Opportunities and Events

Discover opportunities and events that foster innovation and entrepreneurship. From the Lab Venture Challenge to Destination Startup, Venture Partners at 鶹ѰBoulder 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—to translate their university inventions into a startup company.

Accepting Support Requests

Withmyriad 鶹ѰBoulder technologies ready to make a real-world impact, Embark seeks motivated entrepreneurs ready to launch new companies.

A competition for 鶹ѰBoulder's top innovations showinghigh commercial potential,a clear path to a compelling marketandstrong scientific support.

Application Now Open

An accelerator for research teams building deep tech startups coming out of the University of Colorado campuses in Boulder, Colorado Springs and Denver.

A collaboration among the Intermountain West region's leading research universities and federal laboratories, showcasing the best companiesfrom the region’s innovation ecosystem to investors and the business community.

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

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

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Upcoming Opportunities at 鶹Ѱ

Lab Venture Challenge

Venture Partners and OEDIT: Lab Venture Challenge

Tuesday, July 15, 5 p.m.: Deadline to disclose innovations
Friday, Aug. 22, 11:59 p.m.: Deadline to apply to LVC

Through the Lab Venture Challenge (LVC), top innovations from the 鶹Ѱ, 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. These grants are funded by Venture Partners at 鶹ѰBoulder and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program.


I-Corps Hub West

Venture Partners and NSF I-Corps: Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop

Aug. 1-15, BaseCamp at the Pearl East Innovation Campus, Boulder | Application Deadline Friday, July 25

Do you have an innovation that could make a difference?Whether a researcher, entrepreneur, inventor or problem solver, the Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop at Venture Partners at 鶹ѰBoulder can help you transform your concept into a successful venture—even if you aren't a 鶹Ѱstudent or employee.


I-Corps Hub West

Venture Partners and NSF I-Corps: Research-to-Market (R2M) Customer Discovery Program

Sept. 3-Oct. 10, Virtual Event | Application Deadline Wednesday, Aug. 27

This four-week program helps teams through customer discovery and finding a market for their innovation. Derived from the National Science Foundation's I-Corps™ 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.


I-Corps Hub West

Venture Partners and NSF I-Corps: Therapeutics Customer Discovery Program

Oct. 7-Nov. 4, Virtual Event | Application Deadline Wednesday, Aug. 27

Do you have a therapeutic innovation that could improve lives? This program is a focused, five-week entrepreneurial training program designed to help academic researchers and early-stage biotech innovators explore the commercial potential of therapeutic technologies.

Opportunities Outside 鶹Ѱ

Tuesday, July 15 (deadline) | —Seeking innovative improvements to operating and planning the electric grid to accommodate widespread adoption of clean energy resources across New York State.

Thursday, July 17 | —Looking for early-stage commercialization funding? Join this discussion with federal agency experts on their small business research commercialization funding programs, including SBIR and STTR.

Friday, July 18 (deadline) | —For participating energy startups and companies, the Energy Tech Venture Forum is an opportunity to meet energy investors and corporations.

Saturday, July 19 (deadline) | —An open-ended innovation process for government procurement that removes the need to meet specific requirements and provides an open door to business and academic innovators to propose new ways of solving a problem.

Monday, July 21 (deadline) | —Seeking input from academia, non-profits, philanthropy, state and local government, venture capital, the private sector and any other interested parties to inform the agency's assessment and potential update of the Key Technology Focus Areas.

Tuesday, July 22 | Are you working on bringing your cancer technology idea to life? This webinar will provide attendees with insights into NCI SBIR funding opportunities and entrepreneurial resources that help cancer technology innovators.

Wednesday, July 23 | —This interactive session will break down what it takes to qualify for the O-1 “Extraordinary Ability” visa, especially for technical innovators building high-impact companies.

Wednesday, July 23 (deadline) | —A six-month program designed for hands-on product development and backed by top-tier corporate and venture investors.

Thursday, July 24 (deadline) | —Helping innovative energy startups pilot new technologies with strategic partners in Minnesota, build connections with new customers and investors, and accelerate their path to market.

Aug. 27-29 | —Connecting non-space dual-use technology providers with leading commercial and government space opportunities focused on in-space manufacturing, national security initiatives and government and private sector funding.

Friday, Aug. 29 | —Welcoming applications from startups that are developing carbontech solutions.

Sept. 16-Oct. 14 | —For first-time leaders and scientists new to management this workshop is designed to build the foundations of leadership by exploring the characteristics of leaders, effective communication and teamwork skills.

Nov. 19-21 | —The U.S.'s premier defense innovation event, connecting top dual-use solution providers with top military, industry and investment leadership.

Rolling Applications

—Unshackled Ventures is an early-stage venture capital firm focused exclusively on immigrant-founded startups.

—Promotinggrowth and sustainability in Colorado’s advanced industries that increase the state's global competitiveness.

—Encouraginginvestments in Colorado advanced industries businesses by incentivizing investors with state income tax credits.

—Empowering entrepreneurs by providing access to mentorship, capitaland a global network to help them succeed and scale their startups.

—Funding is granted through many different agencies across the federal government and areas of innovation.

Various Deadlines

—A curated pipeline of vetted opportunities aligned with industry and national priorities from Catalyst Partners, government requirements and industry targets.

—Empowering the federal government and the public to participate together in equitable forms of innovation through prize competitions.

Employment Opportunities

—RayChill, a startup built on IP from 鶹ѰBoulder, provides a passive radiative cooling material that cools structures without power and is seeking a Co-Founder/CEO.

For more opportunities, please check back soon or sign up for updates.

Are you a 鶹Ѱstartup with an employment opportunity to share with the 鶹Ѱcommunity? Send it to vpnews@colorado.edu for posting here. Also, you canpostto 鶹ѰBoulder's recruitment platform Handshakeand/orjoin the Startups2Students career fair.