Opportunities and Events
Signature Venture Partners Programming
A partnership with seven of the top research universities across the Western U.S. to reduce the time and risk associated with translating promising ideas and technologies to the marketplace.
Applications now open
A campus-wide resource for both existing and aspiring university-originated startups seeking non-dilutive funding—to translate their university inventions into a startup company.
Accepting support requests
With myriad CU Â鶹ӰԺ technologies ready to make a real-world impact, Embark seeks motivated entrepreneurs ready to launch new companies.
A competition for CU Â鶹ӰԺ's top innovations showing high commercial potential, a clear path to a compelling market and strong scientific support.
An accelerator for research teams building deep tech startups coming out of the University of Colorado campuses in Â鶹ӰԺ, Colorado Springs and Denver.
Investor Showcase: Wednesday, June 25
A collaboration among the Intermountain West region's leading research universities and federal laboratories, showcasing the best companies from the region’s innovation ecosystem to investors and the business community.
Extended Application Deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025
Upcoming Opportunities at CU
Hosted by Venture Partners at CU Â鶹ӰԺ: Present at the Destination Startup Investor Showcase
Deadline: EXTENDED Wednesday, Jan. 22; Showcase: March 13
Startups built on novel discoveries from top national labs and universities can pitch to investors from throughout North America for funding to transform their companies and catalyze real-world impact.
CO-WY Climate Resilience Engine:
Friday, Jan. 24, 9 a.m.-noon, Flatirons Room, C4C, Â鶹ӰԺ Campus or Virtually
Collaborate with partners, explore synergies and build connections to advance climate innovation in Complex Earth Sensing, Wildfire Prediction, Water Quality, and Soil Health. Open to all Engine partners, including universities, startups and national labs as an interactive session to refine proposals for the Engine's $2.5 million second RFP.
CU Â鶹ӰԺ:
Feb. 2-3, Wolf Law Building
Join the Silicon Flatirons 2025 Flagship Conference, where industry leaders and innovators will gather to explore the future of technology policy and telecom platforms.
Tuesday, Feb. 4, 10 a.m. MT, Virtual Event
Join Osage University Partners (OUP) for a discussion on university venture funds, where academic institutions are investing capital into the startups forming based on intellectual property from their institutions. Featuring Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships
at CU Â鶹ӰԺ and Buff Gold Ventures.
CU Â鶹ӰԺ: New Venture Challenge
Deadline: Saturday, Feb. 8
A multi-round, multi-event entrepreneurial competition and signature program of CU Â鶹ӰԺ's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, where teams could pitch to a live audience at the Â鶹ӰԺ Theater and win a top award of a $144,000 SAFE investment.
CU Â鶹ӰԺ:
Thursday, Feb. 20, Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom
Join Silicon Flatirons as they stitch together the startup scene, CU Â鶹ӰԺ, innovators from the Federal Labs, as well as technologists from incumbent technology companies in a night of food, networking and entrepreneurship.
CU Â鶹ӰԺ: Translational Therapeutics Accelerator Funding
Deadline: Friday, Feb. 14, 2025, 11:59 p.m. MT
This is a new funding opportunity available to CU Â鶹ӰԺ therapeutics projects. This program offers up to $50,000 in rapidly accessible funding to help advance early-stage therapeutic projects with strong commercial potential.
CU Denver:
Deadline: Friday, Feb. 21, 2025
An opportunity to grow in the tech space through a free incubator and accelerator program open to new majority tech founders, professionals and students, looking to develop and scale their smart city innovation solutions.
CU Â鶹ӰԺ:
Wednesday, March 19, 5-8 p.m., Wolf Law Building
Join Silicon Flatirons for a unique opportunity to explore the strategies behind translating university research into market-ready innovations.
Venture Partners at CU Â鶹ӰԺ: Research-to-Market (R2M) Customer Discovery Program
Deadline: Tuesday, May 6; Workshops: May 13-June 13
This four-week program helps teams through customer discovery and finding a market for their innovation. Specifically designed for researchers, entrepreneurs, inventors and problem solvers commercializing their innovations.
Venture Partners at CU Â鶹ӰԺ: Ascent Deep Tech Investor Showcase
Save the Date: Wednesday, June 25
Bringing together researchers, investors and community supporters to highlight innovative deep tech startups spinning out of the University of Colorado.
Opportunities Outside CU
Applications open: —Promoting growth and sustainability in Colorado’s advanced industries that increase the state's global competitiveness.
Rolling application: —Encouraging investments in Colorado advanced industries businesses by incentivizing investors with state income tax credits.
Rolling application: —Empowering entrepreneurs by providing access to mentorship, capital and a global network to help them succeed and scale their startups.
Various Deadlines: —Offers innovators and entrepreneurs from various backgrounds the tools and opportunities to contribute clean energy solutions.
Friday, Jan. 17 (deadline): —Giving collegiate entrepreneurs real-world experience to pitch their startups for more than $1 million in prizes and enhance their business strategy.
Monday, Jan. 20 (deadline): —Connect with government offices and industry decision-makers implementing MOSA initiatives with face-to-face opportunities to engage with U.S. Navy, Army, and Air Force leadership and Industry.
Friday, Jan. 24 (deadline): —For ambitious commercially minded early-stage startups using digital twinning as a key part of their solution to accelerate commercial pathways and company growth.
Friday, Jan. 24 (deadline): —Seeking public comments to inform the experimental implementation of new intellectual property (IP) provisions to be used in public-private partnerships, particularly those advancing research and development, that include co-funding by private partners.
Friday, Jan. 24 (deadline): —Share your one-of-a-kind applied research or groundbreaking innovation.
Tuesday, Jan. 28: —A one-hour, virtual Scaling Climate Tech Office Hour for startup founders to get hands-on advice about scaling your technology and companies effectively.
Jan. 30 and Feb. 6: —Join us for an insightful two-part webinar exploring the key principles and actionable strategies for building a thriving startup community.
Monday, Feb. 3 (deadline): —Prizes available to students who create/present an energy tech business plan and faculty who elevate energy entrepreneurship at their school.
Saturday, Feb. 15 (deadline): —Helping recent PhD graduates transition from academia to entrepreneurship by providing funding, mentorship and resources valued at $325,000 over two years.
March 30-April 1: —Spotlighting the region’s leadership in climate resilience and quantum technology, which together are shaping the future of sustainability and global innovation.
April 2 and 3: —An exclusive group of startups will be selected to showcase their technology, innovation and products.
Employment Opportunities
—RayChill, a startup built on IP from CU Â鶹ӰԺ, provides a passive radiative cooling material that cools structures without power and is seeking a Co-Founder/CEO.
—Seeking passionate individuals to join in driving groundbreaking climate resilience initiatives. These opportunities place you at the heart of innovation, collaboration, and impact.
For more opportunities, please check back soon or sign up for updates.
Are you a CU startup with an employment opportunity to share with the CU community? Send it to vpnews@colorado.edu for posting here. Also, you can post to CU Â鶹ӰԺ's recruitment platform Handshake and/or .