Opportunities and Events
Signature Venture Partners Programming
A partnership with 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
With myriad CU Boulder technologies ready to make a real-world impact, Embark seeks motivated entrepreneurs ready to launch new companies.
A competition for CU Boulder's top innovations showing high commercial potential, a clear path to a compelling market and strong 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.
Community ShowcaseWednesday, June 24, 2026
A collaboration among the Intermountain West region's leading research universities and federal laboratories, showcasing the best companies from the region’s innovation ecosystem to investors and the business community.
Creative Futures Fellowship
The new CU Boulder Creative Futures Fellowship is designed for faculty researchers, inventors and creators in the arts, humanities and social sciences. This fellowship offers grants of $5,000-$25,000, along with support and community, to transform new ideas, creative works and social innovations into positive impact beyond CU Boulder. Eligible projects must be faculty-led and focused on delivering tangible outcomes that strengthen communities, advance positive social change or create economic opportunity.
Upcoming Opportunities and Events at the University of Colorado
Techstars Boulder Accelerator
Application DeadlineWednesday, June 10 Explore Eligibility Apply Now
Techstars is all about the founders. As the original Techstars program that helped spark a global network nearly 20 years ago, Techstars Boulder rallies the community to help exceptional founders build impactful companies. Techstars is not focused on any single industry or vertical, and backs ambitious founders building companies with the potential to scale in a big way. Each company receives funding, access to the worldwide network of investors, hands-on mentorship and over $4 million of perks.
Offered by Techstars Boulder in Partnership with CU Boulder
Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase
Wednesday, June 24, 2026, 4:30-7:30 p.m. Byron R. White Stadium Club at Folsom Field, Boulder All Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required Register Now
The Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase brings together researchers, investors and community supporters to highlight innovative deep tech startups spinning out of the University of Colorado. Attendees will have a chance to see pitches from each of the Ascent 2026 cohort startups, followed by a networking happy hour to learn more.
Offered by Venture Partners
Lab Venture Challenge
Disclosure Deadline Friday, July 17; Application Deadline Friday, Aug. 21 For Those Commercializing Technologies From CU Boulder, CU Denver and UCCS Apply Now
Through the Lab Venture Challenge (LVC), top innovations from the University of Colorado Boulder, 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. Past awardees include Manifest Technologies, Arkana Therapeutics and Forge Nano. These grants are funded by Venture Partners at CU Boulder and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program.
Offered by Venture Partners
Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop
Application Deadline Friday, July 24 July 31-Aug. 14 In Person, Boulder All Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required Apply Now
Do you have an innovation that could make a difference? Whether a researcher, entrepreneur, inventor or problem solver, this workshop can help you transform your concept into a successful venture. Over three weeks, gain a deeper understanding of the commercialization process, test your ideas with real potential customers and accelerate your journey toward bringing your idea to market. This workshop is for anyone from a research or community institution—not just CU—motivated to bring their ideas to life, secure funding and create lasting impact.
Offered by Venture Partners and NSF I-CorpsTM Hub West
Research-to-Market (R2M) Customer Discovery Program
Application Deadline Tuesday, Aug. 25 Sept. 12-Oct. 13 Virtual Opportunity All Are Welcome—CU Affiliation is Not Required Apply Now
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.
Offered by Venture Partners and NSF I-CorpsTM Hub West
Funding and Investment Opportunities
*Wednesday, June 10 (deadline) | U.S. Small Business Administration’s Freedom 250—A nationwide pitch competition for entrepreneurs building and scaling businesses within their communities. The quarter-final round will select one entrepreneur per state, and the final pitch competition in Washington, D.C. will culminate in a $1 million prize pool.
*Wednesday, June 24 (deadline) | U.S. Department of War (fmr. Defense) Solicitations—43 new topics in this 2026 Broad Agency Announcement (BAA). Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) | Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) | Commercial Solutions Opening (CSOs)
*Monday, June 29 (deadline) | U.S. Department of Education/Institute of Education Science's Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Solicitations—Three solicitations are open for submission, offering up to $250,000 for 9-month Phase IA and IB projects to develop or enhance education technology prototypes, and up to $1,000,000 over two years for Direct to Phase II projects to scale evidence-based innovations and prepare for commercialization.
*July 27, Nov. 4, March 4 (deadlines) | U.S. National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs—Deep Technologies that Advance U.S. Competitiveness and Security: Supports startups and small businesses in transforming high-risk technologies into products and services that drive innovation, economic growth and jobs.Pilot Emphasis on Scientific Instrumentation: Supports startups and small businesses developing scientific tools and technologies that advance discovery and strengthen the U.S. research enterprise.
*July 27, Nov. 4, March 4 (deadlines) | U.S. National Science Foundation’s Pilot Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Phase I, Phase II, Fast-Track Programs—Supports startups and small businesses developing scientific tools and technologies that advance discovery and strengthen the U.S. research enterprise.
*Sept. 5, Jan. 5, April 5 (deadlines) | U.S. National Institutes of Health‘s Small Business Innovation Research/Small Business Technology Transfer Programs—NIH, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Parent SBIR | NIH Parent STTR | SBIR Phase IIB Strategic Breakthrough Award | SBIR/STTR Commercialization Readiness Pilot (CRP) Program
*Sept. 15, Jan. 19, May 18 (deadlines) | U.S. National Science Foundation Translation to Practice - Translate and Partner: Accelerating technology translation and development, fostering regional innovation and economic growth, and preparing the American workforce for future high-wage jobs in STEM fields.
Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Vail | Colorado Bioscience Association: Rocky Mountain Life Sciences Investor & Partnering Conference—Bringing the most promising life sciences companies from the Rocky Mountain West together with leading investors and strategic partners.
Rolling Deadlines
*U.S. National Science Foundation Translation to Practice - Explore: A pilot translational funding track that is likely to be the first step for researchers seeking to translate their basic research to practice.
*Need support with your translational funding grant? Contact our Center for Translational Research.
Education and Development
Saturday, June 20 (deadline) | De Nora's Edge Innovation Hub—Bridging the gap between innovation and industry, enabling startups to validate, industrialize and scale their technologies within a real industrial environment.
June 22-July 2, Virtual and in Telluride, CO | Telluride Venture Network's Climate Solutions Investment Bootcamp—Connect with investors, learn from founders and refine the skills and tools needed to kick off fundraising or complete a round.
Networking and Showcases
Wednesday, June 10 (deadline) | National Safety Council's Safety Innovation Challenge: Energy Control—Highlighting innovative technologies that can identify, secure and communicate hazardous energy risks in the workplace, to drive down rates of injuries and fatalities.
Thursday, July 16 (deadline) | Colorado Cleantech's Mining Cleantech Challenge—A global product-innovation showcase that matches breakthrough solutions with the world’s leading miners, investors and suppliers.
July 20-22, Golden, CO | Colorado Cleantech's Colorado Fusion Week—From strengthening the industry’s foundation to tackling immediate workforce needs, this convening will focus on what it takes to move forward together.
Sept. 14–18, Denver | Colorado Startup Week—A community-driven weeklong celebration of entrepreneurship and innovation in Denver, bringing together founders, investors, creatives and changemakers for hundreds of sessions, panels, workshops and networking events designed to connect and inspire Colorado’s entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Sept. 30-Oct. 2, Vail | Colorado Bioscience Association: Rocky Mountain Life Sciences Investor & Partnering Conference—Bringing the most promising life sciences companies from the Rocky Mountain West together with leading investors and strategic partners.
Employment Opportunities
For more opportunities, please check back soon or subscribe for updates.
Are you a CU startup with an employment opportunity to share with the CU community? Send it to vpnews@colorado.edu for posting here. Also, you can post to CU Boulder's recruitment platform Handshake and/or join the Startups2Students career fair.