Start Foundation aims to build statewide startup community.

• Author: Christensen, Lisa
• Position: Around Utah: UTAH VALLEY AREA

Provo -- A group of Utah's best and brightest have come together to foster the state's burgeoning tech sector. The START FOUNDATION, a nonprofit organization officially launched on Nov. 23, is geared toward helping build a community of startups and entrepreneurs and connecting them with mentors from established companies, said chairman Aaron Skonnard, CEO of Pluralsight.

"We thought that a foundation of CEOs and entrepreneurs would almost organically combust and kind of take off from there, which is what we're seeing because there's a real strong desire within the startup community and all the entrepreneurs out there to come together like this," he said.

While it's still early, the foundation certainly has enough heavyweights on its side. Besides Skonnard, the group's board is comprised of Jill Layfield, CEO of Backcountry; Clint Betts, founder of Beehive Startups; Carine Clark, CEO of MaritzCX; Bryce Roberts, managing director of OATV; Blake Modersitzki, managing director of Pelion Ventures; Dave Bateman, CEO of Entrata; Matt Wells, partner at Holland & Hart; Mark Chenn, CEO of Saltstack; and Rachael Herrscher, CEO of todaysmama. com.

The group's goal is threefold, Skonnard said. By connecting prior generations of successful entrepreneurs with up-and-comers, a culture of mentorship is formed, he said, as well as introducing entrepreneurs to potential investors. A community formed in that way also helps those just starting out learn the ropes more quickly than on their own, he said. That kind of community is something he said he wishes he had when he started Pluralsight 12 years ago.

"I didn't know any entrepreneurs in Utah. I felt completely alone. There were no events I knew of where I could just go and start meeting people. I didn't know who the VCs were or about venture capital. I didn't know who the best law firms or accounting firms or advisors were in the state. If you're building a company in a...