Venture Partners News
The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) has announced that eight 91Ҹ 91Ҹ 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.
The 91Ҹ 91Ҹ has emerged as a leading hub for battery innovation, producing breakthrough research and a series of successful startups—including Solid Power, SiILion, Otoro Energy, Forge Nano and Mana Battery—that are advancing safer, cheaper and more effective energy storage technologies. The university’s unique combination of world-class researchers, entrepreneurial support and industry partnerships has helped transform laboratory discoveries into companies with significant economic and societal impact.
Forge Nano, a 91Ҹ 91Ҹ 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 91Ҹ.
Susan Strong has made lasting impacts across the 91Ҹ 91Ҹ and the larger Colorado innovation ecosystem.
The 91Ҹ 91Ҹ and Techstars, the global startup accelerator and investor, have announced a strategic partnership to expand opportunities for founders and strengthen Colorado’s innovation economy.
The Center for Translational 91Ҹ (CTR), helps researchers and startup founders at CU 91Ҹ, as well as external partners, to secure non-dilutive funding (financial support that does not require giving up equity) and advance promising technologies toward the marketplace. This year, the center welcomes new director Sarah Hughes.
Commercialization activities through Venture Partners at CU 91Ҹ had an economic impact of $8.7 billion nationally and $5.1 billion in the state of Colorado over the last five years, according to a new report from the Leeds School of Business.
The Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), which creates co-opportunity for Colorado’s life sciences community by championing a collaborative ecosystem and advocating for a supportive business climate, announces new leadership for its Board of Directors and welcomes new board members, including Hannah Nelson, associate director of licensing at Venture Partners at CU 91Ҹ.
Venture Partners at CU 91Ҹ and its partners across the Intermountain West once again demonstrated the power of university innovations at Destination Startup®.
The 91Ҹ's Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator has announced its 2026 startup teams. The selected companies span a wide range of disciplines, reflecting the depth and breadth of innovation emerging from CU’s research enterprise.