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Leeds School of Business—New Venture Challenge (NVC) allows teams to create real-life impact and get the funding they need for any entrepreneurial endeavor. Luke used the opportunity NVC provided and the mentorship opportunities from the Deming Center to co-founded Climate Scaping on a mission to replace grass yards that waste a lot of water with more eco-friendly options.

Research & Innovation Office—CU �鶹ӰԺ is a founding partner of the CO-WY Engine, one of 16 finalists for the National Science Foundation’s inaugural “NSF Regional Innovation Engines” competition, which could net winners $160 million over 10 years.

9NEWS—No Social Media November is a 1-month detox and educational program that encourages young people to learn about social media's impact on our mental health and lives. NoSo November, founded by Madeline Freeman (Business '23), competed twice in the New Venture Challenge (NVC) Female Founders Special Competitions.

A group of mechanical engineering seniors has designed a water-purification system called Puresip, which is housed inside a bottlecap and shines ultraviolet radiation through a straw to purify the water as the user drinks. The team pitched their product at the New Venture Challenge (NVC).

Daily Camera—CLD-9 is the name of the first-place-winning athletic supplement company created by CU �鶹ӰԺ students Eric Osicka (Business, Engineering & Applied Science), Jackson Cameron (Arts and Sciences), Khushang Hirpara (Business) and Tanner Amaya (Business).

What if improving one’s athletic performance through supplements was simpler and more affordable? What if, instead of producing emissions, airplanes could take carbon out of the air? These ideas and more are realities in the making, thanks to many aspiring entrepreneurs who pitched their products at the 16th annual New Venture Challenge (NVC) finals.

Erika Gossett will graduate next month with a BM in flute performance, as well as a BA in media studies, a minor in business and a Music Entrepreneurship Certificate, exemplifying the College of Music’s universal musician vision. Additionally, her climate change-focused venture, Piña Designs, is a finalist in the New Venture Challenge. Finals are April 12: Join us!

On two exciting nights of pitches and prizes, ten startups brought a broad range of ideas to the stage, including how to live and garden more sustainably, how to deal with the downsides of social media, how to offer practical prosthetics for kids—and sustainable water filters and hydroponic produce for all. Across the two events, eight teams took home a total of $20,000 to develop their ideas further.

The Research & Innovation Office (RIO) has announced several leadership transitions within the campuswide Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, with Stan Hickory stepping into the role of director of the initiative, a position held by Chris Gustavson since 2019.

Vitro3D, a CU �鶹ӰԺ startup pioneering volumetric 3D printing for life sciences, just closed its first investment round of $1.3 million. The hard-won vote of confidence from the investment community will allow the promising new venture to pursue ambitious technical advances while continuing to build critical business capacity.