Venture Partners News /venturepartners/ en Application opens for new Translational Therapeutics Accelerator Funding /venturepartners/2025/01/13/internal-news/application-opens-new-translational-therapeutics-accelerator-funding <span>Application opens for new Translational Therapeutics Accelerator Funding</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-01-13T11:54:08-07:00" title="Monday, January 13, 2025 - 11:54">Mon, 01/13/2025 - 11:54</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/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><span>This is a new funding opportunity available to CU «Ƶ therapeutics projects. This program offers&nbsp;up to $50,000&nbsp;in rapidly accessible funding to help advance early-stage therapeutic projects with strong commercial potential.&nbsp;</span></p><h2><span>Program Highlights</span></h2><ul><li><span><strong>Funding Amount: </strong>Up to $50,000 per project</span></li><li><span><strong>Goal:</strong> Accelerate the development of new drug candidates by supporting projects to gather crucial go/no-go data and/or generate new intellectual property (IP).</span></li><li><span><strong>Commercial Path:</strong> Ideal for projects that have a clear route to commercialization but are currently on hold due to lack of funding</span></li></ul><h2><span>Eligibility Requirements</span></h2><ol><li><span><strong>Disclosed Innovation:&nbsp;</strong>Your innovation must be disclosed to Venture Partners. </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>Submit new invention disclosures here.</strong></span></a></li><li><span><strong>Long-Term FDA Goal:</strong>&nbsp;Must aim to develop an FDA-approved drug; supplements are ineligible. Drug discovery platforms and FDA-approved diagnostics will be considered.</span></li><li><span><strong>Clear Milestones:&nbsp;</strong>Proposals should detail critical milestones that provide go/no-go data or result in new intellectual property.</span></li><li><span><strong>Customer Discovery:&nbsp;</strong>Strong preference for teams that have completed customer discovery interviews validating the proposed development path.&nbsp;</span><a href=/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training/nsf-i-corps-hub-west-region" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Get started with customer discovery here.</strong></span></a></li><li><span><strong>Detailed Budgets:</strong> Proposals should have comprehensive budgets and clearly outlined deliverables from internal teams or third-party contractors.&nbsp;</span></li><li><span><strong>Funding Gap:&nbsp;</strong>Commercial progression is currently stalled due to funding constraints.</span></li></ol><h2><span>Key Dates</span></h2><ul><li><span><strong>Application Opens:&nbsp;</strong>Monday, Jan. 13, 2025</span></li><li><span><strong>Application Deadline:&nbsp;</strong>Friday,<strong> </strong>Feb. 14, 2025, 11:59 p.m. MT</span></li></ul><h2><span>Intellectual Property Terms</span></h2><p><span>As a condition of receiving this award, project-related IP will be subject to a memorandum of understanding (MOU) ensuring that future companies licensing the technology either:</span></p><ul><li><span>enter into a Simple Agreement for Future Equity (SAFE) for the award amount at a&nbsp;30% discount&nbsp;or</span></li><li><span>reimburse the investment&nbsp;plus a 30% fee&nbsp;within one year of the license agreement being signed.</span></li></ul><h2><span>Application</span></h2><p><span>For any questions about the funding, eligibility criteria or the application process, contact </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>. We also encourage you to share this announcement with colleagues who might be interested.</span></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fforms.gle%2F2fvkWBZi2QYErUCg8&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cdaniel.leonard%40Colorado.EDU%7C41a043c9508f4d904f4708dd33e88137%7C3ded8b1b070d462982e4c0b019f46057%7C1%7C0%7C638723795869218299%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=%2BJFkooghjtPWDDDQQ5lrWriAsZrBs8%2FCNA3kJ2w5dZ4%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">2025 Application</span></a></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </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, 13 Jan 2025 18:54:08 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2436 at /venturepartners Venture Partners annual report highlights a record year for innovation /venturepartners/2025/01/09/internal-news/venture-partners-annual-report-highlights-record-year-innovation <span>Venture Partners annual report highlights a record year for innovation</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-01-09T06:06:32-07:00" title="Thursday, January 9, 2025 - 06:06">Thu, 01/09/2025 - 06:06</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-01/Annual%20report%20header%20010325_1.png?h=c182237e&amp;itok=dw9NjmVF" width="1200" height="800" alt="A woman in a lab holds up a beaker with a jelly fish inside it"> </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/85"> Biosciences </a> <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/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/525"> Climate, Energy &amp; Sustainability </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/247"> Hardware &amp; Instrumentation </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/317"> Quantum &amp; Photonics </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> </div> </div> </div> <div>FY 2023-24 was another tremendous year for innovation and entrepreneurship at the CU. University researchers, inventors and creators began working with Venture Partners at CU «Ƶ to advance 144 breakthrough innovations, and 36 CU startups were launched through Venture Partners based on campus discoveries.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/venturepartners/about/reports/current-annual-report`; </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/2025-01/Annual%20report%20header%20010325_1.png?itok=_VzAcYcS" width="1500" height="893" alt="A woman in a lab holds up a beaker with a jelly fish inside it"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 09 Jan 2025 13:06:32 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2430 at /venturepartners CU «Ƶ shines with record-breaking year for startups /venturepartners/2025/01/09/internal-news/cu-boulder-shines-record-breaking-year-startups <span>CU «Ƶ shines with record-breaking year for startups</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2025-01-09T05:07:28-07:00" title="Thursday, January 9, 2025 - 05:07">Thu, 01/09/2025 - 05:07</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/bryn-rees-collection-grid">Bryn Rees</a> <span>,&nbsp;</span> <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 «Ƶ College of Engineering and Applied Science lab. Source: Jesse Morgan Petersen</span></em></p><p class="lead"><span>Innovation at the «Ƶ reached an unprecedented milestone in fiscal year 2023-24 by launching 35 startup companies based on university innovations. This achievement shattered CU «Ƶ’s previous record of 20 startups in FY 2021 and placed it among the most prolific single-campus institutions in the country.</span></p><p class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>As the commercialization arm for CU «Ƶ—as well as CU Denver’s physical sciences which launched one startup in the same year and UCCS—</span><a href="/venturepartners/about" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="48b5ec97-4679-4c2b-ac82-f80088542b80" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title=" Us"><span><strong>Venture Partners at CU «Ƶ</strong></span></a><span> is at the heart of transforming new inventions and discoveries into real-world impact by empowering university innovators to build new companies and industry partnerships.</span></p><p class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>This leap from launching just four to six startups annually a decade ago is a testament to years of strategy and investment in entrepreneurship. Considering CU’s location outside traditional venture capital hubs like Silicon Valley and Boston, its rise as a startup powerhouse showcases a unique ecosystem driving extraordinary results.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Journey to the Top</span></h2> <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/2025-01/startups%20surge%20feature%20graphics%20010925-02.png?itok=xT-PfDz0" width="750" height="1381" alt="&lt;none&gt;"> </div> </div> <p dir="ltr"><span>In data collected and published by AUTM (the leading association for university “technology transfer,” which tracks the number of startups launched by universities to commercialize university-owned intellectual property) from FYs 1990-2023, the standing leaders of startups launched in a year by a single-campus are Stanford with 38 startups in 2022 and MIT with 32 startups most recently in 2020. Full university data from FY 2024 is expected from AUTM in late 2025.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“Universities spinning out similar numbers of startups have significantly larger research budgets feeding their innovation pipeline,” says Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships, “But this is actually where CU «Ƶ really shines, when we look at our efficiency: the number of startups we’re launching per dollar of funding.”</span></p><blockquote><p dir="ltr"><span>“Among institutions with the highest output of startups, Columbia University tops that indicator with 3.5 startups launched in FY 2018 per $100 million in research funding. With 34 startups out of CU «Ƶ in FY 2024, that’s 4.7 startups per $100 million of funding. That is a top result among leading universities and a real credit to our approach,” says Rees.</span></p></blockquote><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Strategic Pillars of Success</span></h2><p dir="ltr"><span>Through experimentation and entrepreneurial thinking, the Venture Partners team has redefined how academic research translates into impactful businesses. “Our journey reflects years of careful planning, experimentation and a relentless commitment to supporting our startup founders,” says Rees. “We’ve embraced «Ƶ’s collaborative ethos and created a model that aligns with our community’s values while delivering national impact.”</span></p><h3 dir="ltr"><span>Founder-First Philosophy</span></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>Venture Partners prioritizes the experience and development of its founders—primarily faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students. Innovations like </span><a href="/venturepartners/investors-and-partners/licensing-industry-partners/licensing-ease-entrepreneurs-and-startups" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="0b1d4315-5014-4563-a6d8-54b79be665e3" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Licensing with EASE for Entrepreneurs and Startups"><span><strong>Licensing with EASE<sup>®</sup></strong></span></a><span> simplify 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><h3 dir="ltr"><span>Holistic Support for Founders</span></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>Recognizing the distinct challenges academic founders face, Venture Partners offers a comprehensive suite of resources from idea to launch. From entrepreneurial training to funding, academic founders receive support tailored to their unique needs, even as the fundamentals of entrepreneurship are constant. For example, Venture Partners’ </span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support/center-translational-research" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1f588c46-dd8b-4c5b-81e5-bba309caa4e3" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Center for Translational Research"><span><strong>Center for Translational Research (CTR)</strong></span></a><span> helps bridge the “valley of death” between early-stage research and commercialization with comprehensive support for researchers applying for grants that cater to startups.</span></p><h3 dir="ltr"><span>Integration and Collaboration</span></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>To ensure a seamless startup pipeline, Venture Partners integrates resources across the university and community. In federal partnership, </span><a href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/entrepreneurial-training/nsf-i-corps-hub-west-region" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="1733bb2f-2a18-43d7-9594-35a8f267ff4f" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="NSF I-Corps Hub: West Region"><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" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="84cec2d0-479b-4455-89be-7352fc7ee4f9" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Lab Venture Challenge"><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><h3 dir="ltr"><span>Experimentation and Adaptation</span></h3><p dir="ltr"><span>Venture Partners’ willingness to experiment and learn from failure has been critical to its success. “Have you heard of the ‘i-Teams’ program?” Rees jokes. “Of 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’t start any new companies.” 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" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fc3e2b60-233e-49b0-ad58-49b487588eff" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator"><span><strong>Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator</strong></span></a><span>, which launched 10 of the 35 companies in 2024 by matching experienced entrepreneurs with cutting-edge CU «Ƶ innovations. New partnerships through the New Venture Launch class at the CU «Ƶ Leeds School of Business are also proving to be a successful approach to the original idea. Venture Partners has also adapted lessons learned from Columbia University’s leveraging of state economic development grants, MIT’s mentorship strategy and the University of Utah’s end-to-end solution for startups to fill gaps in the local ecosystem to inspire similar initiatives to suit Colorado’s ecosystem.</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>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> <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> <p class="lead"><br><strong>Venture Partners Annual Report</strong></p><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 Annual Report</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" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="32269d09-ae1c-42b8-a044-0d6d4e61de0b" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mana Battery Inc."><span><strong>Mana Battery</strong></span></a><span>, founded on research from Chunmei Ban’s laboratory (</span><a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU «Ƶ 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 «Ƶ has spun out several battery-focused startups, collectively creating hundreds of jobs and attracting over $1 billion in investment to Colorado. These startups exemplify CU «Ƶ’s ability to address pressing global challenges while driving economic growth in the state.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>CU is a growing international leader in both quantum and healthcare research and technologies, both found in the new startup </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/flari-tech-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c07a9dcf-a029-43ce-803a-7d386c63ec68" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Flari Tech Inc."><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 «Ƶ Physics</strong></span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://jila.colorado.edu/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>JILA</strong></span></a><span>, </span><a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>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 «Ƶ and NIST. The company was founded by Eva Yao 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" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="880a4316-8328-4ae9-8f4a-bab637d77715" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mesa Quantum Inc."><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>, </span><a href="/math/research/mathematical-physics" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU «Ƶ Mathematical Physics</strong></span></a><span>), with a novel atomic clock invented in Svenja Knappe’s lab (CU «Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering). 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 «Ƶ’s success is bolstered by recent ecosystem wins like the </span><a href="/venturepartners/2024/01/29/external-news/cu-boulder-part-160m-nsf-funded-effort-promote-climate-resilience" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="c26bf28c-2526-4ee1-848c-d9981f89bc70" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="CU «Ƶ part of $160M NSF-funded effort to promote climate resilience"><span><strong>NSF Colorado-Wyoming Climate Resilience Engine</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" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="ea3ba759-832d-426e-bc89-b1dd521d78bc" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="CU «Ƶ, Elevate Quantum partners ready for $127M regional quantum boost"><span><strong>Elevate Quantum Tech Hub</strong></span></a><span> designations. These initiatives enhance CU «Ƶ’s capacity to attract top talent, secure funding and support high-impact startups.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“These programs bring together the resources and expertise we need to address global challenges,” says Rees. “They’re amplifying our impact and positioning CU as a leader in innovation.”</span></p><h2 dir="ltr"><span>Looking ahead</span></h2><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 increasing diversity within the entrepreneurial mentor network. The university is also working to refine programs like Embark and explore new collaborations with other institutions.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“Our goal is to create ventures with lasting impact,” Rees emphasizes. “We measure success not only by the number of companies we create but by the societal and economic benefits they deliver.”</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>CU «Ƶ’s 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’s unique strengths and continually evolving its approach, Venture Partners offers a model for other institutions seeking to foster innovation.</span></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Innovation at the «Ƶ reached an unprecedented milestone in fiscal year 2023-24 by launching 35 startup companies based on university innovations. This achievement shattered CU «Ƶ’s previous record of 20 startups in FY 2021 and placed it among the most prolific single-campus institutions in the country.</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> Thu, 09 Jan 2025 12:07:28 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2428 at /venturepartners Application open for startups and teams to present at the 2025 Destination Startup Investor Showcase /venturepartners/2024/12/10/application-open-startups-and-teams-present-2025-destination-startup-investor-showcase <span>Application open for startups and teams to present at the 2025 Destination Startup Investor Showcase</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-12-10T15:26:04-07:00" title="Tuesday, December 10, 2024 - 15:26">Tue, 12/10/2024 - 15:26</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2024-12/Article%20thumbnail%20for%20Destination%20Startup%20121024b.png?h=04d92ac6&amp;itok=fGdYEncJ" width="1200" height="800" alt="Destination Startup"> </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> </div> </div> </div> <div>Destination Startup brings groundbreaking startups built on novel discoveries from top national labs and universities together with investors from throughout North America to catalyze real-world impact. This showcase demonstrates a powerful way to invest in and get funding for innovative research and translate it into impactful business ventures.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/destination-startup`; </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> Tue, 10 Dec 2024 22:26:04 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2417 at /venturepartners CU «Ƶ releases quantum workforce roadmap for economy’s next big thing /venturepartners/2024/10/31/external-news/cu-boulder-releases-quantum-workforce-roadmap-economys-next-big-thing <span>CU «Ƶ releases quantum workforce roadmap for economy’s next big thing</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-31T12:46:01-06:00" title="Thursday, October 31, 2024 - 12:46">Thu, 10/31/2024 - 12:46</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2024-11/Quantum%20workforce%20roadmap%20article%20110424.png?h=d2610625&amp;itok=APdVmOkD" width="1200" height="800" alt="A man in business clothes works with two young woman in a lab."> </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/317"> Quantum &amp; Photonics </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> </div> </div> </div> <div>CU «Ƶ Today—A new workforce roadmap released this week aims to train, prepare and inspire the next generation of quantum workers and the general public in Colorado and the Mountain West.</div> <script> window.location.href = `/today/2024/10/31/cu-boulder-releases-quantum-workforce-roadmap-economys-next-big-thing`; </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> Thu, 31 Oct 2024 18:46:01 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2392 at /venturepartners $1.25M awarded to University of Colorado innovators to advance their discoveries /venturepartners/2024/10/28/internal-news/1m-awarded-university-colorado-innovators <span>$1.25M awarded to University of Colorado innovators to advance their discoveries</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-28T15:10:46-06:00" title="Monday, October 28, 2024 - 15:10">Mon, 10/28/2024 - 15:10</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2024-10/LVC%20Thumbnail%20for%20article%20100224b.png?h=04d92ac6&amp;itok=PJNjyAxm" 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/251"> Advanced Materials </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/85"> Biosciences </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/12"> CU Startup News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/525"> Climate, Energy &amp; Sustainability </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/247"> Hardware &amp; Instrumentation </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/317"> Quantum &amp; Photonics </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="lead">Fourteen teams of University of Colorado faculty, researchers and graduate student innovators competed for a combined $1.25 million in startup funding grants in this year’s <a href="/venturepartners/lab-venture-challenge" rel="nofollow"><strong>Lab Venture Challenge (LVC)</strong></a>. Judges from CU «Ƶ’s entrepreneurial network heard Shark-Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in biosciences and another for physical sciences and engineering.</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">Interested in the 2025 LVC?</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p>LVC supports CU projects that address a commercial need, have a clear path to a compelling market and have strong scientific support.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/lab-venture-challenge" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Learn More</span></a></p></div></div></div><p>Through LVC, top innovators from CU «Ƶ, 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 <a href="https://oedit.colorado.gov/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program</strong></a>, as well as Venture Partners at CU «Ƶ and the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund. Ten awards were granted this year for a total of $1,250,000.</p><p>This culminating event for these groundbreaking teams showcased the university’s initiative to support innovators from discovery to economic success. LVC is run by Venture Partners at CU «Ƶ, the university’s commercialization arm and central resource for researchers who wish to translate their work into impactful business and social ventures. As part of the LVC program, all the competitors worked with Venture Partners to protect their innovations and practice their funding pitches for business audiences. LVC awardees will continue to work and collaborate with Venture Partners on their <a href="/venturepartners/path-commercialization" rel="nofollow"><strong>path to commercialization</strong></a>.</p><p dir="ltr"><span>“At this early stage, funding is essential, but can be a challenge to obtain,“ said Joshua Bennett, director of LVC and senior licensing manager at Venture Partners. “All 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’re proud to work with the State of Colorado to make it happen..”</span></p><p>To date, LVC has funded over 117 projects through 64 new deep-tech startup companies; collectively, these companies have raised over $349 million in follow-on financing.</p><p>Applications for the next LVC will open in July 2025.</p><p>This year’s LVC was additionally made possible by <a href="https://bhgrlaw.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Berg Hill Greenleaf Ruscitti LLP</strong></a>, <a href="https://www.wsgr.com/en/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Wilson Sonsini</strong></a>, <a href="https://www.cooley.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Cooley</strong></a> and <a href="https://www.cozen.com/offices/denver" rel="nofollow"><strong>Cozen O'Connor</strong></a>.</p><h2>2024 Physical Sciences $125,000 Winners</h2></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-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2024-10/LVC%202024%20LVC%20physical%20sciences%20winners%20102824.png?itok=WEHj11xB" width="1500" height="500" alt="A diverse group of people stand with giant prize checks."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>Winners of the physical sciences competition from left to right: Gerry Conroy, Gregor P. Henze and Galen Williams of WHISPER Energy; Joshua Bennett, director of the Lab Venture Challenge (LVC); Roberta Leão of EcoValeric Innovations; Anthony Straub, Kian Lopez of OsmoPure Technologies; Gregory Whiting, Taylor Sharpe of Tierra Metrics; Thomas R. Schibli of Mode-Locked Laser Technology. Photo: Keanan Wilson.</p> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> </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-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h3>EcoValeric Innovations</h3><p>EcoValeric's invention is an electrochemical process that converts biomass-based levulinic acid into 4-hydroxyvaleric acid (HVA), a versatile intermediate for producing biodegradable plastics, biofuels and green solvents. This scalable, renewable process reduces reliance on fossil fuels while enhancing sustainability. <a href="https://ecovaleric.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Visit EcoValeric's website</strong></a></p><ul><li><a href="https://linkedin.com/in/robertaleao" rel="nofollow"><strong>Roberta Leão</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fc3e2b60-233e-49b0-ad58-49b487588eff" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator"><strong>CU «Ƶ Embark EIR</strong></a>): CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/adam-holewinski-03785631/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Adam Holewinski</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/chbe/adam-holewinski" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></a>): PI</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/f-willian-s-lucas-351709b4/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Will Lucas</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: CTO</li></ul><div><div><div><div><h3>Mode-Locked Laser Technology</h3><p>This groundbreaking mode-locked laser technology overcomes the limitations of existing systems and is suitable for harsh environments. These systems excel in applications that require the best phase noise performance in a small and efficient device. Applications include PNT and RF instrumentation.</p><ul><li><strong>Thomas R. Schibli</strong> (<a href="/physics/thomas-schibli" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Physics</strong></a>): PI, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.linkedin.com%2Fin%2Fsingerchris&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cdaniel.leonard%40Colorado.EDU%7Ce640465c0ec84cbe420008dce18ad070%7C3ded8b1b070d462982e4c0b019f46057%7C1%7C0%7C638633233548657593%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=8yzUUKnJH1XEDjTzg8dsyr7bN4E9DkGshU1b2SLRb5E%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="nofollow"><strong>Chris Singer</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(Alum: CU «Ƶ <a href="/business/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Business</strong></a>):<strong> </strong>Business Development</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisoei/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Christopher B. Oei</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i></a><strong>:</strong> Product Design, Advanced Manufacturing</li></ul><div><div><h3>OsmoPure Technologies</h3><p>OsmoPure is introducing a membrane for ultrapure water production tailored to the stringent demands of electronics, aerospace and green hydrogen sectors. The technology uses distillation driven by pressure, rather than heat, to produce high-purity product water with ten times higher energy efficiency. <a href="https://www.osmopuretechnologies.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Visit the OsmoPure website</strong></a></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kian-lopez-45089a128/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Kian Lopez</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(PhD student, <a href="/chbe/" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></a>): CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/anthony-straub-8137156a/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Anthony Straub</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(CU «Ƶ Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering): Principal Investigator (PI)</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadia-jorgenson/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Nadia Jorgenson</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(PhD candidate, CU «Ƶ Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering): Director of R&amp;D</li></ul><div><div><h3>WHISPER Energy</h3><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/whisper-energy" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>WHISPER Energy</strong></span></a><span>&nbsp;is a wireless, battery-free sensor platform for smart buildings. It uses machine learning to cut energy consumption by 30%+, providing real-time data to optimize energy use and reduce emissions. Developed with a $2 million ARPA-E grant, it advances zero emissions economically and efficiently. </span><a href="https://whisperenergy.io/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Visit the WHISPER website</strong></span></a></p><ul><li><a href="https://linkedin.com/in/galenwilliams" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Galen Williams</strong></span></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i><span>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fc3e2b60-233e-49b0-ad58-49b487588eff" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator"><span><strong>CU «Ƶ 2023 Embark EIR</strong></span></a><span>): Co-Founder and CEO</span></li><li><span><strong>Gregor P. Henze</strong>&nbsp;(</span><a href="/ceae/gregor-p-henze" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU «Ƶ Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering</strong></span></a><span><strong>, </strong></span><a href="/rasei/gregor-henze" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>RASEI</strong></span></a>)<span>: PI and Co-Founder</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gerryconroy" rel="nofollow"><strong>Gerry Conroy</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: Technical Lead&nbsp;and Advisor</li></ul><div><div><h3>Tierra Metrics</h3><p>Tierra Metrics' novel high-spatial density sensor innovation will enable real-time characterization of the soil nitrogen cycle which will help growers, land managers and others to improve efficiency and profitability, as well as improve soil health and mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. <a href="https://www.tierrametrics.net/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Visit the Tierra Metrics website</strong></a></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregory-l-whiting/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Gregory Whiting</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/mechanical/gregory-l-whiting" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering</strong></a>): PI, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-sharpe-75597585/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Taylor Sharpe</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(CU «Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering) Chief Engineer</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/whendee-silver-b297a7292/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Whendee Silver</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: Co-Founder</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-claudia-arias-b5a324/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Ana Claudia Arias</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: Co-Founder</li></ul><h2>2024 Biosciences $125,000 Winners</h2></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></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-content-media ucb-article-content-media-above"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2024-10/LVC%202024%20LVC%20biosciences%20winners%20102824.png?itok=NiuyYW1O" width="1500" height="500" alt="A diverse group of people stands on a presentation stage holding giant prize checks."> </div> <span class="media-image-caption"> <p>Winners of the biosciences competition from left to right: Emmalee Biesiada of Sterio3; Eva Yao of Flari Tech; Tanya Warnecke of Codebreaker; Jesse M. Sheppard of IntraLumenus; Makenna Morck, Alec Santiago, Michael Stowell of Kitsune Bio. Photo: Keanan Wilson.</p> </span> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div><div><h3>Codebreaker</h3><p>Codebreaker is building a platform for generating variant genomes at scale in an AI&nbsp;framework that drives variant genome design and machine learning to generate significance maps broadly across human&nbsp;disease and drug response.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-layer-bab6bb69/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Ryan Layer</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/biofrontiers/ryan-layer" rel="nofollow"><strong>BioFrontiers Institute</strong></a>: PI, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><div><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryan-t-gill-9388238/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Ryan T. GIll</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: CEO</div></li><li><div><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tanya-warnecke-22913011/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Tanya Warnecke</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: CTO</div></li><li><div><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jordan-abbott-md-ma-9874935/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Jordan Abbott</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i></a><strong>:</strong> KOL-Collaborator</div></li></ul><div><div><h3><span>Flari Tech</span></h3><div><div><p>Flari Tech is building a laser-based breathalyzer to detect lung cancer noninvasively and rapidly with high sensitivity. Powered by CU's Nobel Prize-winning optical frequency comb, it would empower healthcare providers, patients and researchers in lung cancer prevention, treatment and monitoring. <a href="/venturepartners/investors-partners/startup-portfolio/flari-tech-inc" rel="nofollow"><strong>Read more about Flari</strong></a></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/xinyao/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Eva Yao</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ 2023 Embark EIR</strong></a>): CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jun-ye-57aa3088" rel="nofollow"><strong>Jun Ye</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/physics/jun-ye" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Physics</strong></a>, <a href="https://jila.colorado.edu/yelabs/people/ye" rel="nofollow"><strong>JILA</strong></a>): PI</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/qizhong-liang-323439312/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Qizhong Liang</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(PhD candidate, CU «Ƶ Physics, JILA): Technical Lead</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/apoorva-bisht-227419241/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Apoorva Bisht</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(PhD student, CU «Ƶ Physics, JILA): Research Assistant</li></ul><h3><span>Kitsune Bio</span></h3><p><span>Kitsune Bio enhances the structural adaptability of cyclic peptides, improving their ability to bind, inhibit and access challenging intracellular targets. This unique platform unlocks new opportunities for treating complex diseases and improving patient outcomes.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/makenna-morck/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Makenna Morck</strong></span></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Embark EIR</strong></a>): CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/alecsantiago/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Alec Santiago</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(CU «Ƶ Embark EIR): COO, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><span>Michael Stowell (</span><a href="/mcdb/michael-stowell" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>CU «Ƶ Molecular, Cellular &amp; Developmental Biology</strong></span></a><span>): PI</span></li></ul><div><div><h3><span>IntraLumenus</span></h3><p>Let’s never cut open a patient again. <span>IntraLumenus</span> is a treaded robotic capsule endoscope that travels through the colon under its own power, provides localization and mapping, and dual channel tool access, enabling colorectal procedures to be performed intraluminally, or from within the colon.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessesheppard/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Jesse M. Sheppard</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/venturepartners/opportunities-and-events/embark-deep-tech-startup-creator" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="fc3e2b60-233e-49b0-ad58-49b487588eff" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator"><strong>CU «Ƶ Embark EIR</strong></a>): CEO, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-rentschler-533822/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Mark Rentschler</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/mechanical/mark-rentschler" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering</strong></a>): PI</li></ul><div><div><h3>SteriO3</h3><p>Peroxide Enhanced Germicidal Irradiation (PEGI) provides rapid, low-resource sterilization of microbial contaminants. With adaptable configuration capabilities, PEGI will be engineered into compact, portable units for low-temperature sterilization of surgical equipment, including 3D-printed implants. <a href="https://sterio3.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Visit the SteriO3 website</strong></a></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/emmalee-biesiada-phd/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Emmalee Biesiada</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i></a>&nbsp;(<a href="/ceae/" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering</strong></a>): Principal Investigator (PI), LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-hughes-executive-leader/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Steve Hughes</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: CEO</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-hernandez-0a60122a0/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Mark Hernandez</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(CU «Ƶ Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering): Chief Scientific and Project Advisor</li></ul><h3>Vesicle Therapeutics</h3><p>The Vesicle team is developing a proprietary STAT3 isoform-selective antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) using novel thiomorpholino chemistry (TMO) for the treatment of head and neck cancer is the sixth most common cancer type, with a low survival rate due to poor responsiveness to treatments.</p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/xuedongliuatcu/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Xuedong Liu</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;(<a href="/biochemistry/xuedong-liu" rel="nofollow"><strong>CU «Ƶ Biochemistry</strong></a>): PI, LVC Pitch Presenter</li><li>Donna Peak: CEO</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/curtis-woodard-1b481b5/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Curtis Woodard</strong></a><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin fa-xs">&nbsp;</i>: COO</li><li>Gan Zhang: CTO</li><li>Marvin H. Caruthers (CU «Ƶ Biochemistry): Collaborator</li></ul></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Fourteen teams of University of Colorado faculty, researchers and graduate student innovators competed for a combined $1.25 million in startup funding grants in this year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC).</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> Mon, 28 Oct 2024 21:10:46 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2385 at /venturepartners CU «Ƶ research funding more than doubled in the last decade /venturepartners/2024/10/14/external-news/cu-boulder-research-funding-more-doubled-last-decade <span>CU «Ƶ research funding more than doubled in the last decade</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-14T11:57:44-06:00" title="Monday, October 14, 2024 - 11:57">Mon, 10/14/2024 - 11:57</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/adobestock_632805326_2.jpeg?h=7fc45408&amp;itok=uiqqgPHC" width="1200" height="800" alt="Aerial photo of the CU «Ƶ campus with the «Ƶ Flatirons in the background."> </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/251"> Advanced Materials </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/309"> Aerospace </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/85"> Biosciences </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/525"> Climate, Energy &amp; Sustainability </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/247"> Hardware &amp; Instrumentation </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/317"> Quantum &amp; Photonics </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> </div> </div> </div> <div>Daily Camera—Research funding at the «Ƶ has more than doubled in the last decade, increasing by about $391 million. There were 35 CU «Ƶ-affiliated startup companies this last fiscal year compared to 10 the year before. </div> <script> window.location.href = `https://www.dailycamera.com/2024/10/14/cu-boulder-research-funding-more-than-doubled-in-the-last-decade/`; </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> Mon, 14 Oct 2024 17:57:44 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2376 at /venturepartners We went to a startup symposium at the University of Colorado. We saw these nine cool startups. We said “wow” a lot. /venturepartners/2024/10/11/external-news/we-went-startup-symposium-university-colorado-we-saw-these-nine-cool-startups-we-said <span>We went to a startup symposium at the University of Colorado. We saw these nine cool startups. We said “wow” a lot.</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-11T13:37:55-06:00" title="Friday, October 11, 2024 - 13:37">Fri, 10/11/2024 - 13:37</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/article-image/solid_power.jpeg?h=0e51f3ec&amp;itok=omsR6BcG" width="1200" height="800" alt="Scientist holds up batteries"> </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> </div> </div> </div> <div>Colorado Public Radio—The pace of innovation and spin-off companies at the four-campus system is accelerating, particularly in the fields of health and bioscience, quantum, cybersecurity, aerospace, climate innovation, the outdoors and the food and beverage industries. The university system has 80 innovation and business accelerator programs that give patent legal, and financial support to budding entrepreneurs.</div> <script> window.location.href = `https://www.cpr.org/2024/10/11/nine-startup-stories-university-of-colorado/`; </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> Fri, 11 Oct 2024 19:37:55 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2371 at /venturepartners Colorado is on track to becoming the nation’s climate tech hub /venturepartners/2024/10/04/external-news/colorado-track-becoming-nations-climate-tech-hub <span>Colorado is on track to becoming the nation’s climate tech hub</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-10T16:01:57-06:00" title="Thursday, October 10, 2024 - 16:01">Thu, 10/10/2024 - 16:01</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2024-10/Leeds%20CO%20tech%20hub%20article%20101024.png?h=663601e0&amp;itok=mJYPwjnn" width="1200" height="800" alt="A loan modern windmill with a sunset in the mountains behind it"> </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/525"> Climate, Energy &amp; Sustainability </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> </div> </div> </div> <div>CU «Ƶ Leeds School of Business—It’s common to think climate tech is synonymous with the Bay Area, however, Colorado is rapidly becoming a new hot spot. Why Colorado? Home to 24 federally funded scientific labs, like NOAA, NREL and NCAR, and major research institutions like CU, CSU and Colorado School of Mines, Colorado is a ‘hub of climate research and technical expertise.’</div> <script> window.location.href = `/business/CESR/Colorado-is-on-track-to-becoming-the-nations-climate-tech-hub`; </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> Thu, 10 Oct 2024 22:01:57 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2364 at /venturepartners Be bolder: What leaders can learn from CU «Ƶ’s successes in research, innovation, and football /venturepartners/2024/10/08/external-news/be-bolder-what-leaders-can-learn-cu-boulders-successes-research-innovation-and-football <span>Be bolder: What leaders can learn from CU «Ƶ’s successes in research, innovation, and football</span> <span><span>Daniel Corbin …</span></span> <span><time datetime="2024-10-10T15:50:11-06:00" title="Thursday, October 10, 2024 - 15:50">Thu, 10/10/2024 - 15:50</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2024-10/Be%20Bolder%20article%20101024.png?h=fb1f4651&amp;itok=8cP29i1Q" width="1200" height="800" alt="A diverse group of people wearing lab coats poses for a photo"> </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—The University of Colorado system was recently ranked fifth in the nation in startup creation, launching more than 20 companies in a year. And the National Academy of Inventors also ranked CU 14th in the country for patent activity, reflecting “the strength of CU-led discoveries and their potential to be translated into society-benefiting technologies with the support of CU’s robust entrepreneurial ecosystem.”</div> <script> window.location.href = `https://www.fastcompany.com/91203304/be-bolder-what-leaders-can-learn-from-cu-boulders-successes-in-research-innovation-and-football`; </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> Thu, 10 Oct 2024 21:50:11 +0000 Daniel Corbin Leonard 2361 at /venturepartners