Creating Value for Investors

Venture Partners at CU Boulder launched Destination Startup® in 2019, with the goal of attracting investors that might otherwise miss opportunities in Colorado and surrounding states. Collectively, universities across the Mountain West region boast excellent startup generation. Destination Startup® participant universities spun out 45 new companies in 2018, according to the Association of University Technology Managers. This combined number of startups is greater than MIT (25) or Stanford (24).

Destination Startup® attracts investment capital for regional startups and builds value in those companies. The program trains and develops entrepreneurial skillsets and builds the innovation talent pool across participating universities. During the application process, participants are paired with mentors from Venture Partners’ extensive network. Each company has multiple opportunities to hone its investment pitch in practice sessions with mentors, often refining not only the company’s pitch but also its underlying business model and path to market. Destination Startup® participants are offered an opportunity to join a formal Pitch Academy training session delivered by Rockies Venture Club.

Expanding Participation Through Virtual Engagement

In 2021, Destination Startup® shifted to a virtual format to accommodate the ongoing pandemic, which increased engagement across the board. In addition to the participating Colorado research institutions (University of Colorado, Colorado State University, Colorado School of Mines, and the National Institute for Standards and Technology in Boulder), Destination Startup® 2021 welcomed startups from the University of Utah, Montana State University, University of Wyoming, University of Nebraska and University of New Mexico. A total of 23 startups were selected and represented the best-of-the-best across the region. Investor engagement also increased, with 133 registered investors from all over the country and strong representation from coastal venture capital firms. In 2022, Destination Startup® will expand to include startups from the University of Arizona.

Providing Regional Leadership

By increasing the visibility of university-originating startups to coastal venture capital, Destination Startup® has grown the innovation ecosystem in Colorado and throughout the Mountain West. Venture Partners at CU Boulder takes pride in raising the profile of not only its own startups but those of our neighboring universities and federal laboratories. The multi-institutional approach to Destination Startup® is rooted in a commitment to strengthening entrepreneurial opportunities for all.