Center for Translational Research
Secure non-dilutive funding to translate your invention into real-world impact
The Center for Translational Research (CTR) is a campus-wide resource for both existing and aspiring university-originated startups seeking non-dilutive funding—including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards—to translate their university inventions into a startup company. It provides support to university faculty, researchers and staff as well as non-university employees of startups utilizing university technology.
The center advises teams on best practices for seeking non-dilutive capital for their startup companies, provides market research and industry analysis and offers proposal editing and critique. The center aims to secure funding for the translation of university technologies, thereby bolstering the impact of the inventions made on our campus.
Translational Funding Week
Unlock Funding to Move Your Research or Venture Forward
Oct. 27-30 | Daily Lunchtime Sessions Noon–2 p.m. MT | All Sessions Available Virtually and Day 1 Available In Person
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Are you a university researcher, inventor or deep tech founder exploring ways to translate your innovation into real-world impact? Join us for Translational 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.
Whether you're applying for the first time or looking to sharpen your funding strategy, Translational Funding Week will connect you with insights, tools and experts to accelerate your path forward.
Topics
- Navigating Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) grants across federal agencies
- The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Grant Program
- Opportunities through the NSF ASCEND Engine in Colorado and Wyoming and other regional resources
- How to align your innovation with funder priorities
- Tips from successful applicants and agency insiders
Whether you're applying for the first time or looking to sharpen your funding strategy, Translational Funding Week will connect you with insights, tools and experts to accelerate your path forward.
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Monday, Oct. 27, noon-2 p.m. MT | Join us in person to meet the panelists, network and enjoy a free lunch at BaseCamp at the Pearl East Innovation Campus (4909 Pearl E Cir, Boulder, CO 80301) or connect virtually via Zoom.
Kick off Translational Funding Week with a guided tour through the vast landscape of translational funding opportunities available to academic researchers, inventors and startup founders. This session will introduce the major non-dilutive funding programs designed to help you turn research into real-world impact, covering federal opportunities like Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR), state programs like the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Accelerator, and regional and national commercialization resources.
You will gain a clearer understanding of what each program offers, how they differ and how they can fit into your innovation journey, from proof of concept to early commercialization. We’ll also hear directly from a panel of deep tech founders who have successfully tapped into these funding streams. They’ll share honest reflections on what worked, what didn’t, and how translational funding helped them build and scale their ventures.
Day 1 Features:
Jeanne Barthold
Co-Founder and COO of TissueForm
Poolad Imany
Founder and CEO of Icarus Quantum
Mark Rentschler
Founding and CEO of Aspero Medical
Nick Singstock
Co-Founder and CTO at Mana Battery
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Tuesday, Oct. 28, noon-2 p.m. MT, Virtually via Zoom
This session puts you face-to-face with the people who manage Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs at key federal agencies. Program managers will give short presentations about their agency’s unique priorities, application processes, and review criteria—followed by generous time for you to ask questions and join breakout discussions.
This is your chance to ask the questions you won’t find in the guidelines and hear candid advice straight from the source about how to tailor your application, align with agency missions and avoid common pitfalls.
Day 2 Features:
Stephanie J. Fertig is Director of the NIH Small Business Program, in SEED (Small business Education and Entrepreneurial Development) within the Office of Extramural Research (OER) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). She currently oversees the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) programs, which are congressionally mandated set-aside programs that provide over $1.4 billion per year to small business concerns. Before joining SEED, she managed the SBIR and STTR Programs at the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). During her over 20 years at NIH, she has led the development and implementation of multiple programs focused on small businesses and translational research. She has a BS in chemistry from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from the University of Maryland.
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Wednesday, Oct. 29, noon-2 p.m. MT, Virtually via Zoom
Translational grant proposals—especially Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR)—require a different mindset than traditional academic funding. This session will equip you with the tools to prepare your technology, team, and commercialization strategy to compete successfully. We’ll cover what reviewers are really looking for across agencies, how to frame your story with supporting documents and tips for weaving together technical and commercial narratives.
Whether you're applying for SBIR, Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries, or other translational funds, you'll walk away with practical insights and best practices to help you shape a compelling, fundable proposal.
Day 3 Features:
Ed Kase is a strategic planning and business development executive with more than 25 years of business-to-business and business-to-government experience, spanning several technology areas, including aerospace systems, scientific instrumentation, industrial equipment and software. He has held leadership roles in a number of functional areas including marketing, sales and consulting services. In addition to his consulting practice, he provides services to client companies through the Colorado Small Business Development Center, Foresight Science & Technology and the Montana Innovation Partnership. He received his BS in mechanical engineering from Clarkson University and his MBA from Colorado State University.
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Thursday, Oct. 30, noon-2 p.m. MT, Virtually via Zoom
Federal grants aren’t your only option. This session spotlights regional and state-based funders who support translational innovation through grants, fellowships and commercialization support. Hear directly from leaders at programs like the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Accelerator, the NSF Ascend Engine in Colorado and Wyoming, Activate, West Gate Lab-Embedded Entrepreneurship Program and others.
These programs can offer quicker funding, more personalized support and strategic connections. Get tips, timelines, and insight on what makes for a successful application—and how to position your venture within the local innovation ecosystem.
Day 4 Features:
Tim Jones serves as the Chief Operating Officer of Innosphere, a premier science and technology-focused incubator organization. In his role, he leads operational execution, new program implementation and deployment of capital for early-stage venture capital funds. As COO of Innosphere and a partner in multiple venture capital funds since 2019, he has spearheaded the execution of incubator services, winning and managing programs in climate resilience, life sciences, and smart cities. His leadership has tripled and diversified Innosphere’s revenue and expanded its services into six additional states. Additionally, he has coached CEOs in cutting-edge fields such as artificial intelligence, cybersecurity and medical devices, while serving on multiple company boards and leading early-stage investments. He held various leadership roles at General Electric Energy where he managed complex projects, improved organizational productivity and led successful mergers and acquisitions. Notably, he led a cross-functional team to launch a new product in GE Oil & Gas modernizing the mid-stream space with innovative technology. His extensive background includes experience in the United States Navy as a Nuclear Power Submarine Officer.
Center Services
- Locating appropriate grant mechanisms for given technology and principal investigator
- Advising on team formation, company formation and proposal topic strategy
- Coordinating proposal preparation schedule, materials, preliminary work and market research
- Coaching research teams in customer discovery and value proposition generation
- Researching market sectors and differentiating factors of inventions
- Detailing overarching industry trends and forces
- Providing market research and industry analysis
- Aligning the draft proposal with solicitation requirements
- Copyediting the draft proposal for grammatical suggestions and edits
- Advising on proposal structure and arguments
Process for Center Services
To request support from CTR please contact us at vpcontact@colorado.edu.
A meeting is conducted between key research personnel and the center's Managing Director. The scope of support and types of services required are detailed and scheduled based on the proposal and deadlines.
The research personnel are connected with services through the center. Iterative consultations and research activities take place by both the research personnel and the center.
An SBIR/STTR proposal is crafted and submitted to a federal agency.
The research team agrees to respond to the center's followup survey detailing the experience and services provided.
Eligibility for Center Services
The center's mission is to translate CU Boulder innovations to the market through non-dilutive funding, including SBIR/STTR federal solicitations. This effort inherently involves both public (CU Boulder) and private (startup companies) entities.
- The technology being translated to the private entity must be rooted in intellectual property, which was filed by Venture Partners at CU Boulder.
- OR the SBIR/STTR award must have a sub-award contract with the university to perform substantial research activity on the CU Boulder campus.
- All research personnel must have a current Disclosure of External Professional Activities (DEPA) on file with the Office of Conflicts of Interest and Commitment.
- All inventions must be disclosed to Venture Partners at the time of the proposal submission. Then, a license is required in order to act upon the award if/when received.