calls on Feb. 27-28 as Part of Fort Collins Startup Week

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – February 14, 2017 – As part of an ongoing commitment to support entrepreneurs, Sam’s Club and “Hatched” are seeking small businesses to pitch their executives and investors for a chance to be featured on the show, connect to growth opportunities and have their products on Sam’s Club shelves. “Hatched”, produced by INE Entertainment, combines a multi-media platform with prolific investors and retail and corporate partners to create a successful ecosystem for growing consumer brands ready to take their business to the next level. The auditions, hosted by “Hatched” host and Investor Nicole Lapin, Victor Green and Sam’s Club Road Show event buyer Stephen Holman are part of Fort Collins Startup Week, a free, five-day celebration of the local startup community that builds momentum and opportunity around entrepreneurship.

“Northern Colorado and Southern Wyoming are home to growing, dynamic startup scenes,” said Sam’s Club Road Show buyer Stephen Holman. “I’m excited to meet with local entrepreneurs as they take their shot at the American Dream. We think this is a great opportunity to meet with what could be our future suppliers.”

Interested entrepreneurs are encouraged to complete a Hatched Casting Call Application available online in order to be considered. If selected, “Hatched” producers and Sam’s Club will be in touch with details on the filming schedule, location, what to bring and to answer any questions. Due to the number of entrepreneurs we expect, walk-ins are not accepted during either day.

“Our casting calls give small business owners an opportunity to not only pitch their business to successful investors and retail executives, but to also have important dialogue that will help them sharpen their business strategies and continue to grow,” said CEO and Executive Producer, Mark Koops of INE Entertainment. “We can’t wait to continue our search for the next great company and see what the Fort Collins community has to offer.”

Hosted by television personality and author Nicole Lapin, each episode assesses a brand’s potential for investment and popularity in a retail setting with feedback from consumers and industry experts. Regular judges include entrepreneur Victor Green, early stage investor Steve Seigel, Home Shopping Network’s (HSN) Dara Trujillo, and Courtney and Carter Reum from holding company M13. Check standard local Go Time listings for air times.

Not in the Colorado area? Casting calls will continue in Phoenix, AZ (March 12) and Chicago, IL (March 26).

About Hatched
Hatched, created by Andrew Kavovit, Mark Koops and Anthony Samadani, is a nationally syndicated TV show connecting emerging brands was successful mentors and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities. More than just entertainment Hatched combined a multi media platform with retail and corporate partners digital expert and prolific investors to create an ecosystem around growing consumer brands.

INE Entertainment
Mark Koops and Eric Day have been at the cutting edge of innovative content for more than 15 years, establishing INE Entertainment as a powerhouse in the digital space — having generated hundreds of hours of short-form content. Their digital portfolio includes producing three seasons of the groundbreaking real-time social media series Summerbreak, the original digital docuseries Top Grier starring Hayes Grier, HISTORY’s Emmy-nominated The Crossroads of History, as well as the Tiesto-starring EDM documentary series Your Shot. They have created over 1,000 hours of TV programming — developing, creating and show running some of non-scripted TV’s biggest hits, including The Biggest Loser (NBC), Masterchef (Fox), Something Borrowed Something New (TLC) and two-time Emmy nominated children’s program Recipe Rehab (CBS).

About Sam’s Club
Sam’s Club®, a division of Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT), is a leading membership warehouse club offering superior products, savings and services to millions of members in 659 clubs in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. To learn more about Sam’s Club, visit the Sam’s Club Newsroom, shop at SamsClub.com, and interact with Sam’s Club on Twitter and Facebook.

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