Events and Opportunities
Whether you're just curious to learn more about innovation and entrepreneurship or even ready to launch your next business, we have events and opportunities throughout the year to help you make the real-world impact that you envision. Keep up to date on upcoming events, opportunities and deadlines with our newsletters: Sign Up Now
Signature Programs of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative
Connecting the CU Boulder campus with the Boulder community to develop innovative ideas and pitch for up to $50,000 in venture funding.
Student entrepreneurs with diverse perspectives who embrace the spirit of innovation and impact on campus and in the Boulder community.
A micro-funding opportunity for CU Boulder undergraduate and graduate students that provides up to $500 in funding for entrepreneurial ideas in the making.
A mini job fair that brings entrepreneurially-minded CU Boulder students and local Front Range startups together with a twist.
Join this campus-wide event that's all about making positive changes in the world. Whether you have an idea or are someone eager to help those ideas become real, this is the event you don't want to miss.
CU Boulder's entrepreneurial mentor network supports innovative activity on campus led by students, faculty and staff.
Off-Campus Opportunities
Events
Tuesday, May 6: RVC | Women’s Investor Network: Investor Roundtable—This event features a women investor-led roundtable discussion. The leaders of WIN are active investors and mentors within Colorado’s early-stage venture community.
Thursday, May 8: RVC Due Diligence Mastermind—A group mentoring session where entrepreneurs can source candid advice on dilemmas they face with fundraising. Attendees help one another with strategy, actions for getting funded, leads and contacts, support and goal accountability. In addition, participants receive professional coaching from Rockies Venture Club, investors and mentors.
Monday, May 12: Silicon Flatirons Startup Variety Show—Join us for a special edition of the Startup Variety Show for Boulder Startup Week! The 16th Annual Boulder Startup Week is Boulder’s free week-long conference for the entrepreneurial community.
Monday, May 12-Friday, 16: 16th Annual Boulder Startup Week—Boulder's free week-long conference for the entrepreneurial community.
Tuesday, May 13: RVC Pitch Academy—The RVC Pitch Academy is a half-day workshop designed to do much more than just polish a founder’s pitch and presentation skills. From delivering a compelling presentation to negotiating a successful deal, this workshop will prepare founders to sharpen their venture strategies.
Friday, May 16: Startup Hikes—Do you like being outside? How about on a Friday morning when the trails aren’t packed? Startup Hikes is a series designed to help you meet and get to know other local startup founders, operators, investors, and community members. Whether you’ve been in Colorado forever or just moved here, see some familiar faces and meet new ones.
Friday, May 16: Colorado Startups Happy Hour—Join other ambitious entrepreneurs, investors, and community members in our state's thriving startup ecosystem for a lively and fun event.
Tuesday, May 20: Boulder Open Coffee Club (BOCC)—This is an informal group for anyone interested in the startup community, particularly those with an interest in technology.
Wednesday, May 21: CBSA Coffee + Connect—Engage with others in Colorado’s life sciences community and spark dynamic relationships with fellow innovators.
Wednesday, May 21: Colorado Deep Tech Summit—A high-impact day filled with expert insights, deep-dive discussions and opportunities to connect with fellow investors, founders and operators navigating the challenges of scaling deep tech innovations.
Friday, May 30: Colorado Startups Happy Hour—Join other ambitious entrepreneurs, investors, and community members in our state's thriving startup ecosystem for a lively and fun event.
Thursday, June 5: The Leader Within: How Curiosity and Strong Roots Can Shape Your Dream Career with Hannah Gordon, PhD, MSCI—See innovation in action: Discover how Enveda identified 10 new chemical entities in just five years — reshaping the future of therapeutics.
Applications
Friday, May 9 (deadline): TechUp Summer Incubator—This hybrid program is designed for early-stage tech ventures (open to students and non-students alike) in the Denver area looking to grow and improve their chances of success. Over nine weeks, participants can take advantage of a $2,000 stipend, weekly workshops, mentorship, networking and pitching events to take their business beyond the ideation stage and into operations and growth.
June 22 (priority application deadline): The Environmental Sustainability Entrepreneurship Program—This fully-funded initiative supports both nonprofit and for-profit leaders whose businesses address critical environmental challenges in the Denver metro area. Supported by JPMorganChase Foundation and powered by Watson Institute.
Friday, July 25 (deadline): Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop—Offered as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps™ Hub: West Region, this workshop is for anyone from a research or community institution motivated to bring their ideas to life, secure funding and create lasting impact.
Applications open: EnergyTech University Prize–Student teams compete for more than $540,000 for successfully identifying a promising energy technology, assessing its market potential, and creating a business plan for commercialization.
Rolling application: Startup Colorado Community and Entrepreneurship Grants–Grants that support rural entrepreneurs who are eager to level up their businesses but need a financial boost to get there.and delivering results.
Rolling Application: Global Business Development's 2025 Trade Shows–Apply for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade's funding and trade show participation program.