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From University Innovation to Real-World Impact

Venture Partners at CU BoulderÌýsupports university researchers, inventors and creators in translating theirÌýgroundbreaking discoveries into new solutions, businesses and partnerships that address the world's greatest challenges.

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ApplicationsÌýare open forÌýtheÌýNSF I-Corps Hub West programs, and registration is open for Translational Funding Week and the LVC Community Showcases

The Venture Partners Impact


2021 Innovation & Economic Prosperity AwardÌý
The Association of Public and Land-grant Universities (APLU®)

Ranked 1st for Startup Creation

—2025, Read More

Launched a Record-Setting 36 Startups

—2024, Read More

Ranked #18 for Patent Activity

—2024,

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$Ìý8Ìýbillion

impact on national economy (from 2018-2022)


$Ìý5.2Ìýbillion

impact on statewide economy (from 2018-2022)


$Ìý3.5Ìýbillion

in capital funding raisedÌýby startups commercializing CU Boulder technology (since 2018)


798+

license and option agreements signed (since 2014)


220+

startup ventures spun out of university technology


1484+

inventions disclosed (since 2014)

Subscribe to E-Newsletters

The InsiderÌýis a series of newsletters from Venture Partners featuring theÌýlatest headlines, news, events, opportunities and emerging university innovations in three editions:

Inventors andÌýResearchers (Monthly) | Community (Monthly) | Investors (Quarterly)

View the latest InsidersÌýÌýSubscribe to The Insider

Latest News and Announcements

Upcoming Events and Opportunities

Research & Innovation Week October 6-10, 2025

CU Boulder Research & Innovation WeekÌý

ÌýÌýOct. 6-10, Various Venues
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required

The seventh annualÌýResearch & Innovation Week is designed to elevate awareness across campus, build a sense of shared community, create opportunities for collaboration and recognize exceptional leadership and outcomes. Join CU Boulder's research community as we highlight and shape tomorrow's leaders, showcase some of our most compelling innovations and demonstrate CU Boulder's positive impact on humanity.

Offered by the CU Boulder Research & Innovation Office (RIO)
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ÌýÌý Friday, Oct. 10, 2025, 3-5 p.m., Roser ATLAS Center
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required

One of twelve institutes at CU Boulder, ATLAS is home to researchers who transcend traditional disciplinary structures of engineering, design, science and art to inspire new realms of invention. The 8th annual ATLAS Institute Research Open Labs is your time to get a first-hand view of the diverse and intriguing engineering, design and creative projects our lab teams are engaged in.

Offered by the ATLAS Institute and CU Boulder Research & Innovation Office (RIO)


An aerial photo of the iconic CU Boulder campus with the Boulder flatirons in the background

Research & Innovation Seed Grant Program

ÌýÌýApplication Deadline Monday, Oct. 13
ÌýÌýOpen to CU Boulder Faculty and Teachers

Seed Grants aim to stimulate inter- and multidisciplinary research, scholarship and creative projects with high potential for innovation and/or impact. These grants support creative, and sometimes high-risk, high-reward initiatives, including team development proposals for future large collaborative projects. Projects may take a variety of forms but should represent an investment in advancing the university’s future research, scholarly or creative activities.

Offered by the CU Boulder Research & Innovation Office (RIO)


Boulder Climate Ventures

Business Opportunities in Climate

ÌýÌý Wednesdays, Oct. 15-Dec. 3, 1-3 p.m.
ÌýÌýÌýOpen to CU Boulder Students

This program is designed for bold and ambitious innovators looking to solve climate issues with next-generation technologies. This seven-week seminar series will bring experts to campus to discuss the next big business opportunities in climate tech. It is a prerequisite for BCV's "Venture Discovery" class in Spring 2026.

Offered by Boulder Climate Ventures


ÌýÌý Friday, Oct. 17, 10 a.m.
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required

Celebrate those who completed the 2025 Incubator and Accelerator programs. This milestone event marks the culmination of months of intensive innovation, collaboration and groundbreaking work in urban technology solutions.

Offered by CU Denver Smart Futures Lab


ÌýÌý Tuesday, Oct. 21, Wolf Law Building, Wittemyer Courtroom
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome and Great for Entrepreneurs, Innovators and Business Leaders—CU Affiliation is Not Required

Now in its third year, the Startup Variety Show is one of the best ways to connect with Colorado’s Front Range innovation scene. It brings together CU Boulder researchers, federal lab innovators, startup founders and technologists from established companies—all on one stage. The show highlights the region’s most creative minds and the ideas shaping what’s next.

Offered by CU Boulder Silicon Flatirons


Lab Venture Challenge

Lab Venture Challenge Community Showcases

ÌýÌýOct. 22-23, Dairy Arts Center, Boulder
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required

Join us at the Boulder Dairy Arts Center for the Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) Community Showcases, where teams of top innovators from CU will pitch to a panel of judges and a live audience for grants of up to $125,000—$750,000 in total funding—for their early-stage projects in bio- and physical sciences with compelling market potential. Past pitches have included everything from next-generation batteries to cancer treatments and LVC has helped launch 64 new startups that have gone on to raise more than $350 million, including Darwin Biosciences, Manifest Technologies (prev. Vitro3D) and Mesa Quantum.Ìý

Offered by Venture Partners and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)


People stand on a stage

New Venture Launch Class

ÌýÌý Application Deadline Friday, Oct. 24
ÌýÌýSpring Semester
ÌýÌýCross-Disciplinary Teams, Individual Founders, and Students

MBAX 6180 New Venture Launch is an application-based class for cross-disciplinary teams, individual founders, and entrepreneurially-focused students who are driven to succeed in a startup ecosystem.

Offered by CU Boulder Leeds School of Business


Center for Translational Research

Translational Funding Week

ÌýÌýOct. 27-30 | Daily Lunchtime Sessions Noon–2 p.m. MT | All Sessions Available Virtually and Day 1 Available In Person
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome and Great for Researchers, Inventors and Creators—CU Affiliation is Not Required

Are you a university researcher, inventor or deep tech founder exploring ways to translate your innovation into real-world impact? Join us forÌýTranslational Funding Week—a series of engaging lunchtime sessions designed to demystify the landscape of non-dilutive funding opportunities that support the journey from lab to market. These sessions are tailored to faculty, postdocs, PhD students and startup teams who want to learn how to secure early-stage funding to commercialize research, build ventures and scale innovation.

Offered by Venture Partners and the Center for Translational Research


I-Corps Hub West

Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop

ÌýÌýApplication Deadline Thursday, Oct. 30
ÌýÌýNov. 6-20, Virtual Opportunity
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required

Do you have an innovation that could make a difference? Whether a researcher, entrepreneur, inventor or problem solver, this workshop can help you transform your concept into a successful venture. Over three weeks, gain a deeper understanding of the commercialization process, test your ideas with real potential customers and accelerate your journey toward bringing your idea to market. This workshop is for anyone from a research or community institution—not just CU—motivated to bring their ideas to life, secure funding and create lasting impact.Ìý

Offered by Venture Partners and NSF I-CorpsTM Hub West


I-Corps Hub West

Research-to-Market (R2M) Customer Discovery Program

ÌýÌýApplication Deadline Tuesday, May 5
ÌýÌýMay 12-June 23, Virtual Opportunity
ÌýÌýAll Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required

This four-week program helps teams through customer discovery and finding a market for their innovation. Derived from the National Science Foundation's I-Corpsâ„¢ program, R2M leverages the nationally recognized Lean LaunchPad and Business Model Canvas methodologies specifically designed for researchers, entrepreneurs, inventors and problem solvers from any research or community institution.

Offered by Venture Partners and NSF I-CorpsTM Hub West