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Summer 2024 Applications are now CLOSED

Launching CU Â鶹ӰԺ's top ventures

Catalyze CUÌýis aÌýsummer-long startup accelerator program designed for CU Â鶹ӰԺ ventures created by students, faculty and staff. It combines world class mentorship,Ìýfunding and a dedicated co-working space to help the most promising ventures from across campus reach escape velocity—without taking any equity.

Summer 2024 Applications are now closed. Applicants will receive updates 4/22/24

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Perks

- Equity-Free Funding
- Dedicated Office Space
- Founder Stipends

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Mentorship

- Sales andÌýMarketing
- Finance andÌýLegal
- Product Development

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Resources

- Prototyping
- Design
- Marketing

Catalyze CU is a summer startup accelerator for teams with the most promising ideas and technologies developed atÌýthe university.ÌýThe program—open to CU Â鶹ӰԺ students, faculty and staff—runs for 12 weeks during the summer, beginning in mid-May andÌýculminating in August.

Catalyze staff and mentors lead you through aÌýcustomized assessment of your company, leading to a personalized experience including:

  • weekly goal setting and accountability sessions
  • skill and concept workshops
  • networking events
  • intentional mentor connections
  • pitch coaching
  • funding options
Questions?ÌýPlease contact Catalyze CU Program Director and College of Engineering and Applied Sciences Entrepreneur-in-Residence Karen CroftonÌýat catalyzecu@colorado.edu.Ìý



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How It Works

To apply for Catalyze CU, your team or venture must meet the following requirements:

  • At least one person onÌýthe founding team must have a valid BuffOne card.
  • AÌýstartup team is not required (you can be a solo founder), but a team isÌýhighly recommended. The program is very intensive and it is likely that you will need a cross-functional skill set to participate.
  • The accelerator is live in person in Â鶹ӰԺ, CO and a majority of team members must attend.
  • Teams are provided funding, so it is expected that you have already or are ready to start a legal company.

    Please review eligibility before applying.

    CatalyzeCU is an intensive program.Ìý It is not a class with a set timeframe.Ìý Launching a company is very difficult and time frames to accomplish goals can vary.

    To participate in Catalyze CU, it is not possible to have a competing full-time job. Part-time work or classes can be possible, but the CatalyzeCU program director(s) will want a clear plan on how time-management will work for the summer. CatalyzeCU is a challenging and rewarding program, but you will get out what you put in. We provide a stipend per founder to help you be availabile to dedicate your time to the program.

    Previously scheduled travel (vacation, conferences, etc.) will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Let the CatalyzeCU program directors know in your application what the situation is, and they will determine if it is possible to still participate.

    Catalyze CU is highly selective and you will be with a cohort of other high-performing startup teams.ÌýCatalyze does NOT take any equity while still providing some funding.Ìý We customize the experience to meet your venture's needs and expect full participation.

    We level up the founding teamÌýstartup skill set,Ìýhelping you go from idea to impactÌýand prototype to production. Catalyze alumni companiesÌýhave a strong track record of being accepted to top-tier accelerators like Techstars, raising funding, winning grants and launching successful Kickstarters.

    Watch this video below to hear from previousÌýparticipantsÌýabout their Catalyze CU experience:

    [video:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D6pkVbQhfgs]

    The program starts in mid-May and culminatesÌýin early August. *Observing CU site holidays.

    The accelerator is a full time commitment, but still leaves you time to work on your business in the best way you see fit. Attendance for the full program is required.

    Monday - 1 hour Individual team meetings (can be via Zoom)

    Tuesday - 10am to 3pm in person

    Wednesday - Office hours based on need

    Thursday - 10am to 3pm in person

    Friday - dedicated work days

    Get Involved

    Participate

    Catalyze CU teaches student, faculty and staff innovatorsÌýtoÌýlevel up their founding team's startup skill set by helping themÌýgo from idea to impactÌýand prototype to production.

    Learn How Catalyze CU Works

    Catalyze CU relies onÌýthe support of community members to help prepareÌýuniversity startups to thrive once they leave the university. Want to lend your expertise?

    Support

    Catalyze CU would not be possible without the generous contributions of our partners. Interested in supporting CU Â鶹ӰԺ innovators and startups?

    Partner withÌýCatalyze CU

    Head over to the official Catalyze CU podcast to gain insight and advice from experienced engineering professionals.

    Startup Stories

    informuÌý(2016) was created by the intrepid, hard-working duo of Lang Mei (Leeds, 2017) and Rishabh Berlia (CEAS, 2017).ÌýThe two international students, from China and India, respectively, joined forces to add Prerna Nayyer (CEAS, 2017), an international student also from India. This team worked tirelessly to address the issue of lost items; those valuables that are accidentally left behind. The Mu tag, their product, connects to a users phone or smart watch and sends a notification when the user is further than a given distance their valuable item. informuÌýstaged a successful Kickstarter campaign in spring of 2017Ìýand raised their seed round in December the same year.

    StatelessÌý(2016) was founded by the electrical and computer engineering research team of PhD student Murad Kablan and Assistant Professor Eric Keller. Their revolutionary technology makes even the most sophisticatedÌýnetworks simple to manage.ÌýAfter completingÌýCatalyze CU, they were accepted into Techstars Â鶹ӰԺ in the spring ofÌý2017. They were awarded an NSF SBIR grant in the summer of 2017Ìýand by winter of that same year, they had completed their first round ofÌý. In February of 2019,ÌýStateless announced a Series A financing round of $11.33 million, the most by any Catalyze CU alum to date.

    SpecdrumsÌý(2017) was founded in 2015 by Steven Dourmashkin to address his own problem as a lifelong drummer—he wished he could bring his drum set with him everywhere. The result was Specdrums, a wearable ring that allows the user to tap colors to trigger sounds. After assembling Jenna and Jack as co-founders and participating in Catalyze CU, the Specdrums teamÌýlaunched a wildly successful Kickstarter campaign, bringing in almost $190,000Ìýin the fall of 2017. The team competed in, and won, the CU Â鶹ӰԺ New Venture Challenge in 2018, and shortly afterwards wasÌý, marking the second acquisition of a Catalyze CU alumni startup.

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