News Headlines /nvc/ en Innovative ideas and founder spirit ride high at the 2026 NVC Finals /nvc/2026/04/24/innovative-ideas-and-founder-spirit-ride-high-2026-nvc-finals <span>Innovative ideas and founder spirit ride high at the 2026 NVC Finals</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-04-24T16:27:33-06:00" title="Friday, April 24, 2026 - 16:27">Fri, 04/24/2026 - 16:27</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-04/2026_NVC_Finals104GA%20CROPsquare.jpg?h=5cab11f9&amp;itok=QACfSq75" width="1200" height="800" alt="2026 New Venture Challenge Deep Tech category judge Kelly Coyne (left) hands Arkana Therapeutics co-founder Jack Gugel (right) his $150,000 first prize check. Photo: Glenn Asakawa, CU 抖阴传媒在线."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <span>Heather Hansen</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-04/2026_NVC_Finals101GA%20Arkana%20BigCheck%20CROP.jpg?itok=S11o_9Ib" width="1500" height="1096" alt="2026 New Venture Challenge Deep Tech category judge Kelly Coyne (left) hands Arkana Therapeutics co-founder Jack Gugel (right) his $150,000 first prize check. Photo: Glenn Asakawa, CU 抖阴传媒在线."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p><em>2026 New Venture Challenge Deep Tech category judge Kelly Coyne (left) hands Arkana Therapeutics co-founder Jack Gugel (right) his $150,000 first prize check. Photo: Glenn Asakawa, CU 抖阴传媒在线.</em></p> </span> <p class="hero">The 2026 New Venture Challenge (NVC) culminated in a final showcase on April 22 with a live audience cheering on CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 next exciting innovations. Six ventures competed for $336,000 at the event filled with big ideas, entrepreneurial passion and record-setting prize money.&nbsp;</p><p>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chancellor Justin Schwartz launched the packed event at the 抖阴传媒在线 Theater to celebrate the 19th season of the top-ranked entrepreneurial competition. 鈥淓very company, every breakthrough, every idea that changes the way we live starts the same way鈥攕omeone decides to build something that does not exist,鈥 he said.</p><h3>Two categories, six judges, innovative solutions</h3><p>After months of preparation, six finalist ventures emerged to pitch to an enthusiastic crowd at the Finals. They represented two distinct tracks: 鈥淒eep Tech鈥, for ventures based on scientific or technological innovations developed using fundamental scientific disciplines, and the 鈥淥pen鈥 track, which includes ventures innovating beyond the Deep Tech criteria.&nbsp;</p><p>Open category founders presented new solutions for freeing up mechanical engineers to spend more time on cognitive tasks, making effective wealth management techniques more accessible to more people and democratizing high-impact weather data.</p><p>The Deep Tech pitches included ventures focused on intellectual property originating from CU 抖阴传媒在线, including tech related to groundbreaking treatments for metabolic diseases; restoring cognitive resilience with post-biotics; and enabling 6G networks through scalable precision clocks.</p><p>Event emcee Kristin Salada introduced the Open category judges including Adeeb Kahn, executive director, Denver Economic Development and Opportunity; Zeb King, managing director, Endeavor Colorado; and Rithi Prabhu, partner, Campus Founders Fund. Deep Tech judges included Kelly Coyne, venture capitalist, D4 Investments; Sally Hatcher, managing partner, Buff Gold Ventures; and Shay Har-Noy, managing director, Techstars 抖阴传媒在线.</p><p>AquaPuck, the winning team from the 2026 High School New Venture Challenge (HSNVC)鈥攑owered by FirstBank, made a cameo appearance, reprising a pitch for an innovative idea to develop a "puck" that attaches to a water bottle that tracks and prevents dehydration. HSNVC is a spin-off of CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 nationally recognized New Venture Challenge, designed specifically for Colorado high school students in support of entrepreneurial learning.</p><h3>An active ecosystem</h3><p>NVC, a signature program of the Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative, provides aspiring problem-solvers and creatives a chance to build impactful non-profit or for-profit ventures through entrepreneurial events and programming, community support, mentorship and鈥攗ltimately鈥攖he chance to compete for funding. Schwartz told the cheering crowd that this year鈥檚 finalists emerged from a field of 138 ventures, a more than 30 percent increase from last year.</p><p>Stan Hickory, director of NVC and the Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative, described the university鈥檚 entrepreneurial ecosystem as a 鈥渢own and gown system鈥 that thrives on support from 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 business leaders, who lend both financial and volunteer support to lift and inspire founders and their fledgling companies. 鈥淚t wouldn鈥檛 happen without the community,鈥 said Hickory.</p><p><span lang="EN">This year鈥檚 $336,000 in prize money came from D4 Investments, Buff Gold Ventures, the Campus Founders Fund, Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线 and the Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative, adding to the more than $2.1 million awarded to 1,400 ventures since the program began.</span></p><h3>Developing an entrepreneurial mindset</h3><p>At CU 抖阴传媒在线, entrepreneurship is an interdisciplinary effort, according to Hickory. He highlighted the importance of cross-campus collaborations and programming鈥攊ncluding with Colorado Law鈥檚 Silicon Flatirons and the Leeds School of Business Deming Center for Entrepreneurship鈥攆or bringing together would-be entrepreneurs, supporting them with mentors and helping them solve problems facing industry and the wider world.&nbsp;</p><p>For NVC finalists/founders, that programming has been transformative. Arkana Therapeutics co-founder Jack Gugel summed it up this way. 鈥淐U 抖阴传媒在线 is the place to be for aspiring entrepreneurs. The amount of support available, from mentorship and programming to early-stage funding, makes it an incredibly fertile environment to start a company,鈥 he said. They plugged us into 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 entrepreneurial ecosystem, pushed us to refine our story into something we could confidently take onto a larger stage and provided early opportunities for funding that helped us get started."</p><p>David Baines of Pantile Investments agreed. 鈥淐U has done a great job with their programming, whether it鈥檚 through NVC, Silicon Flatirons, the Deming Center or the numerous speakers and events for entrepreneurs on campus and in 抖阴传媒在线,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e met amazing people at these events, and those relationships enable us to do what is traditionally very difficult鈥攂uild a great company for our clients, our employees, our investors and us as founders鈥t's programs like NVC that get us all together so we can build great things together.鈥</p><p>Ptarmigan Clockworks co-founder, Benjamin Hunt called NVC the 鈥渟ingle most important part鈥 of the company鈥檚 journey thus far because it gave them a platform to 鈥渞elentlessly refine our business.鈥 Jack Mulvaney of WatchPost said NVC has been a guiding light throughout the development of the company. 鈥淚n our experience, CU is one of the better places to start a company as a student,鈥 he said. 鈥淭he access to technical talent, the proximity to Colorado鈥檚 energy and infrastructure industries and programs like NVC create real on-ramps.鈥&nbsp;</p><h2>2026 NVC Finals Prizes</h2><p>The judges praised the venture presentations and queried each founder about their business concepts. After a deliberation period, the winners were announced. Each finalist walked away with a check鈥攖he top venture in the Deep Tech category received $150,000 and $40,000 went to the judges鈥 first pick in the Open Category. The additional four ventures split an additional $141,000 in prize money. The $5,000 audience choice award went to WatchPost.&nbsp;</p> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-04/2026_NVC_Finals90GA%20WatchPost%20Check%20CROP.jpg?itok=YN47ZR-n" width="1500" height="1203" alt="Winners of the 2026 NVC Open Category"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p><em>Left-right: <span>New Venture Challenge Open category winners Kate Rooney (Colorado School of Mines), and WatchPost co-founders Jack Mulvaney (College of Engineering and Applied Science) and Josh Shewbridge (College of Engineering and Applied Science) celebrate with their $40,000 first prize check. </span>Photo: Glenn Asakawa, CU 抖阴传媒在线.</em></p> </span> <h3>Deep Tech Category</h3><h4>$150,000 First Place Prize: Arkana Therapeutics</h4><p><strong>Venture Team Members:</strong> Jack Gugel, PhD (alum, <a href="/mcdb/" rel="nofollow">Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology</a>), Marty Stanton, PhD (Mosaic Biosciences), Eric Furfine, PhD (Mosaic Biosciences), Leslie Leinwand, PhD (CU 抖阴传媒在线 <a href="/biofrontiers/" rel="nofollow">BioFrontiers Institute</a>), Jonathan Long, PhD (Stanford University), Thomas Martin, PhD (University of Nebraska)</p><p>Arkana Therapeutics (2025 first place winner, Lab Venture Challenge) has developed a metabolite-based therapeutic for obesity based on pythons鈥 natural response to eating a huge meal. 鈥淭hey can really eat one of the biggest meals in the animal kingdom,鈥 said Gugel. 鈥淲e wanted to see what happens to their physiology and what kind of molecules they were producing.鈥 Ultimately, Gugel and colleagues discovered a molecule that increases by 1,000-fold after the python eats and acts as a natural appetite suppressant.&nbsp;</p><h4>$75,000 Second Place Prize: Kioga</h4><p><strong>Venture Team Members: </strong>Justin Whitley (alum, <a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a>), Chris Lowry (professor, <a href="/iphy/" rel="nofollow">Integrative Physiology</a>), Dr. Adam Bohr (alum, <a href="/iphy/" rel="nofollow">Integrative Physiology</a>), Dr. Chris Stamper (alum, <a href="/iphy/" rel="nofollow">Microbiology and Integrative Physiology</a>), Brian Peeters (Substrate LLC), Gregory Bonfilio (Substrate LLC), Christina Ra (Raconteur Strategies)</p><p>Kioga was launched to commercialize a 鈥渘ew category of dietary ingredient, one that鈥檚 focused on restoring the biology we鈥檝e lost in modern life,鈥 said co-founder and CEO Justin Whiteley. He said that humans evolved alongside 鈥渂eneficial nature-based microbes鈥 found in soil, food and daily exposure to nature that help calibrate our immune systems to maintain a state of balance. Kioga aims to restore that biological resilience in an effort to tamp down chronic stress and inflammation caused by hypersensitive immune systems.&nbsp;</p><h4>$50,000 Third Place Prize: Ptarmigan Clockworks</h4><p><strong>Venture Team Members:</strong> Ben Hunt (graduate research assistant, <a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span>NIST</span></a>), Harikesh Ranganath (<a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span>NIST</span></a>), Dan Miltenberger (<a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a>), Gabriel Hettleman (<a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><span>Leeds School of Business</span></a>)</p><p>Ptarmigan Clockworks was born out of the National Institute of Standards and Technology where co-founders Benjamin Hunt and Harikesh Ranganath met and recognized how scalable precision clocks could enable 6G, the next-generation wireless network. 鈥淎fter years of building these clocks together, we decided it was time to take them out of the lab and [put them] into the hands of people who could really use them,鈥 said Hunt. 鈥淭he clocks we鈥檙e building today can drastically reduce the energy consumption of the telecommunications industry and save lives through remote surgeries, autonomous vehicles and GPS-free navigation.鈥</p><h2>Open Category</h2><h4>$40,000 First Place Prize: WatchPost</h4><p><strong>Venture Team Members: </strong>Jack Mulvaney (<a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a>), Josh Shewbridge (<a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a>), Blake Faulkner (University of Chicago), Kate Rooney (Colorado School of Mines)</p><p>WatchPost is 鈥渄riven by the mission to defend communities against wildfires and extreme weather,鈥 said co-founder Jack Mulvaney. The company鈥檚 hardware-software solution gives critical asset managers the tools they need to make an informed power shut off decision. 鈥淭his is all to reduce both wildfire ignition risk and unnecessary outages that hurt the communities they serve,鈥 said Mulvaney. 鈥淎t scale, that means fewer catastrophic fires, lower liability exposure for utilities and more resilient infrastructure across the West.鈥</p><h4>$10,000 Second Place Prize: Pantile Investments</h4><p><strong>Venture Team Members: </strong>David Baines (alum, <a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a>), David Portilla (Colorado State University), Sri Vamsi Andavarapu (alum, <a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a>), Marcos Murillo (Northern Illinois University), Joel Crampton (CMO Alpha), Luke Tobin (Unusual Group)</p><p>Pantile Investments taps AI to help investors at all levels understand 鈥渉ow to build wealth in a meaningful way,鈥 according to founder David Baines. While working on his PhD at CU 抖阴传媒在线 focused on how to use deep learning algorithms in finance, he recognized a need for better tools鈥攁nd an opportunity to build them. 鈥淔or our clients, this approach reduces debt and increases asset ownership, which [enables] them to contribute to their own lives, their families and communities,鈥 said Baines.&nbsp;</p><h4>$6,000 Third Place Prize: Aspect</h4><p><strong>Venture Team Members: </strong>Jayce Simons (<a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a>)</p><p>Aspect founder Jace Simons told the audience that, when interviewing a wide range of professional engineers, he heard about a 鈥渕ajor pain point鈥 in creating 3D models鈥攁nd that gave him a business idea. 鈥淓ngineers around the world hate making technical drawings; it鈥檚 tedious,鈥 said Simons. His solution is a new plugin for existing CAD (computer-aided design) software that leverages artificial intelligence automation, 鈥渢o free them up to spend more time on modeling and other cognitive tasks,鈥 said Simons.<span>&nbsp;</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>The 2026 New Venture Challenge (NVC) culminated in a final showcase on April 22 with a live audience cheering on CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 next exciting innovations. Six ventures competed for $336,000 at the event filled with big ideas, entrepreneurial passion and record-setting prize money. </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 24 Apr 2026 22:27:33 +0000 Karen Reid 682 at /nvc Trailblazing ideas and entrepreneurial spirit reap rewards at the 2025 NVC Finals /nvc/2025/04/24/trailblazing-ideas-and-entrepreneurial-spirit-reap-rewards-2025-nvc-finals <span>Trailblazing ideas and entrepreneurial spirit reap rewards at the 2025 NVC Finals</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-04-24T21:15:09-06:00" title="Thursday, April 24, 2025 - 21:15">Thu, 04/24/2025 - 21:15</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-04/2025_NVC_Championships143GA%20CROP%20MORE.jpg?h=ad10c77b&amp;itok=pJe4XYaB" width="1200" height="800" alt="Kickstart principal Matt Smith hands the VerEState team their winning check"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <span>Heather Hansen</span> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-04/2025_NVC_Championships143GA%20copy_0.jpg?itok=ZfPtFlEU" width="1500" height="1249" alt="Kickstart principal Matt Smith hands the VerEState team their winning check"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p><em>Kickstart principal Matt Smith hands the VerEState team the $144,000 Open category first prize check . Left-right: Smith, <span>Alec Hyde&nbsp;(</span></em><a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><em><span>Leeds School of Business</span></em></a><em><span>), Nicholas Soza&nbsp;(</span></em><a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><em><span>Leeds School of Business</span></em></a><em><span>) and Camden Dempsey&nbsp;(</span></em><a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><em><span>Leeds School of Business</span></em></a><em><span>). </span>Photo: Glenn Asakawa, CU 抖阴传媒在线.</em></p> </span> <p class="hero" dir="ltr"><span>The 2025 New Venture Challenge (NVC) culminated in a final showcase on April 23 with a live audience cheering on the 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 next exciting innovations. At an event filled with big ideas and even bigger entrepreneurial spirit, six teams competed for a record $325,000.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chancellor Justin Schwartz launched the packed event at the 抖阴传媒在线 Theater to celebrate the 18th year of CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 top-ranked entrepreneurial competition. He said that, while it was his first NVC as chancellor, 鈥淓ven before I arrived on campus, I鈥檇 heard all about New Venture Challenge and its incredible success in developing our next generation of bold entrepreneurs.鈥&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Schwartz told the cheering crowd that over 1,200 new ventures have competed to date and NVC has awarded just under $2 million in funding. 鈥淭his has helped us launch some of the most promising startups to emerge from CU 抖阴传媒在线,鈥 he said.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>NVC is a 鈥渟tar in a constellation of events and programs that support entrepreneurs across our campus and our community,鈥 said Schwartz, and is made possible by the Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative, which works closely with many partners across the entire campus. 鈥淲e are united by a singular goal to cultivate the next generation of creative, courageous, tenacious, entrepreneurial leaders,鈥 he said.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Schwartz introduced Stan Hickory, director of NVC and the Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative. Hickory attributed NVC鈥檚 success to the connection between the university and 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 robust startup community. 鈥淲e have this ecosystem that is second to none in this nation, I guarantee it.&nbsp;Last year, 35 startups launched on CU IP through Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e also have a huge number of people in our ecosystem that are part of what we do;, in terms of mentors, judges and volunteers, we literally could not make what happens here happen without all of you out there.鈥</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>A new generation of founders</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>The New Venture Challenge is a signature program of the&nbsp;</span><a href="/innovate/" rel="nofollow"><span>Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative</span></a><span> and is CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 launchpad for those striving to make real-world impact through new endeavors. The program gives aspiring problem-solvers and creatives a chance to build impactful non-profit or for-profit ventures through entrepreneurial events and programming, community support, mentorship and鈥攗ltimately鈥攖he chance to compete for funding. The 2025 NVC finalists emerged from a field of 104 ventures with 264 participants shining a light on the success and ingenuity of students and faculty.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>That growth in the number and quality of NVC teams led to this year鈥檚 record level of investment. 鈥淚 think the shift really is the investment community recognizing that there are legitimate, investable businesses coming out of the NVC,鈥 he said. 鈥淚n the coming years, other investors will start saying, 鈥楬ey, I want to be a part of this too鈥.鈥&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor of innovation and partnerships, announced a new twist to this year鈥檚 competition. The six teams would pitch on two distinct tracks.&nbsp;The Deep Tech category featured ventures based on scientific or technological innovations developed using fundamental scientific disciplines. The Deep Tech category was offered in partnership with Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线. Ventures beyond Deep Tech criteria competed in the Open category. Both tracks were open to companies launched by students, faculty and staff.&nbsp;鈥淵ou鈥檙e in for a real treat. We鈥檝e got some awesome companies and some amazing pitches,鈥 said Rees.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The quality of past NVC participants and the proven strength of startup creation at CU 抖阴传媒在线 has attracted entities like Kickstart, a seed-stage venture capital firm, which sponsored this year鈥檚 鈥淥pen鈥 category winner (for the second year in a row). And this year, for the first time, D4 investments, a firm looking for 鈥渁mbitious startups in emerging tech鈥 sponsored the 鈥淒eep Tech鈥 winner.&nbsp;</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Innovations aimed at improving the world</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>Co-emcees Dianne Myles, CEO of Human Focused Media and Albus Brooks (alum, 鈥01) kept the energy up as they introduced the judges of the 鈥淒eep Tech鈥 venture pitches, including Kelly Coyne, venture capitalist, D4 Investments; Joey Money, consultant, IndustriaSpark; Ameen Saafir, CEO and co-founder, Tynt Technologies; and Blair Simpson, principal, Denver Angels.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Judges in the 鈥淥pen鈥 category included Zaneta Kelsey, co-founder and CEO, Access Mode; David Mandell, managing director, Massive; Matt Smith, principal, Kickstart; and Jesus Soto, managing partner, 14 Founders.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>The Deep Tech pitches included ventures focused on IP originating from CU 抖阴传媒在线, including tech related to disguising cellular communications (GhostCo),&nbsp; improving GPS quality (PrecisionTerra)&nbsp;and boosting scalability in quantum computing (Icarus Quantum).</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In the Open category, three founders presented new solutions for&nbsp;simplifying drone operation for emergency operations (Odin Autonomy), modernizing real estate transactions (Ver Estate) and improving sales intelligence (Measures AI).</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Throughout the night, teams showed a strong desire to offer solutions to make existing systems better. Take Odin Autonomy and its CEO and founder Hunter Ray (PhD, Aerospace Engineering). As a first responder in 抖阴传媒在线 County, he used drones to fight fires and look for missing people, but noticed that it often takes several trained people to manage a single aircraft. The company was born from a desire to turn cutting-edge research into real-world impact. 鈥淲e're developing technology that allows drones to work more independently so firefighters, search teams and law enforcement can focus on the mission, not the controls,鈥 said Ray.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>And PrecisionTerra, with founder and CEO Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan&nbsp;(alum,&nbsp;</span><a href="/physics/academics/graduate-students/graduate-program-requirements-phd/applied-physics-and-applied-sciences" rel="nofollow"><span>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Physics</span></a><span>) is focused on commercializing a cutting-edge software solution that enhances coverage in GPS-degraded environments where weak signals undermine&nbsp; performance for mapping, autonomous vehicles and military operations.&nbsp;</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>The perfect launchpad</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>For Hickory, one of the most interesting aspects of programs like NVC is that, 鈥渋t鈥檚 not just about starting a company, it鈥檚 become this opportunity to develop an entrepreneurial mindset.鈥 He said, 鈥淚t doesn't matter if you're a business, law or art student, the question is how to identify and solve problems? Having that capacity, especially today, that's going to be key.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Poolad Imany (postdoctoral associate, NIST,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.nist.gov/nist-organizations/nist-headquarters/laboratory-programs/physical-measurement-laboratory/applied-8" rel="nofollow"><span>Quantum Nanophotonics Group</span></a><span>), Icarus Quantum founder and CEO, agreed. 鈥淐U has emerged as a hotbed for starting a company. I encourage students to take advantage of these resources and participate in these classes, even if they鈥檙e only curious,鈥 he said. 鈥淓ntrepreneurship skills can have a huge impact on any aspect of your life.鈥</span></p><p><span>For VerEstate鈥檚 CEO, Camden Dempsey, 鈥淐U 抖阴传媒在线 has been the perfect launchpad.鈥 He said, 鈥淭here鈥檚 a real ecosystem here that supports bold ideas and scrappy teams鈥.There鈥檚 a lot of freedom to take risks here鈥攁nd that鈥檚 what entrepreneurship is all about.鈥</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>2025 NVC Finals Prizes</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>The judges praised team presentations and queried each founder about their business concepts. After a deliberation period, the winners were announced,&nbsp;and confetti rained down on the stage. Each finalist walked away with a check鈥攖he two top teams in each category netted $144,000 a piece, and the additional four teams split $32,000 in prize money. The $5,000 audience choice award went to VerEstate.&nbsp;</span></p> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-04/2025_NVC_Championships128GA%20copy.jpg?itok=Ac7i6KBc" width="1500" height="1000" alt="New Venture Challenge 2025 Deep Tech Category first place winner Precision Terra "> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p><em><span>New Venture Challenge Deep Tech category judges Blair Simpson, principal, Denver Angels (left), and Joey Money, consultant, IndustriSpark (right), celebrate as D4 investments partner Kelly Coyne (center, left) hands </span>Precision Terra <span>founder and CEO Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan&nbsp;(alum,&nbsp;</span></em><a href="/physics/academics/graduate-students/graduate-program-requirements-phd/applied-physics-and-applied-sciences" rel="nofollow"><em><span>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Physics</span></em></a><em><span>) her $144,000 first prize check. </span>Photo: Glenn Asakawa, CU 抖阴传媒在线.</em></p> </span> <h3>&nbsp;</h3><h3><span>Deep Tech Category</span></h3><h4><span><strong>$144,000 First Place Prize: PrecisionTerra</strong></span></h4><p><span><strong>Team:</strong> Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan (alum,&nbsp;</span><a href="/physics/academics/graduate-students/graduate-program-requirements-phd/applied-physics-and-applied-sciences" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Physics</strong></span></a><span>), Dr. Dmitriy Zusin (LumenAstra)</span></p><p><span>Solo founder and CEO Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan is focused on improving GPS signals, for safety and efficiency. 鈥淭hink collision avoidance for autonomous vehicles, autonomous planting and harvesting operations for large-scale farming, and military navigation in active war zones,鈥 she said.</span></p><h4><span><strong>$10,000 Second Place Prize: Icarus Quantum</strong></span></h4><p><span><strong>Team:&nbsp;</strong>Poolad Imany (postdoctoral associate, </span><a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span>NIST</span></a><span>), Fateme Mahdikhany (University of Arizona), Brad Werner (professor,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><span>Leeds School of Business</span></a><span><strong>)</strong></span></p><p><span>This company鈥檚 groundbreaking optical interconnect technology establishes an essential foundation to reliably network quantum computers. 鈥淲e started Icarus to build a machine that solves many of the pressing challenges of humankind,鈥 said founder and CEO, Poolad Imany. 鈥淥ur work leads to designing new drugs, materials and optimization algorithms, drastically changing the computing landscape with orders of magnitude more efficiency.鈥</span></p><h4><span><strong>$6,000 Third Place Prize: GhostCo</strong></span></h4><p><span><strong>Team:&nbsp;</strong>Dr. Keith Gremban (</span><a href="/ccar/" rel="nofollow"><span>Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research</span></a><span>), Loren Buck (The Rubicon Group), Dr. Jody Neel (Cognitive Radio Technologies)</span></p><p><span>GhostCo works to ensure U.S. soldiers, businesses and non-governmental organizations can safely use 5G cellular networks. 鈥淕host is a software application that runs on your smartphone, and it hides your identity and obscures your activities,鈥 said co-founder and CEO Keith Gremban.</span></p><h2><span><strong>Open Category</strong></span></h2><h4><span><strong>$144,000 First Place Prize: VerEstate</strong></span></h4><p><span><strong>Team:&nbsp;</strong>Camden Dempsey&nbsp;(</span><a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><span>Leeds School of Business</span></a><span>),&nbsp;Alec Hyde&nbsp;(</span><a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><span>Leeds School of Business</span></a><span>) and&nbsp;Nicholas Soza&nbsp;(</span><a href="https://click.communications.cu.edu/?qs=555d91fdb98d70d68eb9e41b1f2a5f7c8373ac13bcc3395a2888b5a08fb257ce01db44711784b4a40d2fcba4fd653fc509d25206aa441309" rel="nofollow"><span>Leeds School of Business</span></a><span>)</span></p><p><span>This venture with its all-in-one digital platform is reinventing title insurance to make home sales smarter, faster and more cost-effective, helping more people access home ownership. 鈥淥ur tech brings transparency and speed to something that鈥檚 been a black box for too long. If we can help even one first-time homebuyer feel confident instead of overwhelmed, that鈥檚 a win,鈥 said founder Camden Dempsey.&nbsp;</span></p><h4><span><strong>$10,000 Second Place Prize: Measures AI</strong></span></h4><p><span><strong>Team:&nbsp;</strong>Beckett Hyde (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>), Gus Cedergrund (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>), Cameron Davis (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>), Caleb Kumar (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>), Will Dravenstott (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>)</span></p><p><span>This sales intelligence tool aims to 鈥渕easure everything鈥 to give insights crucial to any company鈥檚 strategy. 鈥淧eople buy from us because we enable their team and entire company to understand how sales affect them,鈥 said Gus Cedergrund, founder and COO.</span></p><h4><span><strong>$6,000 Third Place Prize: Odin Autonomy</strong></span></h4><p><span><strong>Team:&nbsp;</strong>Hunter Ray (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>), Zakariya Laouar (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>), Benjamin Kraske (</span><a href="/engineering" rel="nofollow"><span>College of Engineering and Applied Science</span></a><span>)</span></p><p><span>Odin Autnomy is working to transform drones from 鈥渢ools to teammates鈥 for first responders. 鈥淏y making this technology simpler and more powerful, we enable faster, more coordinated action in the field,鈥 said co-founder and CEO, Hunter Ray. 鈥淭hat means safer responders and most importantly, more lives saved.鈥</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>The 2025 New Venture Challenge (NVC) culminated in a final showcase on April 23 with a live audience cheering on the 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 next exciting innovations. At an event filled with big ideas and even bigger entrepreneurial spirit, six teams competed for a record $325,000. </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 25 Apr 2025 03:15:09 +0000 Karen Reid 628 at /nvc Important Competition Dates and Deadlines /nvc/2025/02/20/important-competition-dates-and-deadlines <span>Important Competition Dates and Deadlines</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-20T12:33:32-07:00" title="Thursday, February 20, 2025 - 12:33">Thu, 02/20/2025 - 12:33</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/AdobeStock_50770457%20ImportantDate%202000wide.jpeg?h=f81f72d1&amp;itok=0HVO72Ee" width="1200" height="800" alt="Image of calendar with Important Date notification"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>To help you stay on track, we're sharing some key dates and deadlines</div> <script> window.location.href = `/innovate/2025/02/10/important-competition-dates-and-deadlines`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 20 Feb 2025 19:33:32 +0000 Karen Reid 607 at /nvc New Venture Challenge Women Founders Competition Finals on March 20 /nvc/2025/02/20/new-venture-challenge-women-founders-competition-finals-march-20 <span>New Venture Challenge Women Founders Competition Finals on March 20</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-20T11:04:12-07:00" title="Thursday, February 20, 2025 - 11:04">Thu, 02/20/2025 - 11:04</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/Wmn%20Fndrs%20NVC15%20CROP%20200w.jpg?h=243db493&amp;itok=Nab25S11" width="1200" height="800" alt="Winners of the Women Founders competition"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 1"> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>Top student and faculty startups founded by women will pitch their business ideas to a panel of esteemed judges and you, a live audience. Come support the next big CU 抖阴传媒在线 innovations as we give away $15,000 in funding!<br><br>The Women Founders Competition of the New Venture Challenge (NVC) is a multi-round entrepreneurial competition and signature program of&nbsp;<a href="/innovate/" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative</strong></a>, led in collaboration with the&nbsp;<a href="/business/deming" rel="nofollow"><strong>Deming Center for Entrepreneurship</strong></a>.</p><p><strong>Event specifics:</strong></p><ul><li>Doors open at 5:15 p.m. for refreshments and networking.</li><li><strong>Each attendee must register for their own ticket.</strong></li><li>Attendees must register in advance.</li><li>Seating is limited, and at-the-door registration is not guaranteed.</li><li>If you are unable to join us after registering, please let us know as soon as possible.</li></ul></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-below"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-02/Women%20Founders%202025%20Finals%20%20Presentation%20Digital%20Display%20WIDE%20%281920x1080%29_0.png?itok=6-DAH7J-" width="1500" height="844" alt="Announcement for NVC Women Founders Finals Registration"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Top student and faculty startups founded by women will pitch their business ideas to a panel of esteemed judges and you, a live audience. Come support the next big CU 抖阴传媒在线 innovations as we give away $15,000 in funding!</div> <script> window.location.href = `https://nvc.startuptree.co/event/s/Cpwnce8Y463c4o2p3E5Rgn/New-Venture-Challenge-Women-Founders-Competition-Finals`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 20 Feb 2025 18:04:12 +0000 Karen Reid 618 at /nvc Discover Some of Our Buff-led Startups /nvc/2025/02/20/discover-some-our-buff-led-startups <span>Discover Some of Our Buff-led Startups</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-20T10:55:55-07:00" title="Thursday, February 20, 2025 - 10:55">Thu, 02/20/2025 - 10:55</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/Suite%20Studios%20CROP200w.JPEG?h=3764e5a5&amp;itok=5Xv_MrZQ" width="1200" height="800" alt="Suite Studios presenting to students at the January Startup2Students event."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Many CU 抖阴传媒在线 students, faculty, staff and alums have turned novel ideas into successful startups. Last year was a record-breaking year, and the list of innovative companies is ever-expanding. Here are some highlights from our Buff community.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/innovate/2025/02/18/discover-some-our-buff-led-startups`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 20 Feb 2025 17:55:55 +0000 Karen Reid 616 at /nvc Why startups can be the best places to work /nvc/2025/02/11/why-startups-can-be-best-places-work <span>Why startups can be the best places to work</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-11T10:58:57-07:00" title="Tuesday, February 11, 2025 - 10:58">Tue, 02/11/2025 - 10:58</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/AdobeStock_238405533%20Startups%20IE%2021125.jpeg?h=4e334780&amp;itok=wFAesjMI" width="1200" height="800" alt="Image of startup icons"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Startups are typically fast growing and young companies with innovative ideas for breaking into their markets. Startups can be fascinating companies to work at with a variety of perks! Learn about some standout traits of working at a startup.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/innovate/2025/02/11/why-startups-can-be-best-places-work`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 11 Feb 2025 17:58:57 +0000 Karen Reid 617 at /nvc Missed Startups2Students? Here's What You Need to Know! /nvc/2025/02/08/missed-startups2students-heres-what-you-need-know <span>Missed Startups2Students? Here's What You Need to Know!</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-08T12:40:45-07:00" title="Saturday, February 8, 2025 - 12:40">Sat, 02/08/2025 - 12:40</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/S2S%20Feb2025%20Students%20Meet%20Startups%20200wide.JPEG?h=3764e5a5&amp;itok=RELAzl0E" width="1200" height="800" alt="Students meet with companies at Startups2Students "> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>We had an amazing turnout for one of our best Startups2Students yet on January 29! Thank you to the 10 startups and nearly 300 students who were in attendance!</div> <script> window.location.href = `/innovate/2025/02/03/missed-startups2students-heres-what-you-need-know`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Sat, 08 Feb 2025 19:40:45 +0000 Karen Reid 608 at /nvc Registration Opens for the Women Founders Competition on Feb. 8 /nvc/2025/02/07/registration-opens-women-founders-competition-feb-8 <span>Registration Opens for the Women Founders Competition on Feb. 8</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-07T12:51:52-07:00" title="Friday, February 7, 2025 - 12:51">Fri, 02/07/2025 - 12:51</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/03.26.24%20NVC%20Womens%20Founders%20Competition%20Finals-23%20CROP%20200wide.png?h=182f40e0&amp;itok=7LqHwP3p" width="1200" height="800" alt="Participant from the 2024 Women Founders Competition"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>The Women Founders Competition of the New Venture Challenge (NVC) is a multi-round entrepreneurial competition. Teams with at least one core team member who is a woman can participate in this specialty competition and win a share of $15,000!</div> <script> window.location.href = `https://calendar.colorado.edu/event/registration-opens-nvc-women-founders-competition?utm_campaign=widget&amp;utm_medium=widget&amp;utm_source=University+of+Colorado+抖阴传媒在线`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 07 Feb 2025 19:51:52 +0000 Karen Reid 609 at /nvc Last Call: Registration Closes on Feb. 8 for the New Venture Challenge /nvc/2025/02/05/last-call-registration-closes-feb-8-new-venture-challenge <span>Last Call: Registration Closes on Feb. 8 for the New Venture Challenge</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-05T12:56:38-07:00" title="Wednesday, February 5, 2025 - 12:56">Wed, 02/05/2025 - 12:56</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/NVC%20Registration%20Deadline%20Images%20.png?h=f69d4130&amp;itok=OQv8mjkx" width="1200" height="800" alt="Announcement for the NVC 2025 registration deadline"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p><span><strong>About the New Venture Challenge (NVC)</strong></span><br><span>The New Venture Challenge (NVC) 鈥 a signature program of the 抖阴传媒在线's </span><a href="/innovate/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Innovation &amp; Entrepreneurship Initiative</strong></span></a><span> 鈥 is a launchpad for aspiring problem-solvers and creatives. During this multi-round, multi-event entrepreneurial competition, teams can鈥痺in a share of $320,000鈥痑nd pitch to a live audience at the 抖阴传媒在线 Theater.&nbsp;</span><a href="/nvc/compete" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Learn More</strong></span></a></p><p><span><strong>Who can participate?</strong></span></p><p><span>Everyone at CU 抖阴传媒在线 is invited to participate 鈥 current students, faculty, staff or recent graduates. NVC participants can earn a microcredential while gaining experience in creating a startup venture.</span></p><p><span><strong>How Does it Work?</strong></span></p><p><span>Participants can compete in one of two NVC categories:</span></p><ul><li><span>Deep Tech Category 鈥 for ventures built around a scientific or technological innovation that has been developed using fundamental scientific disciplines</span></li><li><span>Open Category 鈥 for ventures not meeting the Deep Tech criteria</span></li></ul><p><span><strong>Specialty Competition Opportunities</strong></span></p><p><span>Additionally, NVC offers two specialty competition opportunities:</span></p><ul><li><a href="/nvc/social-impact-new-venture-challenge" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Social Impact New Venture Challenge</strong></span></a><span> 鈥 for ventures that want to create a positive social impact</span></li><li><a href="/nvc/compete/women-founders-competition" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Women Founders Competition</strong></span></a><span> 鈥 for teams with at least one core team member who is a woman</span></li></ul><p><br><span>鉁筹笍 <strong>Application deadline: Feb. 8, 2025.</strong>&nbsp;</span><a href="/nvc/join-venture-or-find-partners" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Register Now</strong></span></a><br><span>馃専&nbsp;</span><a href="/nvc/promo-kit-2025-new-venture-challenge-registration" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Get promotional materials to share this opportunity</strong></span></a></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Registration closes at 3 p.m. on Feb. 8! Last call to pitch your innovative idea at an NVC Competition and have a chance to win a share of $320,000!</div> <script> window.location.href = `/nvc/compete`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 05 Feb 2025 19:56:38 +0000 Karen Reid 610 at /nvc Meet Your Mentor at the NVC Venture Mentor Matching Mixer on Feb. 20! /nvc/2025/02/04/meet-your-mentor-nvc-venture-mentor-matching-mixer-feb-20 <span>Meet Your Mentor at the NVC Venture Mentor Matching Mixer on Feb. 20!</span> <span><span>Karen Reid</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-02-04T10:50:58-07:00" title="Tuesday, February 4, 2025 - 10:50">Tue, 02/04/2025 - 10:50</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-02/New20Venture20Challenge20Venture.png?h=d1ee6398&amp;itok=DlzPCmz8" width="1200" height="800" alt="People meeting and conversing"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/nvc/taxonomy/term/6"> News Headlines </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/nvc/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-02/New20Venture20Challenge20Venture.png?itok=wtztDEQq" width="1500" height="833" alt="People meeting and conversing"> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="hero"><strong>NVC Competitors:</strong> Get ready for an NVC Venture Mentor Matching Mixer鈥攖he ultimate kickoff to the 2024 season!</p><p class="lead">Join past NVC trailblazers, mentors and fellow competitors for a night of pizza, camaraderie and mentor matching. It's not just an event; it's a community builder where ideas flourish. Connect, celebrate and set the stage for your NVC journey. Let the season begin with a bang. You will have 60 seconds to pitch your venture so that mentor matching is a snap.</p><p class="lead"><strong>NVC Mentors:</strong> This is your chance to meet some of the ventures competing in the NVC this year and see if you can lend a hand in guiding their journey. Listen to 60-second pitches and chat with ventures in your wheelhouse.</p><p class="lead"><strong>And food will be provided by T/aco!</strong></p><p class="lead">馃懁鈥擳his event is for teams competing in the New Venture Challenge competitions.</p><p class="lead">馃挕鈥擳eam building, networking and mentorship.</p><p class="lead"><a href="https://emojiterra.com/bell/" rel="nofollow">馃敂</a>鈥擜ttendees must register in advance. Seating is limited.</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Join past NVC trailblazers, mentors and fellow competitors for a night of pizza, camaraderie and mentor matching.</div> <script> window.location.href = `https://nvc.startuptree.co/event/s/ktNwtfL3vPH3SH8k3ofS55/New-Venture-Challenge-Venture-Mentor-Matching-Mixer-`; </script> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 04 Feb 2025 17:50:58 +0000 Karen Reid 615 at /nvc