BENTONVILLE, ARK — The third cohort of the University of Arkansas Greenhouse Outdoor Recreation Program (GORP) will feature six companies – five focused on cycling and one geared toward mountain climbing – that reflect a multifaceted approach to launching a business.
GORP is the flagship business incubation program led by the Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation and is housed at The Collaborative, the U of A’s education and research hub in Bentonville.
GORP will support these startups with workshop training, team mentoring, and dedicated product/service development to help them scale globally. The 12-week program, which began Jan. 19, also provides up to $15,000 in “non-dilutive seed funding” per company — funding that doesn’t require the owner to give up equity in the company.
Phil Shellhammer, OEI’s senior director of business incubation, said the cohort offers a chance for cross-pollination among a diverse set of founders.
“Each individual founder brings with them unique and valuable experiences that I can see beneficial to some of the other founders in the cohort,” Shellhammer said.
GORP’s Spring 2023 cohort:
- All Bodies on Bikes Clothing Co. — Bentonville
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- All Bodies on Bikes is a size-inclusive cycling brand that believes all bodies should get to enjoy the thrill of cycling with clothing that fits well and looks good. Co-founded by Marley Blonsky, All Bodies on Bikes Clothing Co. seeks to make cycling clothing available in sizes XL to 6X.
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- Best Ride of Your Life (b-royl) — Bentonville
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- B-Royl is designing high-performance cycling apparel that prevents skin irritation and discomfort while enhancing performance. Co-founded by Ironman triathlete Tracy Byrd and Andrew Jacuzzi, B-Royl’s product will allow cyclists to comfortably ride longer.
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- Cloud Pad — Bentonville
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- Composed of passionate rock climbers, Cloud Pad is building innovative products that make outdoor bouldering safer, easier and more affordable. Co-founded by Alex Huesing and Pedro Somarriba, Cloud Pad is eliminating barriers to entry in this sport and pushing bouldering to new heights.
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- Greenway Bike Company — Fayetteville
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- Greenway Bike Company is helping people live their best lives by electrifying every unused bike in America. Founded by Brent Robinson, GBC converts run-of-the-mill analog bikes into electric assist bikes using an electric “mid-drive” motor.
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- Reggy — Multiple locations
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- Reggy brings world-class tools to coaches and event organizers that help them connect with cyclists. Founded by Eliot Jackson, Reggy makes creating experiences lightning fast and eliminates the need for multiple scheduling, payment, email, and website solutions so they can focus on doing what they love.
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- UNCL Co. LLC — Bentonville
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- UNCL Co., short for Universal Network Controlled Lock, is an app-enabled security device that retrofits to public bike racks allowing riders to secure and monitor their bike while frequenting local establishments without the need to carry a personal bike lock. UNCL Co. emerged from the New Venture Development course in the Sam M. Walton College of Business and is co-founded by master of business administration students Michael Burton, Clayton Woodruff, Payton Lenz, and Chris Roderick.
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