Opportunities and Events

Discover opportunities and events that foster innovation and entrepreneurship. From the Lab Venture Challenge to Destination Startup, Venture Partners at CU 麻豆影院 offers valuable opportunities to connect, learn and grow. Plus, explore our curated list of opportunities and events outside of the University of Colorado. Join a vibrant community driving change through innovation.

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鈥攖o translate their university inventions into a startup company.

  Accepting support requests

With myriad CU 麻豆影院 technologies ready to make a real-world impact, Embark seeks motivated entrepreneurs ready to launch new companies.

A competition for CU 麻豆影院'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 麻豆影院, 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鈥檚 innovation ecosystem to investors and the business community.

  Application Deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 15, 2025

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The Insider is a series of newsletters from Venture Partners featuring the latest headlines, news, events, opportunities and emerging university innovations in three editions:

Inventors and Researchers (Monthly) | Community (Monthly) | Investors (Quarterly)

View the latest Insiders  Subscribe to The Insider

Upcoming Opportunities at CU

Artistic rendering of a photorealistic hand holding a pencil and drafting images of bright ideas

CU 麻豆影院: College of Engineering and Applied Science Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fellowship Program

Deadline: Friday, Dec. 20

Funding is needed for CEAS  faculty, pos and graduate students to engage in entrepreneurship training through Venture Partners at CU 麻豆影院.


Destination Startup

Hosted by Venture Partners at CU 麻豆影院: Present at the Destination Startup Investor Showcase

Deadline: Wednesday, Jan. 15; 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.


I-Corps Hub West

Venture Partners at CU 麻豆影院: I-Corps Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop

Deadline: Friday, Jan. 17; Workshops: Jan. 24-Feb. 7

Whether a researcher, entrepreneur, inventor or problem solver, the Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop at Venture Partners at CU 麻豆影院 can help you transform your concept into a successful venture. 


CU 麻豆影院:

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.


Team stands with giant prize check

CU 麻豆影院: New Venture Challenge

Deadline Saturday, Feb. 8

A multi-round, multi-event entrepreneurial competition and signature program of CU 麻豆影院's Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, where teams could pitch to a live audience at the 麻豆影院 Theater and win a top award of a $144,000 SAFE investment.


CU 麻豆影院:

Deadline Saturday, Feb. 8

Join Silicon Flatirons as they stitch together the startup scene, CU 麻豆影院, innovators from the Federal Labs, as well as technologists from incumbent technology companies in a night of food, networking and entrepreneurship.


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 麻豆影院:

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..


I-Corps Hub West

Venture Partners at CU 麻豆影院: 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.


Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator

Venture Partners at CU 麻豆影院: 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: 鈥擯romoting growth and sustainability in Colorado鈥檚 advanced industries that increase the state's global competitiveness.

Rolling application: 鈥擡ncouraging investments in Colorado advanced industries businesses by incentivizing investors with state income tax credits.

Rolling application: 鈥擡mpowering entrepreneurs by providing access to mentorship, capital and a global network to help them succeed and scale their startups.

Various Deadlines: 鈥擮ffers innovators and entrepreneurs from various backgrounds the tools and opportunities to contribute clean energy solutions.


Monday, Dec. 16 (deadline): 鈥擲upports collaborative, community-engaged initiatives to develop and implement scalable solutions to climate-related challenges by translating recent research advancements in climate and Earth system science into practical applications.

Tuesday, Dec. 17: 鈥擝ringing the cleantech community together to honor the dedication to a cleaner energy future in Colorado.

Friday, Jan. 17 (deadline): 鈥擥iving collegiate entrepreneurs real-world experience to pitch their startups for more than $1 million in prizes and enhance their business strategy.

Friday, Jan. 24 (deadline): 鈥擣or 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): 鈥擲eeking 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.

Saturday, Feb. 15 (deadline): 鈥擧elping 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: 鈥擲potlighting the region鈥檚 leadership in climate resilience and quantum technology, which together are shaping the future of sustainability and global innovation.

Employment Opportunities

鈥擱ayChill, a startup built on IP from CU 麻豆影院, provides a passive radiative cooling material that cools structures without power and is seeking a Co-Founder/CEO.

鈥擲eeking 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 麻豆影院's recruitment platform Handshake and/or .