Advanced Materials
The Lab Venture Challenge at CU Boulder has announced the 2026 finalists of bio- and physical sciences innovators to pitch their ideas to a live audience at the Dairy Arts Center for more than $1 million in awards.
R&D World—The CU Boulder-developed technology, Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulators (MOCHIs), has received a 2026 R&D 100 Special Recognition Award in Green Tech. Described as "frozen air," MOCHIs combine exceptional transparency with record-setting thermal insulation, transmitting more than 99.5% of visible light
Venture Partners capped off its fifth Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator with the 2026 Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase, where research-based startup teams pitched innovations originating from CU to an audience of investors, entrepreneurs and fellow researchers. The showcase featured ventures developing breakthrough solutions in health, robotics, advanced materials and more.
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) has announced that eight CU Boulder researchers and four startups received funding through the latest round of the Advanced Industries Accelerator Program. The awards, granted through the Proof of Concept and Early-Stage Capital and Retention programs, represent one of the university's strongest performances to date.
Forge Nano, a University of Colorado Boulder spinout, has announced it will go public through a $1.6 billion blank-check deal, making it the 11th unicorn to spin out of CU Boulder.
CU Boulder Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI)—Imagine a display that harvests ambient light when it is not actively in use, offsetting some of its own energy consumption. The materials physics shows that this is possible.
CU Boulder College of Engineering and Applied Science—Researchers at the University of Colorado Boulder are developing a new class of “entangled materials” inspired by the surprising strength of a tangled ball of office staples.
CU Boulder and Techstars, the global startup accelerator and investor, have announced a strategic partnership to expand opportunities for founders and strengthen Colorado’s innovation economy.
Distinguished Professor Kristi Anseth has received the Biomaterials Global Impact Award, which recognizes distinguished research and development accomplishments in the field of biomaterials.
CU Boulder Today—Supported by a new five-year, up to $25 million award from the Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H) Personalized Regenerative Immunocompetent Nanotechnology Tissue (PRINT) program, a team of CU Boulder, MIT, Harvard and Columbia researchers is working to develop 3D-printed liver tissue made of human cells and able to be transplanted into anyone without their body rejecting it.