2025 Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase highlights CU’s next breakthrough startups
Members of the 2025 Ascent Cohort. Left-right: Maria Luisa Sanchez Montes, Gary Dolsen, Laila Marzall, Makenna Morck, Kian Lopez, Aoife Henry, Taylor Sharpe, Michael Stowell, Alec Santiago, Justin Stitzlein (Ascent staff member), Kylen McClintock, Sanghamitra Neogi, Dan Callen, Jason Rivas, Bart Emery, Subrata Pal, Dhiman Nandi, Alexandra Whiteley, Marisha Parikh, Wendy Overton, Emily Voigt (Ascent staff member). Photo: Ryan Vachon
Deep tech startups, or new companies based on technological innovation in science or engineering, face unique challenges because of their disruptive nature, intensive research and development, and significant capital requirements. Ascent understands the needs and pathways for deep tech startups to find early success.
Venture Partners at CU Boulder capped off its fourth Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator with the 2025 Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase, where research-based startup teams pitched innovations to an audience of investors, entrepreneurs and fellow researchers. The showcase featured ventures developing breakthrough solutions in health, energy, aerospace and more.
Over five months, Ascent teams received mentorship from deep tech experts and Venture Partners staff as they worked toward company formation, refined their paths to market and built compelling fundraising strategies. The showcase marked a milestone for the teams as they emerged ready to engage with early investors, partners and national accelerators.
A Track Record of Impact
Since its launch in 2021, Ascent has supported 47 teams across CU’s Boulder, Denver and Colorado Springs campuses. Program alumni have raised over $20 million in non-dilutive funding and $41 million in venture capital investment, with many advancing to top-tier programs such as NREL West Gate, Creative Destruction Lab, Techstars and Activate. Ascent is now a cornerstone of CU Boulder’s deep tech pipeline, helping to turn university inventions and research into impactful startups that solve global challenges.
But what is "commercialization?"
The path to commercialization—also known as "research translation" or "tech transfer"—can be challenging, so Venture Partners unites industry partners, entrepreneurs and investors to help researchers, inventors and creators at the University of Colorado bring their groundbreaking discoveries into the marketplace.
The accelerator addresses the unique challenges faced by deep tech startups (companies based on groundbreaking science or engineering) that often require substantial time, research and capital to reach the market. The five-month program builds upon prerequisite customer-discovery training through the NSF I-Corps Hub: West Region—also offered through Venture Partners—and provides tailored support in business formation, market strategy and fundraising.
“This showcase was such an exciting opportunity for us and for everyone to see what the next phase of impactful companies are doing,” said Emily Vogt, director of venture development at Venture Partners. “I truly believe these companies are going to be big names in Colorado and for investors everywhere.”
Recordings of the showcase pitches will be available for viewing through the Venture Partners website in the coming weeks. Sign Up for Updates
The Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase was presented with financial support from Richtr Financial Studio, Hatch Spaces: Life Sciences, Holland & Hart and Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati.
Presenters: 2025 Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase
ArgiLur
ArgiLur is a Boulder-based clothing company revolutionizing the fashion industry by offering carbon-sequestering clothing. Style and sustainability can go hand in hand, and we are committed to providing eco-friendly options for our customers. Visit the ArgiLur Website
Team: Maria Luisa Sánchez Montes (CU Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Department), Founder and CEO
Industry Applications: Advanced Materials, Environment and Sustainability, Fashion and Design, Biotech
Contact: Maria Luisa Sánchez Montes, marialuisa.sanchezmontes@colorado.edu
AtomTCAD Inc.
AtomTCAD provides precise and rapid thermal modeling of nanometer-scale semiconductors. Our software makes complex quantum physics simulations accessible. Leveraging AI, AtomTCAD enables chip designers and engineers to rapidly discover thermally optimal designs, empowering them to overcome heat challenges.
Team: Sanghamitra Neogi (CU Boulder Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences), Founder, Principal Investigator; Jason Rivas (CU Boulder Materials Science & Engineering Program), Research Engineer; Subrata Pal (CU Boulder Chemistry), Research Engineer; Dhiman Nandi (CU Boulder Chemistry), Research Engineer
Industry Applications: Aerospace, Advanced Materials, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Research and Exploration
Contact: Sanghamitra Neogi, sanghamitra.neogi@colorado.edu
BoldRF LLC
BoldRF is a spin-off from Microwave Research Lab at CU Boulder, focused on the efforts to commercialize innovative tunable active RF circulators that enable resilient analog self-interference features for in-band full duplex (IBFD) RF front-ends for communication systems, radar, electronic warfare, aviation direction finding.
Team: Laila Fighera Marzall (CU Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-Founder, CEO; Zoya Popovic (CU Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-Founder; Marisha Parikh (CU Boulder Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program), Head of Business; Sarah Johns (undergraduate student, CU Boulder Leeds School of Business), Business Strategist; Stephanie Torres (undergraduate student, CU Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Gary Dolsen , Industrial Mentor
Industries: Aerospace, Hardware and Instrumentation, Information Technology, Quantum, Research and Exploration, Smart Cities
Contact: Laila Fighera Marzall, laila.marzall@colorado.edu
EerDx Inc.
EerDx uses earbud sleep diagnostics to transform the diagnosis and treatment of the 100 Million Americans with sleep disorders, starting with drug and cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia. Visit the EerDx Website
Team: Bart Emery , CEO, Co-Founder; Samir Chabra , CTO, Co-Founder; Jianliang Xiao, Principal Investigator, Advisor (CU Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering)
Industry Applications: Sensors, Health and Wellness, Medical Devices, Diagnostics
Contact: Bart Emery, bart@eerdx.com
Endios Bio
Endios Bio is developing breakthrough therapeutics for rare neurodegenerative diseases by targeting the newly discovered impacts of the gene peg10, which was recently linked to ALS and Angelmans and has druggable potential. Visit the Endios Website
Team: Wendy Overton (fmr. CU Boulder Embark Entrepreneur in Residence)
Industry Applications: Biotech, Health and Wellness, Therapeutics, Diagnostics
Contact: Wendy Overton, wendy.overton@endiosbio.com
Kitsune Biotherapeutics Inc.
Kitsune Bio develops shape-shifting cyclic peptides that penetrate cells and adhere to targets more effectively. Our platform creates therapeutics that go beyond antibodies and small molecules, offering new treatment options for difficult diseases and improving the standard of care. Visit the Kitsune Website
Industry Applications: Health and Wellness, Biotech, Therapeutics
Team: Makenna Morck (Alum: CU Boulder Biochemistry), CEO; Alec Santiago , COO; Michael Stowell (CU Boulder Molecular Cellular & Developmental Biology), CTO; Thomas Fallon, Advisor
Contact: Makenna Morck, makenna@kitsunebio.com
LEVL Inc.
LEVL is a cutting-edge biotech company dedicated to advancing human health and extending longevity through advanced nutraceutical synergies. Our mission is to translate the latest breakthroughs in aging science into practical, effective solutions that seamlessly integrate into everyday life. Visit the LEVL Website
Team:Kylen McClintock (fmr. CU Boulder Embark Entrepreneur in Residence), CEO, Co-Founder; Daniel Callen , CSO, Co-Founder; Tom LaRocca, CRO, Co-Founder (fmr. CU Boulder Integrative Physiology)
Industry Applications: Health and Wellness, Biotech, Therapeutics
Contact: Kylen McClintock, kylenmcclintock@gmail.com
OsmoPure Technologies Inc.
OsmoPure Technologies develops high-performance membranes for ultrapure water production in aerospace, electronics, and energy applications. Our membranes remove more contaminants, last longer and use less energy while meeting strict purity requirements and lowering chemical demand. Visit the OsmoPure Website
Team:Kian Lopez (CU Boulder Chemical and Biological Engineering), CEO; Nadia Jorgenson (CU Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), CTO; Anthony Straub (CU Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), CSO
Industry Applications: Aerospace, Advanced Materials, Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech
Contact: Kian Lopez, Kian.lopez@colorado.edu
Tierra Metrics Inc.
We combine low-cost sensors with continuous models of the agricultural nitrogen cycle. We envision a world where digital twins of farms inform farmers and land managers in real time to reduce excess fertilizer use, cutting costs, pollution and emissions to build more resilient farming systems. Visit the Tierra Metrics Website
Team: Taylor Sharpe (CU Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), Chief Engineer; Greg Whiting (CU Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Co-Founder; Whendee Silver , Co-Founder; Ana Arias , Co-Founder
Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech, Food and Agriculture, Hardware and Instrumentation, Sensors, Information Technology, Software, Manufacturing, Research and Exploration, Smart Cities
Contact: Taylor Sharpe, taylor.sharpe@colorado.edu
ZentusAI Inc.
WindSenseAI optimizes wind farm performance through AI-driven wake steering control (WSC). Our deep learning models predict how turbine yawing impacts power output, adapting in real-time to site-specific wind conditions to maximize efficiency and asset performance.
Team: Aoife Henry , CEO, Co-Founder (CU Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering)
Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech
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