Venture Partners News /venturepartners/ en NSF I-Corps at the 抖阴传媒在线 helps researchers solve pressing problems /venturepartners/2025/10/16/internal-news/nsf-i-corps-university-colorado-boulder-helps-researchers-solve-pressing-problems <span>NSF I-Corps at the 抖阴传媒在线 helps researchers solve pressing problems</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-10-16T10:48:43-06:00" title="Thursday, October 16, 2025 - 10:48">Thu, 10/16/2025 - 10:48</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-10/Image%20%2818%29.jpeg?h=2f06f862&amp;itok=pOb5Jusc" width="1200" height="800" alt="A large group of people stand next to a presentation screen"> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="text-align-right small-text" dir="ltr">Photo: The August 2025 cohort of NSF I-Corps<sup>TM</sup> Hub West's Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop at CU 抖阴传媒在线.</p><p class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>From agriculture to aerospace, the National Science Foundation's (NSF) I-Corps<sup>TM</sup> is a launchpad at the 抖阴传媒在线, helping innovators in and out of the University of Colorado bring research and inventions to the people who need them most. By equipping scientists and inventors with entrepreneurial tools, the program transforms great ideas into startups that tackle real-world problems.</span></p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><a href="/venturepartners/node/1673" rel="nofollow"> <div class="imageMediaStyle wide_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2025-05/I-Corps%20email%20header%20053025e.png?h=8baac8d6&amp;itok=RHtyVCpP" width="1500" height="563" alt="I-Corps Hub West"> </div> </a><h3><br><strong>Join I-Corps at CU 抖阴传媒在线</strong></h3><p><span>Our I-Corps&nbsp;programming is available to all researchers, inventors&nbsp;and problem solvers from any research or community institution; all you need is an innovation and an interest in bringing it to those in need.</span></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training/nsf-i-corps-hub-west" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Learn More and Apply</span></a></p></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>Growing up in Minnesota, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elliot-strand/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Elliot Strand</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(Alum: </span><a href="/engineering/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 College of Engineering and Applied Science</strong></span></a><span>), co-founder and CEO of&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/page-technologies" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>PAGE Technologies</strong></span></a><span>, 鈥渟aw firsthand how excess fertilizer runoff led to worsening algae blooms in our lakes, choking ecosystems and turning once thriving bodies of water into lifeless green pools.鈥 The experience left a lasting impression on Strand, urging him to act. 鈥淚t鈥檚 what motivated me to pursue science and ultimately to co-found PAGE Technologies to develop tools that could help prevent these issues at the source,鈥 he said.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Strand and co-founder </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/paytongoodrich/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Payton Goodrich</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;are driven by a commitment to revolutionize agriculture while also fighting pollution. They first collaborated on an effort to engineer cutting-edge sensor systems while Strand earned his PhD at CU 抖阴传媒在线 and Goodrich at the University of California Berkeley. PAGE, which stands for Printed Agricultural and Environmental Technologies, 鈥渞eflects both our core technology and our broader mission to improve how we monitor and manage natural resources across food, water and climate systems,鈥 said Strand. PAGE Technologies is now pioneering the next generation in water and soil management with a platform of affordable biochemical sensors for real-time monitoring of plant nutrients.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Strand and Goodrich launched PAGE Technologies in late 2023, following the completion of National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps<sup>TM</sup>) programs, which were designed specifically to help researchers and innovators identify both their target customer base and market gaps.&nbsp;</span></p><blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淚-Corps helped us identify a real problem that customers are willing to pay to solve. It taught us the fundamentals of business development, market research, and the importance of product-market fit,鈥 said Strand. 鈥淢ost importantly, we learned how to systematically engage with customers to understand their needs and build a sustainable business around that insight.鈥</span></p></blockquote><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Empowering researchers, entrepreneurs and society</span></h2><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2372" rel="nofollow"> <div class="imageMediaStyle wide_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2025-10/PAGE%20thumnnail%20header%20100725.png?h=61394e6b&amp;itok=ZybCABhM" width="1500" height="563" alt="PAGE"> </div> </a><h3><br>Page Technologies</h3><p>Introducing the world's most affordable water and soil monitoring for instant and continuous data capture.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/page-technologies" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">View Profile</span></a></p></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>Like PAGE Technologies鈥 founders, hundreds of students, faculty and community innovators have now benefited from I-Corps since it arrived at CU 抖阴传媒在线. In 2018, before joining NSF鈥檚 I-Corps initiative, the university began offering I-Corps-like programming, including the iterative customer discovery programs now offered as&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training/nsf-i-corps-hub-west/starting-blocks-customer" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Starting Blocks</strong></span></a><span> and&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/node/431" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Research-to-Market (R2M)</strong></span></a><span> through </span><a href="/venturepartners/about" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="48b5ec97-4679-4c2b-ac82-f80088542b80" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="About Us"><span><strong>Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线</strong></span></a><span>, the commercialization arm of the university that serves CU 抖阴传媒在线, UCCS and physical sciences investigators at CU Denver.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淥ur role in the NSF I-Corps Hub West reflects our commitment to ensuring that CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 research makes a real difference in people鈥檚 lives,鈥 said Massimo Ruzzene, senior vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the institutes . 鈥淲e are proud to collaborate with peer institutions and engage with Colorado communities to ensure that groundbreaking research reaches markets and people who need it most.鈥&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Since 2021, when CU 抖阴传媒在线 officially became a partner institution in the </span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training/nsf-i-corps-hub-west" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1733bb2f-2a18-43d7-9594-35a8f267ff4f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="NSF I-Corps Hub West "><span><strong>NSF I-Corps Hub West</strong></span></a><span>, it has been a national leader in the initiative. Within the hub, the campus collaborates with other top research institutions across the region, including Texas Tech University, University of Southern California; University of California, Los Angeles; California Institute of Technology; University of California (Riverside and Santa Barbara); Colorado State University; University of Utah; Colorado School of Mines; and University of New Mexico.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>I-Corp鈥檚 primary purpose is to empower researchers, entrepreneurs and society by fostering a culture of innovation, supporting startup creation and delivering tangible economic and societal benefits from federally funded research. It is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and marketable innovation by equipping scientists and engineers with entrepreneurial skills, practical training and real customer interviews to move their discoveries from the laboratory to the marketplace.</span><br>&nbsp;</p><div><hr><a href="/venturepartners/node/1732" rel="nofollow"> <div class="align-right image_style-small_500px_25_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_500px_25_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/small_500px_25_display_size_/public/page/path_to_commercialization_mountain_graphic_white_back.png?itok=jASLlu5E" width="375" height="211" alt="Illustration of a mountain as a metaphor where researchers can climb one of two paths with their discovery of either starting a company or licensing their protected intellectual property"> </div> </div> </a><h3 class="text-align-center">But what is "commercialization?"</h3><p class="text-align-center lead">The path to commercialization鈥攁lso known as "research translation" or "tech transfer"鈥攃an be challenging, so Venture Partners unites&nbsp;industry partners, entrepreneurs and investors to help&nbsp;researchers, inventors and creators at the University of Colorado bring their groundbreaking discoveries into the marketplace.</p><p class="text-align-center"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/node/1732" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore the Path to Commercialization</span></a></p><hr><p>&nbsp;</p></div><p dir="ltr"><span>For the researcher with a great idea, I-Corps essentially helps fill a void in the spin-out process鈥攂acking up cool science with understanding and demonstrating the value proposition of that research and innovation,&nbsp;according to </span><a href="/venturepartners/emily-vogt" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1b66b9d4-5cde-494a-a7d3-54f0d1cae827" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Emily Vogt"><span><strong>Emily Vogt</strong></span></a><span>, director of venture development at Venture Partners.&nbsp;鈥淭he number one goal of the NSF in funding these programs across all of our universities is to commercialize these technologies and actually find the space in the market,鈥 said Vogt.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>I-Corps regional hubs serve as the backbone of NSF鈥檚 National Innovation Network, allowing it to reach a broad pool of innovators nationwide, according to </span><a href="/venturepartners/daniel-marshall" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b29013cb-85bb-4827-a546-8a628b97b878" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Daniel Marshall"><span><strong>Daniel Marshall</strong></span></a><span>, CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 I-Corps program manager. According to Marshall, by extending CU 抖阴传媒在线 I-Corps into rural and underserved regions of Colorado, it retains local talent and ensures a more well-rounded national innovation pipeline.&nbsp;</span></p><blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淭here鈥檚 importance and impact to working and partnering with schools that just don't have the bandwidth to do what we do at CU 抖阴传媒在线,鈥 he said. Marshall highlighted the successful relationship he has forged through I-Corps programming with Colorado Mesa University, Fort Lewis College, Trinidad Community College, Western Colorado University and others. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 great for economic impact and rolling out ideas,鈥 said Marshall. Each year, teams from CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 I-Corps have progressed to the&nbsp;National I-Corps Teams Program, where they can win a $50,000 small business grant to use toward customer discovery expenses.</span></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>Mentorship is another critical part of the programs, said Vogt. 鈥淲e help pair those technical teams with a business mentor that can help make introductions, broadening [a team鈥檚] network and synthesizing all of these conversations that they鈥檙e having,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 an incredible opportunity for our research teams to engage with this awesome startup ecosystem in Colorado, fueled by mentors who willingly give their time to these interesting projects.鈥&nbsp;</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>鈥淩emarkably useful鈥 programming</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyhatcher1/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Sally Hatcher</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, now co-founder and managing partner at&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support/buff-venture-fund" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Buff Gold Ventures</strong></span></a><span>, a private venture capital firm backing CU 抖阴传媒在线 entrepreneurs, launched both Starting Blocks and R2M in her prior role with Venture Partners.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淚-Corps provides invaluable training for academics to 鈥榞et out of the lab鈥 and talk to industry experts to understand concrete industrial requirements and gaps,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a terrific way to learn about product-market fit and finding a solution to practical problems with paying customers. Whether participants choose to create a startup, license their technology to another company, or return to the lab, the professional training is remarkably useful for almost all participants.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Further developed by Vogt and </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/susan-strong-5466197/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Susan Strong</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, entrepreneur-in-residence and NSF I-Corps curriculum instructor, I-Corps programming is now a popular and successful tool in helping countless researchers move their work from the theoretical to the practical.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淚-Corps is accelerating the translation of discoveries from lab to impact,鈥 said Strong. 鈥淭he idea is that all of this federal money has gone into inventing these things, and we want to get it out into society for two reasons: so that it can create jobs and have economic impact,鈥 she said. Both Strong and Hatcher believe so keenly in the I-Corps programming that they still act as national I-Corps program instructors. 鈥淚 use this framework every day to talk to founders about how to get started,鈥 said Hatcher.&nbsp;</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>A national standout</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>CU 抖阴传媒在线 stands out in the national I-Corps landscape in several ways. First, at CU 抖阴传媒在线, I-Corps is directly integrated with the university鈥檚 intellectual property and commercialization efforts within Venture Partners and the </span><a href="/researchinnovation/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Research and Innovation Office</strong></span></a><span>, said Marshall. The Venture Partners team refers new research teams from CU 抖阴传媒在线 and other campuses to the I-Corps regional programs, which provide a crucial look at each team鈥檚 development and potential. 鈥淭his close-knit set-up is crucial,鈥 he said. 鈥淰ery few universities outside CU 抖阴传媒在线 have adopted this kind of integrated model. It鈥檚 a major reason why we stand out nationally.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Second, Vogt pointed out CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 I-Corps program leads outreach to many campus groups as well as to Colorado communities and rural universities. 鈥淥ur I-Corps program has been the entrepreneurial touchpoint for so many people,鈥 she said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 allowed us to bring more people into the university, understanding what role the university has in the startup ecosystem.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Lastly, CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 exceptional efforts in rural outreach have caught the attention of the national I-Corps leaders. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e now directing hubs to adopt some of the things that we鈥檙e doing, which is a really cool thing,鈥 he said.&nbsp;</span></p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><a href="/venturepartners/commutrics-llc" rel="nofollow"> <div class="imageMediaStyle wide_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2025-09/Commutrics%20meta%20header%20b.png?h=61394e6b&amp;itok=AXEwA6pK" width="1500" height="563" alt="Commutrics"> </div> </a><h3><br>Commutrics</h3><p>Commutrics is a commuting platform that allows organizations to implement multi-modal transportation programs seamlessly.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/commutrics-llc" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">View Profile</span></a></p></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>Remarkable teams from within the hub and beyond include CU Denver鈥檚 </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/moatassem-abdallah-9b562530/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Moatassem Abdallah</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, associate professor of civil engineering (</span><a href="https://engineering.ucdenver.edu/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU Denver College of Engineering, Design and Computing</strong></span></a><span>). After completing Starting Blocks and R2M in 2021, Abdallah co-founded&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/commutrics-llc" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Commutrics</strong></span></a><span> in 2023 and is now its CEO. The company spun out 鈥渢o help employers and cities implement data-driven, incentive-based commuting programs,鈥 said Abdallah. Commutrics is a transportation platform designed to connect commuters with various transportation options, incentivizing the most sustainable choices while saving them money and improving their overall health and well-being.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Abdallah credits I-Corps with 鈥渉elping us validate our value proposition through direct engagement with potential customers. It sharpened our focus on market fit, clarified key pain points in commuter and employer behavior, and guided us in shaping a scalable, impact-driven business model.鈥 Commutrics is now seeking partnerships with cities, employers and transportation agencies to expand the reach of the platform and 鈥渄rive meaningful behavior change in commuting,鈥 said Abdallah.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Another stellar team, led by </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jarrod-schiffbauer-50011323/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Jarrod Schiffbauer</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, formerly special research professor (Physics) at Colorado Mesa University. Now visiting research professor (</span><a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Mechanical Engineering</strong></span></a><span>) at CU 抖阴传媒在线, Schiffbauer focuses on a novel, more efficient thrust concept for in-space propulsion systems and, in particular, a way to move small satellites around in space for Earth observation, communications and scientific research. Since traditional propulsion systems don鈥檛 scale well for the SmallSat and CubeSat market, new miniaturized solutions like Schiffbauer鈥檚 are essential.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>After three weeks in Starting Blocks, and ultimately in making their way through the national I-Corps program, Schiffbauer said he and his team have been able to 鈥渂etter understand the in-space propulsion market, where our technology might best fit in, and which shortcomings or risks we should most focus on,鈥 he said. 鈥淚-Corps has been extremely informative and changed the way we approach finding which problems to solve.鈥</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>The future of a 鈥減illar program鈥</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>At the end of 2026, amidst a boom in participation, CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 five-year I-Corps grant will be up for renewal, and the university will apply to extend funding for this vital programming.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淚-Corps is really a pillar program for what Venture Partners does, and we have a really good number of inventors joining the program, even if they鈥檙e not looking to become startup CEOs,鈥 said Vogt. 鈥淭he kind of market awareness they鈥檙e bringing into their research has been really beneficial for a lot of our labs. I-Corps has helped our researchers understand their own technologies a little bit better, and it informs their future development efforts.鈥 I-Corps programming increases the likelihood that university research leads to real-world impact, she said.&nbsp;</span></p><blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>With another five-year I-Corps grant, CU 抖阴传媒在线 would continue accelerating the translation of cutting-edge research into products, services and technologies that address societal challenges in fields such as healthcare, energy and agriculture while boosting the economy and training a skilled entrepreneurial workforce. 鈥淥ur goal with I-Corps is to broaden the perspective of these research teams. They are brilliant scientists and engineers working on life-changing technologies,鈥 said Vogt. 鈥淢ore often than not, the business is the vehicle that will drive the impact.鈥</span></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>Reflecting on his experiences with I-Corps and spinning out PAGE Technologies, Elliot Strand is excited and humbled. Recently, the company has been awarded several prominent grants, including one from the&nbsp;CO-WY ASCEND Engine and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 鈥淲e鈥檙e deeply grateful that so many people recognize the urgency of this problem and believe in our approach to solving it. With recent funding and growing partnerships, we鈥檝e been able to build a small but mighty team,鈥 said Strand. 鈥淲orking alongside people who are equally mission-driven has been one of the most rewarding parts of this journey.鈥</span><br>&nbsp;</p><hr><div><div><h2 class="text-align-center"><span>What Can We Do Together?</span><br>&nbsp;</h2><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2340" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-balance-scale fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management/disclose-an-innovation" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9e95f9f-bd16-491c-a0b7-87db058214d9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Disclose an Innovation"><strong>Disclose and Protect Your Innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/791" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-graduation-cap fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="82926513-3a0a-408f-b460-48069e8a1004" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Entrepreneurial Training"><strong>Engage in Entrepreneurial Training Programs</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/323" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/mentorship-and-advising" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2f8ea362-5911-4e70-a502-5f15d1754479" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mentorship and Advising"><strong>Find a Mentor to Advance Your Innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/803" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-money-bill-1 fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ee81ac9c-9740-4528-807b-38c22188a3d1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Funding Opportunities and Support"><strong>Get Funding for&nbsp;Your Innovation</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/92" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-handshake fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/licensing-university-innovators" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e477b33f-541d-4bc6-99a7-ab2fc9b08e98" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Licensing for University Innovators"><strong>Find Partners and Opportunities for Your Innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/1967" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-bolt fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7de607e7-a898-46d9-a1a1-1825a872fff5" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Investor and Partnership Opportunities"><strong>Explore Investing in and Partnering&nbsp;with CU Researchers</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/781" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7446d166-740e-4d04-b255-b83c3a729be0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Startup Portfolio"><strong>Explore Our Startups Portfolio</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2341" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-lightbulb fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c5a76e38-d4d6-4405-903d-d7d4152c9ebb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Technology Portfolio"><strong>Explore Our Technology Portfolio</strong></a></p></div></div><hr></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>From agriculture to aerospace, NSF鈥檚 I-Corps is a launchpad at the 抖阴传媒在线, helping innovators in and out of the University of Colorado bring research and inventions to the people who need them most. By equipping scientists and inventors with entrepreneurial tools, the program transforms great ideas into startups that tackle real-world problems.</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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-10/Image%20%2818%29.jpeg?itok=RjZ9UrM0" width="1500" height="524" alt="A large group of people stand next to a presentation screen"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 16 Oct 2025 16:48:43 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2741 at /venturepartners Fast Company names 抖阴传媒在线 a 2025 Ignition School driving entrepreneurship and innovation /venturepartners/2025/10/07/external-news/cu-boulder-named-fast-companys-2025-ignition-schools-driving-entrepreneurship-and <span>Fast Company names 抖阴传媒在线 a 2025 Ignition School driving entrepreneurship and innovation</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-10-07T10:22:34-06:00" title="Tuesday, October 7, 2025 - 10:22">Tue, 10/07/2025 - 10:22</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-10/Ignition%20Schools%20announcement%20100725.png?h=482de099&amp;itok=rVQF0UUz" width="1200" height="800" alt="Cartoon illustration on an orange background showing a row of colorful school buildings bending in an arc, with a figure in graduation robes and cap leaping forward off the end of the curve, as if launched from the schools."> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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>Fast Company鈥擨gnition Schools awards recognize the colleges and universities shaping future entrepreneurs and innovators, representing the diversity of education approaches that will be needed to prepare the next generation of disrupters to prevail.</div> <script> window.location.href = `https://www.fastcompany.com/91399941/ignition-schools-2025`; </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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-10/Ignition%20Schools%20announcement%20100725.png?itok=53gElW5s" width="1500" height="798" alt="Cartoon illustration on an orange background showing a row of colorful school buildings bending in an arc, with a figure in graduation robes and cap leaping forward off the end of the curve, as if launched from the schools."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 07 Oct 2025 16:22:34 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2740 at /venturepartners Protect your discoveries before you publish them /venturepartners/internal-news/protect-your-discoveries-you-publish-them <span>Protect your discoveries before you publish them</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-26T16:06:22-06:00" title="Friday, September 26, 2025 - 16:06">Fri, 09/26/2025 - 16:06</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/feature-title-image/chem-bio-engineering.png?h=27d195bd&amp;itok=4mGxWDzv" width="1200" height="800" alt="A white woman in a gray business suit looks at the petri dish held up by a woman of color in a white sweater wearing safety glasses and purple gloves."> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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 class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>As a researcher, creator or inventor at the University of Colorado, your work has the potential to change the world. Whether you鈥檙e advancing renewable energy solutions, developing breakthrough medical devices or creating innovative software, your discoveries could have far-reaching impacts beyond the lab, studio or classroom. Protecting these innovations may be necessary to ensure that they reach their full potential, benefiting society while securing recognition and opportunities for you.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>What is Intellectual Property (IP)?</span></h2><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-left ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">Ready to go further?</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p><strong>Find the market for your innovation: </strong>I-Corps serves as a practical and accessible first step for anyone looking to translate their discoveries into real-world solutions.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/node/2488" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read More</span></a></p><hr><p><strong>Fund your research or creative work through commercialization: </strong>transform your ideas into real-world solutions鈥攚hile securing funding to advance your work.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/node/2489" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read More</span></a></p></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>IP refers to creations of the mind, including inventions, designs, original works of authorship, trade secrets and trademarks. IP encompasses both tangible creations, like a prototype or software and intangible assets, like ideas and processes. IP protections such as patents and copyrights are key tools for ensuring that your innovations have a lasting impact.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Why IP matters</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>When you publish your research, share your invention, or showcase your creation publicly, it becomes accessible to everyone around the world. While public disclosure can advance knowledge-sharing and inspire innovation, publishing without the proper IP protection could prevent the technology from being further developed into a product and made more widely available.</span></p><blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span><strong>Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线 is here to help secure IP rights and safeguard the discoveries researchers, inventors and creators at CU 抖阴传媒在线, UCCS and CU Denver (except CU Denver biosciences investigators, who should work with&nbsp;</strong></span><a href="https://www.cuanschutz.edu/cu-innovations" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-up-right-from-square">&nbsp;</i><strong>C</strong><span><strong>U Innovations</strong></span></a><span><strong>) make while at the university, ensuring you receive proper recognition and enabling opportunities for broader impact.</strong></span></p></blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>Securing IP rights can open doors to funding and partnerships. Protected innovations are more attractive to investors, collaborators and companies looking to license new technologies and in many cases are necessary for a company to partner with your lab or to invest in further research or development of a product. By protecting your work, you鈥檙e not only ensuring its impact but also creating opportunities for further growth and development.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>How Venture Partners can help</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>Venture Partners is here to support you at every step of the IP process. We provide the expertise and resources you need to protect your innovations and bring them to the world.</span></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><span>Confidential Consultations: Have an idea or discovery? Share it with our team of experts, who can help you evaluate its potential and guide you on the next steps.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>IP Protection: From patents to copyrights, our team specializes in identifying and securing the appropriate protections for your work.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><span>Supporting Broader Impact: We connect university innovators with funding, mentors and industry partners to turn ideas into impactful products and services.</span></li></ul><p dir="ltr"><span>CU鈥檚 IP policy requires university-employed researchers, creators and inventors to disclose innovations to ensure protection and access to commercialization resources. Early disclosure鈥攂efore public presentation or publication鈥攑reserves the university鈥檚 ability to secure IP protection, especially for patents.&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="525541f9-87b0-43ce-8267-5cba20b071cb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Intellectual Property (IP) Management "><span><strong>Learn more about CU鈥檚 IP policy here.</strong></span></a></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Unsure if your work should be disclosed? Venture Partners is happy to meet with you to discuss your work and opportunities before you commit to submitting a disclosure.&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="525541f9-87b0-43ce-8267-5cba20b071cb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Intellectual Property (IP) Management "><span><strong>Learn more and contact our team</strong></span></a><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management" rel="nofollow"><span>.</span></a></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Opportunity begins with disclosure</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>One of the biggest misconceptions about commercialization is that researchers, inventors or creators must give up control of their intellectual property. Venture Partners empowers CU innovators to take the lead in translating their discoveries into real-world applications. Whether you want to launch a startup, collaborate with industry or license your technology to an existing company in exchange for royalties, Venture Partners provides guidance and funding opportunities to support your journey.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Venture Partners can also help connect you with experienced industry partners or entrepreneurs who will drive commercialization forward on your behalf鈥攅nsuring that your discoveries make an impact without requiring you to leave academia.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>A record of success</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>In fiscal year 2023-24, Venture Partners secured 45 patents for university innovations, half of which are already partnered with new ventures and companies. In the same year, Venture Partners launched 36 new companies based on CU innovations鈥攎any founded by the innovators themselves and others formed in partnership with entrepreneurs from outside the university.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Protecting new intellectual property was the first step in creating a competitive strategy for new CU startups like&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/longpath-technologies-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="24331c80-d155-4926-a611-793829da2728" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="LongPath Technologies Inc."><span><strong>LongPath Technologies</strong></span></a><span>, which was developed out of research by founder Greg Reiker (CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering, NIST) to create a long-range methane detection system. Similarly,&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/2024/10/30/internal-news/somalogic-spun-out-gold-lab-cu-boulder-revolutionized-protein-discovery-methods-provide" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0d0706ed-71a9-465d-96f8-0356a9953301" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="SomaLogic, spun out of the Gold Lab at CU 抖阴传媒在线, revolutionized protein discovery methods to provide insights into disease discovery and treatment"><span><strong>SomaLogic</strong></span></a><span> emerged from the groundbreaking work by Larry Gold (CU 抖阴传媒在线 Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology (MCDB)) revolutionizing proteomics methods to provide deeper insights into disease detection, treatment and personalized medicine.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Beyond startups, CU innovations are being licensed all over the world.</span></p><ul><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://riverware.org/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Riverware</strong></span></a><span> is a software tool for modelling river systems with over 200 licenses to water management groups around the world. It is one of the most used CU 抖阴传媒在线 innovations.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="https://phet.colorado.edu/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>PhET</strong></span></a><span> provides interactive learning simulations for science and math. Available in over 120 languages, and through partnerships with hundreds of education companies, PhET has transformed STEM learning across the globe.</span></li><li dir="ltr"><a href="/today/2014/10/01/novel-technology-used-make-restorative-dental-material-developed-cu-boulder" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>New materials</strong></span></a><span> invented at CU 抖阴传媒在线 and licensed by 3M provide more durable dental fillings, dentures and implants, for more effective and fewer trips to the dentist chair.&nbsp;</span></li></ul><h2 dir="ltr"><span>How to get started</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>Protecting your innovation begins with a simple step: submitting a disclosure to Venture Partners. Our online disclosure form is quick and easy to complete, and our team is available to answer any questions you have along the way. </span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="525541f9-87b0-43ce-8267-5cba20b071cb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Intellectual Property (IP) Management "><span><strong>Learn more and get started here</strong></span></a><span>.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Your work deserves protection</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>CU is committed to fostering innovation and supporting the incredible work of its researchers, creators and inventors. By protecting your discoveries, you鈥檙e taking the first step toward transforming your ideas into real-world solutions. Let Venture Partners help you navigate this journey and ensure your innovations make a lasting impact.</span></p><div><div><p><br>&nbsp;</p><hr><div><div><h2 class="text-align-center"><span>What can we do together?</span><br>&nbsp;</h2></div></div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2340" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-balance-scale fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management/disclose-an-innovation" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9e95f9f-bd16-491c-a0b7-87db058214d9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Disclose an Innovation"><strong>Disclose and protect your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/791" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-graduation-cap fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="82926513-3a0a-408f-b460-48069e8a1004" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Entrepreneurial Training"><strong>Engage in entrepreneurial training programs</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/323" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/mentorship-and-advising" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2f8ea362-5911-4e70-a502-5f15d1754479" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mentorship and Advising"><strong>Find a mentor to advance your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/803" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-money-bill-1 fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ee81ac9c-9740-4528-807b-38c22188a3d1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Funding Opportunities and Support"><strong>Get funding for&nbsp;your innovation</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/92" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-handshake fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/licensing-university-innovators" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e477b33f-541d-4bc6-99a7-ab2fc9b08e98" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Licensing for University Innovators"><strong>Find partners and opportunities for your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/1967" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-bolt fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7de607e7-a898-46d9-a1a1-1825a872fff5" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Investor and Partnership Opportunities"><strong>Explore investing in and partnering&nbsp;with CU researchers</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/781" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7446d166-740e-4d04-b255-b83c3a729be0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Startup Portfolio"><strong>Explore our startups portfolio</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2341" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-lightbulb fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c5a76e38-d4d6-4405-903d-d7d4152c9ebb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Technology Portfolio"><strong>Explore our technology portfolio</strong></a></p></div></div><hr><p>&nbsp;</p></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>As a researcher, creator or inventor at the University of Colorado, your work has the potential to change the world. Protecting these innovations may be necessary to ensure that they reach their full potential, benefiting society while securing recognition and opportunities for you.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>7</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/feature-title-image/chem-bio-engineering.png?itok=qGfP7ZyG" width="1500" height="998" alt="A white woman in a gray business suit looks at the petri dish held up by a woman of color in a white sweater wearing safety glasses and purple gloves."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Fri, 26 Sep 2025 22:06:22 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2487 at /venturepartners Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000 /venturepartners/2025/09/24/internal-news/get-front-row-seat-university-colorados-next-big-ideas-competing-750000 <span>Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for $750,000</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-24T12:08:08-06:00" title="Wednesday, September 24, 2025 - 12:08">Wed, 09/24/2025 - 12:08</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-06/LVC%20article%20thumbnail%20061025b.png?h=ea5ab45b&amp;itok=R2-u_bti" width="1200" height="800" alt="Lab Venture Challenge"> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/397"> CU Innovators News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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 class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>Eleven teams of University of Colorado entrepreneurs, faculty researchers and graduate student innovators will compete for a combined $750,000 in startup funding grants in this year鈥檚&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/lab-venture-challenge" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) Showcases</strong></span></a><span> at the Dairy Arts Center. Judges from Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 entrepreneurial network will hear Shark Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in biosciences and another for physical sciences and engineering.</span></p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><h2>2025 Lab Venture Challenge Showcases</h2><p class="lead"><strong>Physical Sciences: Wednesday, Oct. 22, 6 p.m.</strong></p><p class="lead"><strong>Biosciences: Thursday, Oct. 23, 6 p.m.</strong></p><p class="lead"><a href="https://thedairy.org/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Dairy Arts Center (2590 Walnut St, 抖阴传媒在线, CO 80302)</strong></a></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/node/288#showcase" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Get Tickets</span></a></p></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>Through LVC, top innovators from CU 抖阴传媒在线, Denver and Colorado Springs compete for grants of up to $125,000. LVC supports projects that address a commercial need, have a clear path to a compelling market and have strong scientific support. The LVC grants are funded by the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://oedit.colorado.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program</strong></span></a><span>, as well as Venture Partners and the Chancellor鈥檚 Innovation Fund.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>LVC is run by Venture Partners, one of the university鈥檚 commercialization arms and a central resource for researchers who wish to translate their work into impactful business and social ventures. LVC finalists are working and collaborating with Venture Partners on their&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/path-commercialization" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>path to commercialization</strong></span></a><span>.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淎t this early stage, funding is essential, but can be a challenge to obtain,鈥 said Joshua Bennett, director of LVC and assistant director of licensing at Venture Partners. 鈥淎ll of these teams have promising innovations ready to launch new businesses. LVC is a unique opportunity for those innovators to receive that vital funding, and we鈥檙e proud to work with the State of Colorado to make it happen.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>To date, LVC has funded 117 projects through 64 new deep-tech startup companies, which collectively have raised over $349 million in follow-on financing </span><span lang="EN-US">including </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/darwin-biosciences-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="05a7398e-6bae-42d8-b0b4-353cd23fd9e8" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Darwin Biosciences Inc."><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Darwin Biosciences</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/manifest-technologies" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="38ed0817-751c-4cbf-a6b7-f25fd67b716d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Manifest Technologies Inc. (prev. Vitro3D Inc.)"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Manifest Technologies (prev. Vitro3D)</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> and </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/mesa-quantum-systems-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="880a4316-8328-4ae9-8f4a-bab637d77715" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mesa Quantum Systems Inc."><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Mesa Quantum</strong></span></a><span>.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Members of the entrepreneurial and university communities are invited to attend the LVC Showcases to enjoy good food, network and see which teams will walk away with $125,000 of funding.</span></p><p><span>This year鈥檚 LVC showcases were additionally made possible by&nbsp;</span><a href="https://bhgrlaw.com/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP</strong></span></a>, <a href="https://www.jnj.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Johnson &amp; Johnson</strong></a>, <a href="https://www.hollandhart.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Holland &amp; Hart LLP</strong></a>, <a href="https://paralex.ai/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Paralex</strong></a><strong> </strong>and <a href="https://www.thermofisher.com/us/en/home.html" rel="nofollow"><strong>Thermo Fisher Scientific</strong></a></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </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><h2>2025 Physical Sciences Finalists</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><h3><span>Breakthrough Analog Domain Jamming Suppression for UAVs</span></h3><p><span>Multi-Domain Anti-Jamming Technology (MDAT) provides real-time interference suppression for military UAVs. With 400x size reduction via analog domain processing, MDAT deploys as 6x6-inch, sub-5lb plug-and-play modules for retrofitting tactical drones, ensuring mission continuity in contested RF environments. The team has formed </span><a href="https://www.bold-rf.com" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>BoldRF LLC</strong></span></a><span> to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lailamarzall/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Laila Marzall</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lailamarzall/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/ecee/laila-fighera-marzall" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Electrical, Computer &amp; Energy Engineering</strong></span></a><span>), PI, CEO,&nbsp;</span><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><span><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/zoya-popovic-62b3553/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Zoya Popovic</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/ecee/zoya-popovic" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Electrical, Computer &amp; Energy Engineering</strong></span></a><span>), Co-PI</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marishaparikh/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Marisha Parikh</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marishaparikh/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(CU 抖阴传媒在线 Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program), Head of Business</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-m-johns/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Sarah Johns</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-m-johns/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(Student: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Leeds School of Business), Business Strategist</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanietorresm/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Stephanie Torres</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanietorresm/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(Student: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Electrical, Computer &amp; Energy Engineering), Product Strategist.</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/garydolsen/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Gary Dolsen</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/garydolsen/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(Fmr: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Leeds School of Business), Advisor</span></li></ul><h3><span>Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis for H<sub>2</sub> Production</span></h3><p><span>Magnetically Enhanced Electrolysis (MEE) improves hydrogen generation efficiency by enhancing bubble release and energy transfer. Adapted from space technology, MEE offers scalable, cost-effective clean hydrogen for transportation, industry and off-grid power. The team has formed a startup,&nbsp;</span><a href="https://agamizero.com/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Agami Zero,</strong></span></a><span>&nbsp;to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/oana-r-luca-30b18212/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Oana Luca</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/oana-r-luca-30b18212/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/chemistry/oana-luca" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemistry</strong></span></a><span>), PI</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurg90/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Ankur Gupta</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ankurg90/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/chbe/ankur-gupta" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></span></a><span>), Co-PI</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterkoltunski/" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Hunter Koltunski</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hunterkoltunski/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(Student: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemistry), Scientific Lead</span></li><li><span><strong>Richard Noble</strong> (</span><a href="/engineering/richard-noble" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></span></a><span>), Scientific Advisor</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealjafarmakrani" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Jafar Makrani</strong></span></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/therealjafarmakrani" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, Co-Founder and CEO/CPO,&nbsp;</span><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><span><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/lyle-antieau/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Lyle Antieau III</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, Co-Founder and CTO/COO,&nbsp;</span><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><span><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></span></li></ul><h3>Novel Synergistic Catalysis for Clean Water and Fuel &nbsp;&nbsp;</h3><p>SynForce is developing a modular photo-thermo-catalysis device that rapidly activates a wide range of stubborn chemical bonds, enabling carbon-free fuel production at high reaction rates and the destruction of toxic PFAS in water, while reducing energy use and operating costs. The team has formed a startup, Synforce, to bring their innovation to market.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/longji-cui-19007819a/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Longji Cui</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/mechanical/longji-cui" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering</strong></a>), PI,&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></li><li><strong>Dishan Chooi</strong> (Student: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Technical Co-Lead</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarang-gosavi-b3249b169/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Sarang Gosavi</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(Student: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Technical Co-Lead</li><li><strong>Yunxuan Zhu </strong>(Postdoc: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Director of R&amp;D</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/karencrofton/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Karen Crofton</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/engineering/karen-crofton" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 College of Engineering and Applied Science</strong></a>), Advisor</li></ul><h3>Next-Generation Holographic Materials for AR Displays</h3><p>A thiol-ene holographic materials platform delivers low-haze, high-refractive-index photopolymers for sharper, more immersive AR displays. This versatile and scalable step-growth method overcomes shrinkage, scattering and supply-chain constraints of existing chain-growth materials for holographic optics.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-bowman-54608511/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Christopher Bowman</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/chbe/christopher-n-bowman" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></a>), Co-PI,&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong>,</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-mcleod-373b1588/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Robert McLeod</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/ecee/robert-mcleod" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Department of Electrical, Computer &amp; Energy Engineering</strong></a>), Co-PI</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yunfeng-hu-1417b21a3/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Yunfeng Hu</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(Postdoc: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemical and Biological Engineering)</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/john-rynk" rel="nofollow"><strong>John Rynk</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(Student: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Materials Science &amp; Engineering Program)</li></ul><h3>A Language-Driven Engine to Deploy Robots Like Software</h3><p>BoBoRobo鈥檚 agentic AI engine turns plain English specifications into ready-to-deploy robotics鈥攙alidated in a digital twin and safety-checked across OEMs. It outputs layout, BOM, install plan and robot-specific code, cutting deployment timelines from six months to ten days and reducing costs by up to 50%. The team has formed <span>a startup, </span>BoBoRobo, to bring their innovation to market.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alessandroroncone" rel="nofollow"><strong>Alessandro Roncone</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/cs/alessandro-roncone" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Computer Science</strong></a>), PI, CEO,&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anujpasricha" rel="nofollow"><strong>Anuj Pasricha</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(Student: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Department of Computer Science), CTO</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/claire-chen-317551225" rel="nofollow"><strong>Claire Chen</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;<span>(Postdoc: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Computer Science)</span>, CSO</li></ul><h3>Low SWaP Frequency Comb for Quantum applications</h3><p>Our Gen-III low-SWaP frequency comb, built on thin-film lithium niobate nanophotonics, delivers octave-spanning spectra with ultra-low power. Compact, scalable and robust, it enables deployable quantum clocks, sensors and communication systems beyond the lab. The team has formed <span>a startup,</span> <span>Chi3 Optics, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-diddams-7bb1081ab" rel="nofollow"><strong>Scott A. Diddams</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/ecee/scott-diddams" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Electrical, Computer &amp; Energy Engineering</strong></a>), PI</li><li><strong>Tsung-Han Wu</strong> (Postdoc: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Electrical, Computer &amp; Energy Engineering), Founder, CEO</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-chang-995b30174" rel="nofollow"><strong>Peter Chang</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, CTO</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nathan-ji-ming-brooks-b430aa221" rel="nofollow"><strong>Nathan Brooks</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Principal Scientist,<strong>&nbsp;</strong><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></li></ul><h2>2025 Biosciences Finalists</h2><h3>Metabolite-Based Therapeutics for Obesity</h3><p>Pythons exhibit dramatic metabolic plasticity with feeding, increasing organ size and activity by up to 40% after consuming large prey. From this biology, the team discovered a novel feeding-induced metabolite that was upregulated by 1,000-fold and acts as a natural appetite suppressant through modulating satiety. The team has formed a startup, Arkana Therapeutics, to bring their innovation to market.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/leslie-leinwand-16579771/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Leslie Leinwand</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/mcdb/leslie-leinwand" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology</strong></a>), PI</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-martin-ph-d-045504146/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Thomas Martin</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(Postdoc: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology), CSO,&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-gugel-96a991337/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Jack Gugel</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, CEO</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuxiao-tan/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Yuxiao Tan</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(Postdoc: CU 抖阴传媒在线 Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology), Co-Founder</li></ul><h3>Bioadhesive Patches That Seal Where Sutures Fail</h3><p>DuraPatch provides rapid closure of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks during neurosurgery, eliminating the need for sutures. Engineered with high-resolution 3D printing and advanced biomaterials, DuraPatch strongly adheres to wet tissues to create a watertight seal while supporting and promoting healing. The team has founded a startup, Entangl3d, to bring their innovation to market.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-davidson-05352bb9" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><strong>Matt Davidson</strong></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matthew-davidson-05352bb9" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/lab/burdick/matthew-davidson-phd" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 BioFrontiers Institute</strong></a>), CEO and Founder,&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></li><li><strong>Jason Burdick</strong> (<a href="/chbe/jason-burdick" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></a> and BioFrontiers Institute) Co-Founder, PI</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/peter-lennarson-521376322/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Peter Lennarson</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/29478" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU Anschutz Medical Campus</strong></a>), Advisor</li></ul><h3>Vaporizable Droplets for Proton Beam Visualization</h3><p>Vaporizable exoskeletal droplets provide in vivo visualization of beam placement during proton therapy, a rapidly growing treatment approach for cancer. Using this image-guided therapy, clinicians can make real-time adjustments to the treatment, reducing harmful side effects and improving patient outcomes. The team has formed a startup, Radiosensitive VEDs, to bring their innovation to market.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-borden-8765a567" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><strong>Mark Borden</strong></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-borden-8765a567" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/mechanical/mark-borden" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering</strong></a> and Biomedical Engineering), PI</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-frantz-600244227" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><strong>William Frantz</strong></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/william-frantz-600244227" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(Student CU 抖阴传媒在线 Biomedical Engineering),<strong>&nbsp;</strong><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdmarston" data-entity-type="external" rel="nofollow"><strong>Barry Marston</strong></a><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/bdmarston" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Advisor</li></ul><div><div><div><div><h3>Computationally Designed IL-18 binders to Treat Sepsis</h3><p>Enabled by recent advances in AI-driven protein design, minibinders are being engineered to target IL-18, a key driver of sepsis. These compact, stable proteins penetrate tissues efficiently and can be precisely dosed to avoid prolonged immune suppression, offering a next-generation therapeutic for sepsis. The team has formed a startup, iMembrane Therapeutics, to bring their innovation to market.</p><ul><li><strong>Jingshi Shen</strong> (<a href="/mcdb/jingshi-shen" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology</strong></a>), PI</li><li><strong>Suzhao Li</strong> (<a href="https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/22748" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU Anschutz Medical Campus</strong></a>), President,&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC pitch presenter</strong></li><li><strong>Charles Dinarello</strong> (<a href="https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/314" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU Anschutz Medical Campus</strong></a>), Advisor</li></ul><h3>Nanorobotic Synthesis of Oligonucleotides</h3><p>Modern DNA synthesis suffers from low overall yields due to the accumulation of errors for longer strands. The team has designed a nanorobotic synthesis platform which can detect and correct errors during synthesis, enabling ultra-high fidelity synthesis of gene-length DNA for single-cell omics and genomics application. The team has formed a startup, <a href="https://www.nanosynthbio.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Nanosynth</strong></a>, to bring their innovation to market.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/josh-johnson-7bb9a524/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Joshua Johnson</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/atlas/joshua-johnson" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 ATLAS Institute</strong></a>), CEO,&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><strong>LVC Pitch Presenter</strong></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mirela-alistar-843959251/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Mirela Alistar</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/atlas/mirela-alistar" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线, ATLAS Institute</strong></a>), PI</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-woodard-1b481b5/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Curtis Woodard</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Advisor</li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Eleven teams of University of Colorado entrepreneurs, faculty researchers and graduate student innovators will compete for a combined $750,000 in startup funding grants in this year鈥檚&nbsp;Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) Showcases at the Dairy Arts Center. Judges from Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 entrepreneurial network will hear Shark Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in biosciences and another for physical sciences and engineering.</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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2024-10/LVC%20article%20title%20image%20100124.png?itok=UZ9hMb3H" width="1500" height="844" alt="Lab Venture Challenge"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 24 Sep 2025 18:08:08 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2718 at /venturepartners Registration now open for Translational Funding Week /venturepartners/2025/09/17/internal-news/registration-now-open-translational-funding-week <span>Registration now open for Translational Funding Week</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-17T14:38:11-06:00" title="Wednesday, September 17, 2025 - 14:38">Wed, 09/17/2025 - 14:38</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-09/Embark%20article%20header%20091225.png?h=ea5ab45b&amp;itok=t2wH4dtZ" width="1200" height="800" alt="Center for Translational Research"> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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>Join the Center for Translational Funding for a series of engaging lunchtime sessions designed to demystify the landscape of non-dilutive funding opportunities that support the journey from lab to market. For faculty, postdocs, PhD students and startup teams who want to learn how to secure early-stage funding to commercialize research, build ventures and scale innovation.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support/center-translational-research#week`; </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, 17 Sep 2025 20:38:11 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2715 at /venturepartners CU 抖阴传媒在线 ranked No. 1 for launching startups based on university discoveries /venturepartners/2025/09/15/internal-news/cu-boulder-ranked-1-launching-startups-based-university-discoveries <span>CU 抖阴传媒在线 ranked No. 1 for launching startups based on university discoveries</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-15T12:31:49-06:00" title="Monday, September 15, 2025 - 12:31">Mon, 09/15/2025 - 12:31</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-01/Mechanical_Engineering_Battery_Cells_SPUR_BOLD_20240807_JMP_149.jpg?h=97cc733e&amp;itok=Nyg67icW" width="1200" height="800" alt="A man and a woman laugh while working together to in a laboratory"> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/12"> CU Startup News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </a> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/daniel-leonard">Daniel Leonard</a> <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 class="text-align-right small-text"><em><span>Photo: Associate Professor and co-founder of Mana Battery, a startup developing sodium-based batteries for sustainable energy storage, Chunmei Ban, is working with chemical engineering student Kangmin Kim in the CU 抖阴传媒在线 College of Engineering and Applied Science lab. Source: Jesse Morgan Petersen</span></em></p> <div class="align-right image_style-original_image_size"> <div class="imageMediaStyle original_image_size"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2025-09/CU%20抖阴传媒在线%20%231%20for%20Startups%20Graphic%20090825%20finalb.png?itok=6VjKOqvi" width="520" height="831" alt="Ranking of universities by startups launched"> </div> </div> <p class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>The 抖阴传媒在线 reached a historic milestone, launching 35 new companies based on university intellectual property during fiscal year 2024, more than any other U.S. campus that year. In addition to holding the No. 1 spot for that year, the achievement also places CU 抖阴传媒在线 No. 2 for the most startups launched in a single year by a U.S. campus.</span></p><p dir="ltr">Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线 drives the transformation of research breakthroughs into real-world impact by empowering innovators at CU 抖阴传媒在线 (as well as CU Denver and UCCS) to create companies and forge industry partnerships.</p><h3 dir="ltr"><span>From steady growth to record-breaking results</span></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>A decade ago, CU 抖阴传媒在线 launched an average of four to six startups based on university inventions annually. Today, it stands as a national leader, having launched more startups in FY 2024 than any other university campus, followed by the University of Michigan, the University of Minnesota and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), according to data released in July from AUTM (Association of University Technology Managers), the leading association tracking university technology transfer. AUTM counts startups that are founded with an agreement between the company and university to commercialize specific university intellectual property (IP).</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>In AUTM鈥檚 data going back to 1990, only Stanford University has exceeded CU 抖阴传媒在线 in the total number of startups launched in a single year, with 38 startups in 2022.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>What really sets CU 抖阴传媒在线 apart is efficiency, mainly the number of startups per dollar of research funding, according to Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships at CU 抖阴传媒在线.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淯niversities spinning out similar numbers of startups have significantly larger research budgets feeding their innovation pipeline,鈥 says Rees. 鈥淎mong institutions with the highest single-year outputs, CU 抖阴传媒在线 tops that efficiency indicator with 5.1 startups launched in FY 2024 per $100 million in research funding. That鈥檚 more than double the next most efficient university campus among the top 10 startup generators in the same year鈥攁 fantastic result and a real credit to our approach.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 rise鈥攁chieved outside traditional capital hubs like Silicon Valley and Boston鈥攔eflects a uniquely collaborative and highly effective innovation ecosystem.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr"><span>A 鈥渞elentless commitment to supporting founders鈥</span></h3><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div><div><div><div><a href="/venturepartners/node/789" rel="nofollow"> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/callout/3.png?itok=X_jEDKDZ" width="1500" height="750" alt="Two white men in button-up shirts work on a structural device in a lab"> </div> </a><div><div><div><div><div><h3><br><span><strong>What We Do For University Innovators</strong></span></h3></div></div></div></div></div><p>We help researchers, inventors and creators at CU take their groundbreaking discoveries every step from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.</p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Get Support</span></a></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>Through experimentation and entrepreneurial thinking, the Venture Partners team has redefined how academic research translates into impactful businesses. 鈥淥ur journey reflects years of careful planning, experimentation and a relentless commitment to supporting our startup founders,鈥 says Rees. 鈥淲e鈥檝e embraced 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 collaborative ethos and created a model that aligns with our community鈥檚 values while delivering national impact.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Venture Partners prioritizes the experience and development of its founders鈥攗sually faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students, but also entrepreneurs from outside the university. Their </span><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners/licensing-industry-partners/licensing-ease-entrepreneurs-and-startups" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Licensing with EASE庐</strong></span></a><span> simplifies the startup process with pre-negotiated intellectual property licensing terms, reducing administrative friction and allowing founders to focus on building their ventures. This philosophy extends to providing tailored mentorship and long-term support, creating an environment where new founders thrive.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>From entrepreneurial training to funding, Venture Partners offers a comprehensive suite of resources for founders and startups. For example, Venture Partners鈥 </span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support/center-translational-research" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Center for Translational Research (CTR)</strong></span></a><span> helps bridge the 鈥渧alley of death鈥 between early-stage research and commercialization with comprehensive support for researchers applying for grants that cater to startups. In federal partnership, </span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training/nsf-i-corps-hub-west" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>the National Science Foundation I-Corps<sup>TM</sup> Hub: West Region</strong></span></a><span> programming at Venture Partners provides startup training to researchers in and outside of the university, while the </span><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/lab-venture-challenge" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Lab Venture Challenge (LVC)</strong></span></a><span> awards over $1.25 million in proof-of-concept grants annually in partnership with the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT).</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Venture Partners鈥 willingness to experiment and learn from failure has been critical to its success. 鈥淗ave you heard of the 鈥榠-Teams鈥 program?鈥 Rees jokes. 鈥淥f course not! It was a failure. We wanted to match lab innovations with business students. It was a fun experience and great learning for the students, but we didn鈥檛 start any new companies.鈥 However, it provided insights that led to the creation of the highly successful </span><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator</strong></span></a><span>, which launched 10 of the 35 companies in 2024 by matching entrepreneurs, including from CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 Leeds School of Business, with cutting-edge CU 抖阴传媒在线 innovations.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>35 startups accelerating toward impact</span></h2><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div><div><div><div><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners" rel="nofollow"> <div class="imageMediaStyle wide_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2024-09/STOCK%20mentorship%20diversity%20092424.jpeg?h=5178a784&amp;itok=qDt3HhDL" width="1500" height="563" alt="A black man in a tan suit leans on a desk listening to an older white woman in a blue blouse talk to a younger white women in a white blouse holding a tablet."> </div> </a><h3><br><strong>Investor and Partnership Opportunities</strong></h3><p>We connect investors with high-potential ventures and facilitates collaborations with companies seeking to invest in research or license technologies from CU.</p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Partner With Us</span></a></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>The 35 startups launched in FY 2024 represent a diverse array of industries, from clean energy to biotech. Among them is </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/mana-battery-inc" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Mana Battery</strong></span></a><span>, founded on research from Chunmei Ban鈥檚 laboratory (</span><a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering</strong></span></a><span>), winner of a 2023 LVC grant. Mana Battery is developing sodium-based batteries as a safer, more sustainable alternative to lithium-ion technology, addressing critical challenges in energy storage. Over the past decade, CU 抖阴传媒在线 has spun out several battery-focused startups, collectively creating hundreds of jobs and attracting over $1 billion in investment to Colorado.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>CU is a growing international leader in both quantum and healthcare research and technologies, both of which are found in the new startup </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/flari-tech-inc" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Flari Tech</strong></span></a><span>. The company is developing technology created by Jun Ye (</span><a href="/physics/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Physics</strong></span></a><span><strong>,</strong></span><a href="https://jila.colorado.edu/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>&nbsp;JILA</strong></span></a><span><strong>,</strong></span><a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>&nbsp;NIST</strong></span></a><span>) and Qizhong Liang (JILA) to detect diseases via the breath, all built upon the Nobel Prize-winning frequency comb developed at CU 抖阴传媒在线 and NIST. Eva Yao founded the company in the first cohort of Embark.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Another shooting star is </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/mesa-quantum-inc" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Mesa Quantum</strong></span></a><span>. Venture Partners helped match a motivated grad student, Sristy Agrawal (</span><a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>NIST</strong></span></a><span><strong>,</strong></span><a href="/math/research/mathematical-physics" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>&nbsp;CU 抖阴传媒在线 Mathematical Physics</strong></span></a><span>), with a novel atomic clock invented in Svenja Knappe鈥檚 lab (</span><a href="/mechanical/svenja-knappe" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering</strong></span></a><span>). Mesa Quantum was first conceived in the I-Corps Hub West programming offered at Venture Partners. Mesa Quantum is ushering in the next generation of chip-scale atomic clocks and quantum sensors, powering the industries of tomorrow in fields like autonomous vehicles and advanced deep-water oil exploration.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 success is bolstered by recent ecosystem wins like the </span><a href="https://www.co-wyengine.org/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>NSF ASCEND Engine in Colorado and Wyoming</strong></span></a><span> and the</span><a href="/venturepartners/2024/07/02/external-news/cu-boulder-elevate-quantum-partners-ready-127m-regional-quantum-boost" rel="nofollow"><span>&nbsp;<strong>Elevate Quantum Tech Hub</strong></span></a><span> designations. These initiatives enhance CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 capacity to attract top talent, secure funding and support high-impact startups.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淭hese programs bring together the resources and expertise we need to address global challenges,鈥 says Rees. 鈥淭hey鈥檙e amplifying our impact and positioning CU as a leader in innovation.鈥</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Looking ahead</span></h2><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div><div><div><div><a href="/venturepartners/node/2139" rel="nofollow"> <div class="align-center image_style-wide_image_style"> <div class="imageMediaStyle wide_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/wide_image_style/public/2024-12/Mechanical%20Engineering%20article%20woman%20beaker%20jellyfish%20120324.png?h=c8b9a5f6&amp;itok=2JkDrxyU" width="1500" height="563" alt="A woman with long dark hair and black glasses holds up a beaker to the camera with a jellyfish floating inside of it."> </div> </div> </a><h3><br><strong>Venture Partners Annual Report</strong></h3><p>Explore more about these startups and how Venture Partners achieved record-breaking success in transforming innovation into impact.</p></div></div></div></div><div><div><div><div><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/node/2139" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Our Impact</span></a></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>As Venture Partners celebrates its record-breaking year, the team is focused on the future. Plans include expanding incubator spaces, enhancing funding opportunities and growing its investor network. The university is also working to refine programs like Embark and explore new collaborations with other institutions.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淥ur goal is to create ventures with lasting impact,鈥 Rees emphasizes. 鈥淲e measure success not only by the number of companies we create but by the societal and economic benefits they deliver.鈥&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Over the last five years, startups spinning out of CU 抖阴传媒在线 have raised $3.9 billion in total financing. CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 inventions and startups contributed $8 billion in national economic impact and $5.2 billion in Colorado from 2018-2022 alone, according to a&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/2022/11/18/internal-news/cu-boulder-commercialization-drives-8-billion-impact" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>2022 report</strong></span></a><span> conducted by Leeds School of Business. Ten unicorns鈥攃ompanies valued at more than $1 billion鈥攈ave spun out of the campus to date, including </span><a href="/venturepartners/2025/04/14/internal-news/coolest-technology-universe" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a0351198-b3e0-4572-a695-38583cc77f9b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="The coolest technology in the universe "><span><strong>Infleqtion</strong></span></a><span>, which announced its initial public offering last week.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 dramatic rise as a leader in university-driven entrepreneurship has illuminated its role in the broader U.S. innovation ecosystem. By prioritizing founders, embracing Colorado鈥檚 unique strengths and continually evolving its approach, Venture Partners offers a model for other institutions seeking to foster innovation.</span></p><p><br>&nbsp;</p><hr><div><div><h2 class="text-align-center"><span>What can we do together?</span><br>&nbsp;</h2><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2340" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-balance-scale fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management/disclose-an-innovation" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9e95f9f-bd16-491c-a0b7-87db058214d9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Disclose an Innovation"><strong>Disclose and protect your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/791" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-graduation-cap fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="82926513-3a0a-408f-b460-48069e8a1004" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Entrepreneurial Training"><strong>Engage in entrepreneurial training programs</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/323" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/mentorship-and-advising" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2f8ea362-5911-4e70-a502-5f15d1754479" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mentorship and Advising"><strong>Find a mentor to advance your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/803" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-money-bill-1 fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ee81ac9c-9740-4528-807b-38c22188a3d1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Funding Opportunities and Support"><strong>Get funding for&nbsp;your innovation</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/92" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-handshake fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/licensing-university-innovators" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e477b33f-541d-4bc6-99a7-ab2fc9b08e98" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Licensing for University Innovators"><strong>Find partners and opportunities for your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/1967" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-bolt fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7de607e7-a898-46d9-a1a1-1825a872fff5" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Investor and Partnership Opportunities"><strong>Explore investing in and partnering&nbsp;with CU researchers</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/781" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7446d166-740e-4d04-b255-b83c3a729be0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Startup Portfolio"><strong>Explore our startups portfolio</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2341" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-lightbulb fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c5a76e38-d4d6-4405-903d-d7d4152c9ebb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Technology Portfolio"><strong>Explore our technology portfolio</strong></a></p></div></div><hr></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>The 抖阴传媒在线 reached a historic milestone, launching 35 new companies based on university intellectual property during fiscal year 2024, more than any other U.S. campus that year. In addition to holding the No. 1 spot for that year, the achievement also places CU 抖阴传媒在线 No. 2 for the most startups launched in a single year by a U.S. campus.</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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-01/Mechanical_Engineering_Battery_Cells_SPUR_BOLD_20240807_JMP_149.jpg?itok=37R2h5I8" width="1500" height="1000" alt="A man and a woman laugh while working together to in a laboratory"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 15 Sep 2025 18:31:49 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2710 at /venturepartners Infleqtion to go public with $1.8B valuation making it CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 10th unicorn spinout /venturepartners/2025/09/08/internal-news/infleqtion-goes-public-18-b-valuation-making-it-cu-boulders-10th-unicorn-spinout <span>Infleqtion to go public with $1.8B valuation making it CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 10th unicorn spinout</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-08T07:32:37-06:00" title="Monday, September 8, 2025 - 07:32">Mon, 09/08/2025 - 07:32</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-09/Infleqtion%20article%20090825.jpg?h=ef2d6e95&amp;itok=1QODqCY-" width="1200" height="800" alt="A complex small computing device in a black room"> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/12"> CU Startup News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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><a href="https://infleqtion.com/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Infleqtion</strong></span></a><span>, a global leader in neutral atom鈥揵ased quantum technology, and Churchill Capital Corp X, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement to accelerate Infleqtion鈥檚 mission to commercialize quantum products that provide orders of magnitude improvements in computing and precision sensing applications. Upon closing, the combined company will operate as Infleqtion and is expected to be listed on a leading North American exchange under the ticker 鈥淚NFQ.鈥</span></p><p>Valued at $1.8 billion, Infleqtion is now the <a href="/venturepartners/about/reports/current-annual-report" rel="nofollow"><strong>tenth "unicorn" to spin out of CU 抖阴传媒在线</strong></a>. Others include Amgen, <a href="/venturepartners/2023/09/28/internal-news/astronomical-achievements-its-way-outer-space-ball-aerospace-launched-cus-entrepreneurial" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="5d8662b8-6d05-4729-97a0-9f02fe6fc688" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Astronomical achievements: On its way to outer space Ball Aerospace launched CU鈥檚 entrepreneurial engine"><strong>Ball Aerospace &amp; Technologies</strong></a>, <a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/solid-power-inc-sldp" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ad6a3488-33ee-4c6d-a50e-7e1dad126e01" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Solid Power Inc. (SLDP)"><strong>Solid Power</strong></a> and <a href="/venturepartners/2024/10/30/internal-news/somalogic-spun-out-gold-lab-cu-boulder-revolutionized-protein-discovery-methods-provide" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0d0706ed-71a9-465d-96f8-0356a9953301" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="SomaLogic, spun out of the Gold Lab at CU 抖阴传媒在线, revolutionized protein discovery methods to provide insights into disease discovery and treatment"><strong>SomaLogic</strong></a>.&nbsp;<br><br><span lang="EN-US">Infleqtion鈥檚 star continues to rise as Colorado鈥檚 quantum hub grows. The company of firsts, spun out of CU 抖阴传媒在线 as ColdQuanta, seems to be everywhere these days, including outer space, while commercializing pioneering research to address needs across several critical markets, including positioning, navigating and timing, global communication security and efficiency, resilient energy distribution and accelerated quantum computing.&nbsp;</span></p><h2>Infleqtion to go public through merger with Churchill Capital Corp X</h2><p>鈥淐hurchill Capital is proud to partner with companies that are shaping the future of technology,鈥 said Michael Klein, Chairman and CEO of Churchill Capital Corp X. 鈥淚nfleqtion stands out with its breakthrough neutral atom platform and proven engineering capabilities, already delivering meaningful impact in quantum computing and sensing. We are excited to support Infleqtion鈥檚 leadership team as they advance the quantum era and create enduring value for shareholders.鈥</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://infleqtion.com/infleqtion-and-cccx/" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-up-right-from-square">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Read the Announcement</span></a></p><div><div><div><h2><span>The coolest technology in the universe</span></h2></div></div></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">It was decades ago but Dana Anderson (</span><a href="https://jila.colorado.edu/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>JILA</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, </span><a href="/artsandsciences/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 College of Arts and Sciences</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> and </span><a href="/engineering/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>College of Engineering and Applied Science</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">) still recalls well the day his research took a major turn. 鈥淚 started to do atoms instead of photons,鈥 he said. While Anderson makes it sound like a subtle shift鈥揻ocusing on atoms and subatomic particles instead of particles of light (lasers)鈥搕hat move has contributed significantly to the present and future of quantum technologies worldwide.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/2025/04/14/internal-news/coolest-technology-universe" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read Infleqtion's Origin Story</span></a></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Infleqtion, a CU 抖阴传媒在线 spinout and global leader in quantum technology, announced a $1.8 billion business combination with Churchill Capital Corp X and will trade under the ticker 鈥淚NFQ.鈥 Now Colorado鈥檚 tenth unicorn, Infleqtion continues to drive the state鈥檚 growing quantum hub by commercializing breakthroughs across computing, sensing, security and energy markets.</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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-04/hardware-1024x576.jpg?itok=GE6aWcsW" width="1500" height="844" alt="The internal hardware of a quantum computer in a laboratory."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p><span>The internal hardware of Infleqtion's neutral atom quantum computing platform. Photo: Infleqtion, 2025.</span></p> </span> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 08 Sep 2025 13:32:37 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2707 at /venturepartners The coolest technology in the universe /venturepartners/2025/04/14/internal-news/coolest-technology-universe <span>The coolest technology in the universe </span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-09-08T06:24:08-06:00" title="Monday, September 8, 2025 - 06:24">Mon, 09/08/2025 - 06:24</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-04/hardware-1024x576.jpg?h=8fb26a96&amp;itok=D6Zk3Bhx" width="1200" height="800" alt="The internal hardware of a quantum computer in a laboratory."> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/397"> CU Innovators News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/12"> CU Startup News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><p><strong>Updated Sept. 8, 2025: </strong><a href="https://infleqtion.com/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Infleqtion</strong></span></a><span><strong> and Churchill Capital Corp X, a publicly traded special purpose acquisition company, announced that they have entered into a definitive business combination agreement to accelerate Infleqtion鈥檚 mission to commercialize quantum products. Upon closing, the combined company will operate as Infleqtion and is expected to be listed on a leading North American exchange under the ticker 鈥淚NFQ.鈥 Valued at $1.8 billion, Infleqtion is now the </strong></span><a href="/venturepartners/about/reports/current-annual-report" rel="nofollow"><strong>tenth "unicorn" to spin out of CU 抖阴传媒在线</strong></a><span><strong>.</strong></span></p><hr><p class="lead"><a href="https://infleqtion.com/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Infleqtion</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">鈥檚 star continues to rise as Colorado鈥檚 quantum hub grows. The company of firsts, spun out of CU 抖阴传媒在线 as ColdQuanta, seems to be everywhere these days, including outer space, while commercializing pioneering research to address needs across several critical markets including positioning, navigating and timing, global communication security and efficiency, resilient energy distribution, and accelerated quantum computing.&nbsp;</span><span> &nbsp;</span></p> <div class="align-right image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2025-04/Dana_Anderson_2016_web%20crop.jpg?itok=f8WZwjEY" width="750" height="750" alt="Dana Anderson"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>Dana Anderson, Glenn L. Murphy Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Professor of Physics and JILA Fellow, 2024</p> </span> </div> </div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">It was decades ago but Dana Anderson (</span><a href="https://jila.colorado.edu/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>JILA</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, </span><a href="/artsandsciences/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 College of Arts and Sciences</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> and </span><a href="/engineering/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>College of Engineering and Applied Science</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">) still recalls well the day his research took a major turn. 鈥淚 started to do atoms instead of photons,鈥 he said. While Anderson makes it sound like a subtle shift鈥揻ocusing on atoms and subatomic particles instead of particles of light (lasers)鈥搕hat move has contributed significantly to the present and future of quantum technologies worldwide.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Anderson, now Infleqtion鈥檚 chief technology officer, then began focusing on cold atom inertial sensing, a process in which ultra-cold atoms (cooled to near absolute zero) are used to precisely measure forces like rotation and acceleration. That unprecedented accuracy is based on leveraging atoms鈥 wave-like nature in a controlled quantum state. It was groundbreaking work also built on a strong foundation of quantum innovation at CU 抖阴传媒在线 spanning decades and (up to that point) two Nobel Prizes.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><span lang="EN-US">That was the mid-1990s and, around the same time, Anderson鈥檚 JILA colleagues, </span><a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>NIST</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> fellow Eric Cornell and CU 抖阴传媒在线 physicist Carl Wieman, created a never-before-seen state of matter called the Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), in which ultracold atoms coalesce into a single 鈥渟uperatom鈥 with uniform properties. </span><a href="/today/2001/10/08/wieman-and-cornell-win-2001-nobel-prize-physics" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>They received the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for that work</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, shared with MIT physicist Wolfgang Ketterle and 70 years after Albert Einstein predicted BECs could exist based on the work of Satyenda Bose. 鈥淏oy, that鈥檚 going to be useful,鈥 Anderson recalls thinking at the time, imagining BEC being used to dramatically boost the performance of various devices, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, gravimeters and magnetometers. 鈥淚 felt that it would change the world,鈥 he said.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Following the BEC breakthrough, the trio went on to guide cold atoms through hollow core optical fibers, leading to Anderson and Cornell鈥檚 鈥渁tom chip鈥 work and Anderson鈥檚 group demonstrating the first ultracold atom chip 鈥減ortable vacuum system鈥 in 2004. Those innovative techniques created a controlled environment for Anderson and others to study and manipulate atoms, a critical step in developing technologies like atomic clocks, quantum sensors and quantum computers.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><h2><span>&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-US">鈥淪lowly building the technology鈥</span><span>&nbsp;</span></h2></div><div> <div class="align-right image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2025-04/1980_Dana_Anderson.JPG?itok=UIoeotxP" width="750" height="489" alt="A man stands in a lab surrounded by complicated computer equipment"> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <div><p><span>Dana Anderson poses with a spectrum analyzer in a laboratory at JILA. Photo: JILA, 1980.</span></p></div> </span> </div> <p><span lang="EN-US">As a 鈥渂orn and raised physicist,鈥 said Anderson, he鈥檚 always looking for practical applications for cutting-edge science. 鈥淚鈥檓 an applied physicist, so I like to do things that are useful,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey don鈥檛 have to happen tomorrow but be useful sooner or later.鈥&nbsp; In those earlier days of quantum research, making that transition meant landing grants from the U.S. Army and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). That funding, said Anderson, 鈥渁llowed us to focus on developing the technology and getting it out into the world.鈥 During that time, they solved many problems, said Anderson. 鈥淲e were struggling and making mistakes like gangbusters and trying this and trying that, and slowly building the technology,鈥 he said.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">In 2007, Anderson made the first critical leap from lab to market when he founded ColdQuanta with the goal of streamlining devices for BEC experiments using the technology discovered at CU. After receiving a $100,000 proof of concept investment from what was then the CU Technology Transfer Office (now </span><a href="/venturepartners/about" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="48b5ec97-4679-4c2b-ac82-f80088542b80" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="About Us"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">), ColdQuanta earned contracts from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF).&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><a href="/venturepartners/joshua-bennett" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="4e6542b6-a4c4-4f91-819a-8352abb8357c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Joshua Bennett"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Josh Bennett</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, assistant director of licensing at Venture Partners, now manages much of the university鈥檚 portfolio of quantum technologies, and he sees Infleqtion鈥檚 success as key to both advancing quantum research worldwide and paving the way for new quantum spinouts from CU. 鈥淪ince they were the first real quantum company out of Colorado to translate their research into a commercial entity, and they鈥檝e become a leader globally in their research and in their work, I think it鈥檚 fair to say that without Infleqtion (or ColdQuanta), we wouldn鈥檛 be seeing all these other quantum spin-outs in the last two, three years,鈥 he said.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Infleqtion laid the groundwork for several other CU 抖阴传媒在线 quantum companies now working with Venture Partners, including </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/icarus-quantum-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="341c6dd5-ced1-42ac-803e-cd968cc4fe1b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Icarus Quantum Inc."><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Icarus Quantum</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, </span><a href="/venturepartners/node/2356" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Flari Tech</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> and </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/mesa-quantum-systems-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="880a4316-8328-4ae9-8f4a-bab637d77715" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mesa Quantum Systems Inc."><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Mesa Quantum</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">. Today, through Venture Partners (the commercialization arm for CU 抖阴传媒在线, CU Denver鈥檚 physical sciences and UCCS), the entrepreneurs behind these startups have myriad programs to help get their ventures off the ground.</span><span>&nbsp;</span><br>&nbsp;</p><hr><a href="/venturepartners/node/1732" rel="nofollow"> <div class="align-right image_style-small_500px_25_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_500px_25_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/small_500px_25_display_size_/public/page/path_to_commercialization_mountain_graphic_white_back.png?itok=jASLlu5E" width="375" height="211" alt="Illustration of a mountain as a metaphor where researchers can climb one of two paths with their discovery of either starting a company or licensing their protected intellectual property"> </div> </div> </a><h3 class="text-align-center">But what is "commercialization?"</h3><p class="text-align-center lead">The path to commercialization鈥攁lso known as "research translation" or "tech transfer"鈥攃an be challenging, so Venture Partners unites&nbsp;industry partners, entrepreneurs and investors to help&nbsp;researchers, inventors and creators at the University of Colorado bring their groundbreaking discoveries into the marketplace.</p><p class="text-align-center"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/node/1732" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore the Path to Commercialization</span></a></p><hr></div><div><p><span>&nbsp;</span><br><span lang="EN-US">What distinguishes Infleqtion today, said Scott Sternberg, executive director of the </span><a href="/initiative/cubit/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>CUbit Quantum Initiative</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, is their ability to combine the capabilities of quantum phenomenon with highly engineered platforms that focus on customer usability. 鈥淚nfleqtion embodies the vibrant campus efforts to support the translation of fundamental discovery towards product realization and company growth,鈥 said Sternberg. 鈥淲e are fortunate to have such a great company, forged here in 抖阴传媒在线, that now leads the international quantum community.鈥</span><span>&nbsp;</span><span lang="EN-US">&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Beyond proving that quantum tech can lead to a compelling business entity, Infleqtion blazed the trail to Colorado becoming a national quantum hub, said </span><a href="/venturepartners/bryn-rees" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="10ec4777-72c9-4acb-be3a-b3f1267d360c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Bryn Rees"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Bryn Rees</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships. He points to Anderson鈥檚 important role in boosting </span><a href="https://www.elevatequantum.org/" rel="nofollow"><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Elevate Quantum</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US">, a consortium of over 120 quantum-focused organizations in Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. 鈥淸Infleqtion] has become an international quantum success and sensation,鈥 he said. 鈥淭hey're now a big-time player.鈥</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><h2><span lang="EN-US">Inflection points</span></h2></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Anderson recalls well how most people responded when he first started pitching the concept of commercializing quantum tech. Looking back on his first quantum-related NSF proposal nearly 20 years ago, he said, 鈥淣ow those [concepts] seem right in the thick of things but back then most people said, 鈥楾his is too unrealistic鈥. That鈥檚 what it was like.鈥 Anderson knew that he was on the fringe, especially at a time when most people still used flip phones. 鈥淲e were crazy people that were really gung-ho, and yet, we certainly didn't have a good business 鈥榮tory鈥,鈥 said Anderson. 鈥淏ut I just believed that quantum was going to be important.鈥&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Now quantum technology promises to revolutionize industries from computing, healthcare, defense, energy, finance and beyond. Building on decades of research from Anderson and others, Infleqtion is driving advances in that burgeoning ecosystem. The company now offers quantum hardware and software products鈥攆rom quantum clocks and sensors, positioning components and glass cells containing cold atoms to quantum computers and quantum-enabled, AI-driven software.&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Several years ago, Anderson famously took ultracold atoms (around 10 million of them) out of the lab and onto his own plane, to test the robustness of his team鈥檚 magneto-optical trap. Not long after that, it was deployed by NASA for use on the International Space Station, making it what could be called the 鈥榗oolest鈥 tech in the universe. 鈥淲hen we commercialized a Bose Einstein condensation machine鈥 including making things very small,鈥 said Anderson, 鈥淣ASA noticed and said, 鈥楲et's put it up into space鈥. And that was terribly important for our growing up.鈥</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><blockquote><p><span lang="EN-US">Research labs and commercial entities worldwide are now using Infleqtion鈥檚 products to generate high-value information and improve reliability and performance in quantum computing. Customers and collaborators include the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the Japanese Moonshot Program, the UK鈥檚 National Quantum Computing Centre and the </span><span>Defense Cyber Marvel 3, a global cyber defense competition.</span><span lang="EN-US">.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></blockquote></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Infleqtion is also now participating in the first round of the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 (DOE) newly formed Quantum &amp; Space Collaboration. The collaboration aims to use quantum tech to move the needle forward in national security, energy/sustainability and economic interests.&nbsp;</span><span> &nbsp;</span></p></div><div> <div class="align-right image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2025-04/best-inventions-2022-coldquanta-albert.png?itok=mOJt_ooM" width="750" height="510" alt="A large, tall computer."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>Infleqtion's cloud-based quantum matter machine, 鈥淎lbert, named TIME's Best Inventions. Photo: TIME, 2022</p> </span> </div> <p><span lang="EN-US">In 2022, ColdQuanta adopted the trade name Infleqtion to mark the company鈥檚 transition from research and development of quantum technology to deploying it for commercial uses. The company has now been through two successful rounds of funding, most recently raising $110 million in its Series B round in 2022. TIME magazine also named the company鈥檚 cloud-based quantum matter machine, dubbed 鈥淎lbert,鈥 as one of its 2022 Best Inventions. Infleqtion鈥檚 software platform recently secured a $1.15 million DOE grant, paving the way for energy-efficient computing.&nbsp;&nbsp;</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span lang="EN-US">Of all its latest advances, Anderson is most enthusiastic about Oqtant, a first-of-its-kind quantum innovation platform launched last year that democratizes quantum discovery and invention by giving researchers, innovators and students access to quantum matter via BECs where they can create, manipulate and study quantum phenomena鈥攁nd all they need is internet access. 鈥淚鈥檓 extremely excited about Oqtant,鈥 said Anderson. 鈥淓veryone having the building blocks of our universe at their fingertips points us toward a new age of exploration and discovery.鈥</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p></div><div><p><span>Anderson is gratified to see that he and his colleagues' own 'eureka' quantum moments</span><span lang="EN-US"> of long ago are finally being realized on a larger scale. Infleqtion鈥檚 readiness to meet that new understanding and demand has meant quantum leaps in the company鈥檚 recent growth. 鈥淲e knew that BEC was going to be big, and we鈥檙e seeing that now,鈥 he said.</span><span>&nbsp;</span></p><p><br>&nbsp;</p><hr><div><div><h2 class="text-align-center"><span>What can we do together?</span><br>&nbsp;</h2><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2340" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-balance-scale fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management/disclose-an-innovation" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9e95f9f-bd16-491c-a0b7-87db058214d9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Disclose an Innovation"><strong>Disclose and protect your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/791" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-graduation-cap fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="82926513-3a0a-408f-b460-48069e8a1004" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Entrepreneurial Training"><strong>Engage in entrepreneurial training programs</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/323" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/mentorship-and-advising" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2f8ea362-5911-4e70-a502-5f15d1754479" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mentorship and Advising"><strong>Find a mentor to advance your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/803" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-money-bill-1 fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ee81ac9c-9740-4528-807b-38c22188a3d1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Funding Opportunities and Support"><strong>Get funding for&nbsp;your innovation</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/92" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-handshake fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/licensing-university-innovators" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e477b33f-541d-4bc6-99a7-ab2fc9b08e98" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Licensing for University Innovators"><strong>Find partners and opportunities for your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/1967" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-bolt fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7de607e7-a898-46d9-a1a1-1825a872fff5" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Investor and Partnership Opportunities"><strong>Explore investing in and partnering&nbsp;with CU researchers</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/781" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7446d166-740e-4d04-b255-b83c3a729be0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Startup Portfolio"><strong>Explore our startups portfolio</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2341" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-lightbulb fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c5a76e38-d4d6-4405-903d-d7d4152c9ebb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Technology Portfolio"><strong>Explore our technology portfolio</strong></a></p></div></div><hr></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Infleqtion鈥檚 star continues to rise as Colorado鈥檚 quantum hub grows. The company of firsts, spun out of CU 抖阴传媒在线 as ColdQuanta, seems to be everywhere these days, including outer space, while commercializing pioneering research to address needs across several critical markets including positioning, navigating and timing, global communication security and efficiency, resilient energy distribution, and accelerated quantum computing.&nbsp; </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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-04/hardware-1024x576.jpg?itok=GE6aWcsW" width="1500" height="844" alt="The internal hardware of a quantum computer in a laboratory."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p><span>The internal hardware of Infleqtion's neutral atom quantum computing platform. Photo: Infleqtion, 2025.</span></p> </span> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> <div>The internal hardware of Infleqtion's neutral atom quantum computing platform. Photo: Infleqtion, 2025.</div> Mon, 08 Sep 2025 12:24:08 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2522 at /venturepartners Wanted: Entrepreneurs to launch startups based on 抖阴传媒在线 innovations /venturepartners/2025/08/11/internal-news/wanted-entrepreneurs-launch-startups-based-university-colorado-boulder-innovations <span>Wanted: Entrepreneurs to launch startups based on 抖阴传媒在线 innovations</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-08-11T06:15:00-06:00" title="Monday, August 11, 2025 - 06:15">Mon, 08/11/2025 - 06:15</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-08/Embark%20Web%20Express%20Article%20Thumbnails%20080925.png?h=ea5ab45b&amp;itok=0OErocRx" width="1200" height="800" alt="Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator"> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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 class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>The 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/embark" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator</strong></span></a><span> matches entrepreneurs with breakthrough university technologies and provides salary support, startup training and access to funding opportunities. Applications are now open for the 2026 cohort of Embark Startup Founders.</span></p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-left ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p>Embark will hire up to seven Embark Startup Founders to serve as CEOs of new deep tech companies built around technology developed in CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 world-class research enterprise. This is an opportunity to lead a startup utilizing cutting-edge technology, with the support of CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 high-impact entrepreneurial resources and programs. <span><strong>Application closes Sept. 12.</strong></span></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Learn More and Apply</span></a></p></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>Roughly 180 inventions emerge from CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 research labs each year, and&nbsp;</span><a href="https://connections.cu.edu/stories/university-colorado-ranks-among-top-20-us-universities-granted-patents" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU was ranked 18th among all U.S. universities for granted patents in 2025</strong></span></a><span>. Some of these innovations are spun out and brought to market by the university innovators themselves, while many more join an underutilized pool. At the same time, many entrepreneurs are searching for the newest breakthrough technologies to bring to the marketplace but lack the needed access and support.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线 launched Embark in 2023 to bring together those would-be entrepreneurs and inventors in a unique way, says Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships at CU 抖阴传媒在线. 鈥淛ust because the university inventors didn鈥檛 create a startup company doesn鈥檛 mean the technology is not a really exciting startup opportunity,鈥 he said. 鈥淲e think some of our very best innovations are available, and Embark is a way to catalyze that. It doesn鈥檛 just provide access to innovations, though. Embark opens the door to one of the best startup ecosystems in the world.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>To that end, Venture Partners has curated a list of promising innovations with strong commercial potential from a broad array of scientific and engineering disciplines.&nbsp;For the CU researchers and inventors who created these technologies but are not interested in leading a startup, Embark offers a powerful opportunity to translate their work into real-world impact and potentially generate revenue for their research labs and themselves.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Embark presents an exciting new avenue for ideas to get out into the world where they can make a difference, according to Marta Zgagacz, senior director at Venture Partners. 鈥淸Our researchers] are extremely enthusiastic to have their technology go through the Embark program and hopefully come out the other side with a startup,鈥 she said.&nbsp;</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Since 2023, 20 companies have been founded through Embark, 13 of which have participated in accelerators or incubator programs, and 12 have received follow-on funding. The program is part of a suite of&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/2025/01/09/internal-news/cu-boulder-shines-record-breaking-year-startups" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>record-breaking entrepreneurial programming</strong></span></a><span> at Venture Partners鈥攖he university鈥檚 commercialization arm for the CU 抖阴传媒在线 campus. To date, over 220 startups have spun out around CU technology and raised over $14 billion in funding.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>"When starting a company around a deep tech innovation, founders often do not get a paycheck during the early stages,鈥 said Amy Dodenhoff, director of venture development at Venture Partners. 鈥淓mbark provides salary support, thereby opening the door for aspiring founders who would not otherwise be able to afford to pursue new ventures. All the while, we provide a full suite of resources for founders to support them in their startup efforts, whether this is their first startup or they have led multiple companies before this one."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Those interested in the Embark Startup Founder positions can&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/embark" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>learn about Embark technologies and apply</strong></span></a><span> through Venture Partners. Selected candidates have several weeks to delve deeper into the technologies, learn about the startup resources available through the university, and meet with the inventors. Entrepreneurs then present their commercialization plans, and Venture Partners selects up to seven startup founders, who will be offered a six-month part-time salary as founding CEOs, and the full support of CU 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚 world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem to launch their new company. <strong>Application closes Sept. 12.</strong></span></p><h2><span>Featured Companies Launched Through Embark</span></h2><div><h3><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/precisionterra-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1dcd778b-6ae4-4c78-bc7a-bdda7c54a60d" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="PrecisionTerra Inc."><span>PrecisionTerra</span></a></h3><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/maithreyi-gopalakrishnan/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(alum, </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>) founded PrecisionTerra through Embark in 2023, to commercialize a cutting-edge algorithm developed by Jade Morton (</span><a href="/aerospace/jade-morton" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences</strong></span></a><span>) that enhances GPS signal coverage in challenging environments, such as dense urban areas with tall buildings.</span></p><h2><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/kioga-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="bb7eb0f8-8261-4956-a72b-32feb3389b5e" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Kioga Inc.">Kioga</a></h2><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-whiteley/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Justin Whiteley</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, cofounder of </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/eat-meatitm-meati-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="b6abc624-d397-46f1-8b99-60ec72eff6f9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="eat meati鈩 (Meati Inc.)"><span><strong>eat meati鈩 (Meati Inc.)</strong></span></a><span>, joined Kioga as CEO through Embark in 2024 to commercialize new dietary ingredients from the laboratories of </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/christopher-lowry-4066198/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Christopher A. Lowry</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/iphy/people/faculty/christopher-lowry" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Integrative Physiology</strong></span></a><span>) and </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/noah-fierer-7b06368/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Noah Fierer</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/ebio/noah-fierer" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Ecology and Evolutionary Biology</strong></span></a><span>) to "vaccinate" consumers against stress and metabolic disorders by targeting brain and body inflammation.</span></p><h3><a href="https://www.endiosbio.com/" rel="nofollow">Endios Bio</a></h3><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/wendyoverton/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Wendy Overton </strong></a><span>founded Endios Bio in 2024 through Embark with breakthrough therapeutics developed by Alexandra Whiteley (</span><a href="/biochemistry/alexandra-whiteley" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Biochemistry</strong></a>) <span>for rare neurodegenerative diseases by targeting the newly discovered impacts of the gene peg10, which was recently linked to ALS and Angelmans and has druggable potential.</span></p><div><h3><a href="https://www.greensteelenvironmental.com/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Green Steel Environmental</strong></span></a></h3></div><div><div><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-jonis/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Jon Jonis</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;</a>and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonathanteaford/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Jonathan Teaford</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;founded the company in 2023 through Embark to develop sustainable additives that can revolutionize the wastewater recovery industry based on discoveries made by Mark Hernandez (<a href="/even/" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Environmental Engineering</strong></a>).</p><h2><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/ecovaleric-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="8dac0a13-98c6-4312-a9ed-89d67e313883" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Ecovaleric Inc.">Ecovaleric&nbsp;</a></h2><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robertaleao/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Roberta Le茫o</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;founded Ecovaleric in 2024 through Embark to use an innovative electrochemical process invented by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-holewinski-03785631/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Adem Holewinski</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/chbe/adam-holewinski" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></a>, <a href="/rasei/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)</strong></a>) and <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/f-willian-s-lucas-351709b4/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Will Lucas</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(fmr. CU 抖阴传媒在线 Chemical and Biological Engineering) to create biodegradable bioplastics, renewable biofuels and more.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator#founders" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">View All Past Founders</span></a></p></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>The 抖阴传媒在线鈥檚&nbsp;Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator matches entrepreneurs with breakthrough university technologies and provides salary support, startup training and access to funding opportunities. Applications are now open for the 2026 cohort of Embark Startup Founders.</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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-08/Embark%20Web%20Express%20Article%20Title%20Image%20080925.png?itok=Y0o6b1kI" width="1500" height="844" alt="Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 11 Aug 2025 12:15:00 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2686 at /venturepartners CU 抖阴传媒在线 awards therapeutics funding to advance promising drug development projects /venturepartners/2025/07/14/internal-news/cu-boulder-awards-therapeutics-funding-advance-promising-drug-development-projects <span>CU 抖阴传媒在线 awards therapeutics funding to advance promising drug development projects</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin 鈥</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-07-14T12:15:58-06:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 12:15">Mon, 07/14/2025 - 12:15</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-01/STOCK%20therapeutics%20announcement%20011325.jpeg?h=4c210f51&amp;itok=pQdYor8C" width="1200" height="800" alt="Close up on a pipette and drop of liquid falling into a vial"> </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="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> Venture Partners News </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 class="lead" dir="ltr"><a href="/venturepartners/about" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="48b5ec97-4679-4c2b-ac82-f80088542b80" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="About Us"><span><strong>Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线</strong></span></a><span><strong> </strong>has announced the first recipients of a new translational funding program designed to advance promising, early-stage therapeutics with strong commercial potential. The program provides up to $50,000 per project to help CU 抖阴传媒在线 researchers generate critical validation data or develop new intellectual property, bringing new treatments a step closer to patients in need.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淐U 抖阴传媒在线 is a world-class destination for bioscience research,鈥 said </span><a href="/venturepartners/hannah-nelson" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="a486a403-17ef-4d0a-87fe-81ead590d554" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Hannah Nelson"><span><strong>Hannah Nelson</strong></span></a><span>, associate director of licensing at Venture Partners, 鈥渁nd our innovative faculty have created a robust pipeline of novel drugs and therapeutic targets.鈥</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Many promising therapeutic projects reach a stage where they no longer qualify for basic research funding but are still too early for translational grants or private investment. This funding gap can stall progress.</span><br>&nbsp;</p><hr><a href="/venturepartners/node/1732" rel="nofollow"> <div class="align-right image_style-small_500px_25_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle small_500px_25_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/small_500px_25_display_size_/public/page/path_to_commercialization_mountain_graphic_white_back.png?itok=jASLlu5E" width="375" height="211" alt="Illustration of a mountain as a metaphor where researchers can climb one of two paths with their discovery of either starting a company or licensing their protected intellectual property"> </div> </div> </a><h3 class="text-align-center">But what is "commercialization?"</h3><p class="text-align-center lead">The path to commercialization鈥攁lso known as "research translation" or "tech transfer"鈥攃an be challenging, so Venture Partners unites&nbsp;industry partners, entrepreneurs and investors to help&nbsp;researchers, inventors and creators at the University of Colorado bring their groundbreaking discoveries into the marketplace.</p><p class="text-align-center"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/node/1732" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore the Path to Commercialization</span></a></p><hr><p dir="ltr"><span>This funding program is designed to bridge that gap by supporting commercially promising drug development efforts. The awarded projects ultimately aim to develop FDA-approved drugs and have a clear path to commercialization, having validated their development approach through customer discovery interviews.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>鈥淭his funding supports a critical stage in drug development,鈥 said </span><a href="/venturepartners/justin-stitzlein" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="10c1e91a-58b0-4268-b07b-61190e8e3317" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Justin Stitzlein"><span><strong>Justin Stitzlein</strong></span></a><span>, venture analyst at Venture Partners. 鈥淥ur goal is to give these teams the support they need to generate compelling data and position themselves for the next stage of development. We believe this kind of early support can unlock significant long-term impact.鈥</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Awardees</span></h2><h3 dir="ltr"><span>Orally Available Obesity Therapeutic</span></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>Led by Distinguished Professor Leslie Leinwand (</span><a href="/biofrontiers/leslie-leinwand" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>BioFrontiers Institute</strong></span></a><span>,&nbsp;</span><a href="/mcdb/leslie-leinwand" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology</strong></span></a><span>), with PhD student&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jack-gugel-96a991337/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Jack Gugel</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;and postdoctoral researchers&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/thomas-martin-ph-d-045504146/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Thomas Martin</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>&nbsp;and&nbsp;</span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yuxiao-tan/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Yuxiao Tan</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, the team is developing an orally available obesity drug that suppresses appetite without affecting gastric emptying or causing muscle loss. Their compound offers a differentiated mechanism from current GLP-1 agonists such as Wegovy/Ozempic, aiming to improve tolerability and adherence.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr"><span>Efflux Pump Inhibitor Discovery Platform</span></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>Professor&nbsp;Corrie Detweiler (</span><a href="/mcdb/corrie-detweiler" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU 抖阴传媒在线 Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology</strong></span></a><span>) and her team are developing novel small-molecule inhibitors that restore the effectiveness of antibiotics against multidrug-resistant Gram-negative bacteria. Using a host-informed, high-throughput assay platform that better reflects infection conditions, they aim to identify efflux pump inhibitors to treat patients with infections that do not respond to traditional antibiotics alone.</span></p><p><br>&nbsp;</p><hr><div><div><h2 class="text-align-center"><span>What can we do together?</span><br>&nbsp;</h2><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2340" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-balance-scale fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/intellectual-property-management/disclose-an-innovation" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c9e95f9f-bd16-491c-a0b7-87db058214d9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Disclose an Innovation"><strong>Disclose and protect your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/791" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-graduation-cap fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="82926513-3a0a-408f-b460-48069e8a1004" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Entrepreneurial Training"><strong>Engage in entrepreneurial training programs</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/323" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/mentorship-and-advising" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="2f8ea362-5911-4e70-a502-5f15d1754479" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mentorship and Advising"><strong>Find a mentor to advance your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/803" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-money-bill-1 fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ee81ac9c-9740-4528-807b-38c22188a3d1" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Funding Opportunities and Support"><strong>Get funding for&nbsp;your innovation</strong></a></p></div></div><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/92" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-regular fa-handshake fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/licensing-university-innovators" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="e477b33f-541d-4bc6-99a7-ab2fc9b08e98" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Licensing for University Innovators"><strong>Find partners and opportunities for your innovation</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/1967" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-bolt fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7de607e7-a898-46d9-a1a1-1825a872fff5" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Investor and Partnership Opportunities"><strong>Explore investing in and partnering&nbsp;with CU researchers</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/781" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-users fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="7446d166-740e-4d04-b255-b83c3a729be0" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Startup Portfolio"><strong>Explore our startups portfolio</strong></a></p></div><div class="col ucb-column"><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/node/2341" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-lightbulb fa-2x ucb-icon-style-circle">&nbsp;</i></a></p><p class="text-align-center"><a href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c5a76e38-d4d6-4405-903d-d7d4152c9ebb" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Technology Portfolio"><strong>Explore our technology portfolio</strong></a></p></div></div><hr></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Venture Partners at CU 抖阴传媒在线 has announced the first recipients of a new translational funding program designed to advance promising, early-stage therapeutics with strong commercial potential. The program provides up to $50,000 per project to help CU 抖阴传媒在线 researchers generate critical validation data or develop new intellectual property, bringing new treatments a step closer to patients in need.</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> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2025-01/STOCK%20therapeutics%20announcement%20011325.jpeg?itok=yUW2nmRB" width="1500" height="1006" alt="Close up on a pipette and drop of liquid falling into a vial"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 14 Jul 2025 18:15:58 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2618 at /venturepartners