Events and Opportunities
Whether you're just curious to learn more about innovation and entrepreneurship or even ready to launch your next business, we have events and opportunities throughout the year to help you make the real-world impact that you envision. Keep up to date on upcoming events, opportunities and deadlines with our newsletters: Sign Up Now
Signature Programs of the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative
Connecting the CU Boulder campus with the Boulder community to develop innovative ideas and pitch for up to $50,000 in venture funding.
Student entrepreneurs with diverse perspectives who embrace the spirit of innovation and impact on campus and in the Boulder community.
A micro-funding opportunity for CU Boulder undergraduate and graduate students that provides up to $500 in funding for entrepreneurial ideas in the making.
A mini job fair that brings entrepreneurially-minded CU Boulder students and local Front Range startups together with a twist.
Join this collaborative event that's all about making positive changes in the world. Whether you have an idea or are someone eager to help those ideas become real, this is the event you don't want to miss.
CU Boulder's entrepreneurial mentor network supports innovative activity on campus led by students, faculty and staff.
Off-Campus Opportunities
Events
Wednesday, Jan. 14: Eliquent Life Sciences + Aon | Rocky Mountain Life Sciences Happy Hour—Bringing together leaders, innovators, and professional from life science organizations of all sizes for relaxed networking in a welcoming environment.
Thursday, Jan. 15: Belonging@Startup Colorado Info Session (virtual)—Learn about a community development and connection strategy capable of addressing socioeconomic challenges such as housing, workforce shortages, and economic mobility.
Thursday, Jan. 15: Tech Connect—Exponential Impact hosts Tech Connect: Coffee & Community—a weekly gathering for entrepreneurs, founders and tech enthusiasts shaping the future through emerging technologies.
Friday, Jan. 16: Colorado Startup Ski Day—Join the Colorado startup community on the mountain! Open to founders, operators, investors and the startup-curious. Upcoming Ski Days: Feb. 6, Feb. 20, March 27 and April 17.
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Spring XI Accelerator Virtual Q&A Session—Learn how Exponential Impact (XI) helps founders build companies that scale with purpose.
Jan. 22-Feb. 5: Venture Partners CU Boulder Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop—Over three weeks (virtual), 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.
Thursday, Jan. 22: Innovation After Hours—Focusing on strategic priorities for 2026 and beyond and featuring perspectives on Life Sciences and Elevate Quantum.
Wednesday, Feb. 11: Pitch Readiness Workshop—Colorado Startups hosts a session to help you learn how to refine your message and deliver it with clarity and impact.
Thursday, Feb. 12: Women in Tech—Exponential Impact brings together founders, technologists and emerging tech leaders for a powerful night of connection, conversation, and community.
Monday, Feb. 23: 2026 BizWomen Mentoring Monday & Cocktail Reception—An afternoon of speed mentoring designed to connect women across all stages of their professional journeys.
March 30-April 3: Colorado Climate Week—A statewide series of panels, forums, and community events convening leaders from across the state to explore climate innovation, strengthen energy resilience, advance technology adoption and protect landscapes and communities.
Applications
Friday, Jan. 23 (deadline): Telluride Venture Network 2026 Strategy & Growth Bootcamp—A two-week hybrid program designed to help Colorado company leaders acquire tools for evaluating business strategy and focus on actionable steps.
Sunday, Jan. 25 (deadline): PharmStars Digital Innovations in Operations and Outcomes Accelerator—Applications are welcome from startups with innovative digital health solutions that can help drive pharma operational efficiencies or better scientific or clinical outcomes.
Friday, Jan. 30 (deadline): Spring 2026 XI Accelerator—Exponential Impact’s low-fee, no-equity program for Colorado-based emerging technology founders ready to scale with purpose.
Saturday, Jan. 31 (deadline): Belonging @ Startup Colorado, a 12-month accelerator for entrepreneurs who see business as a bridge that connects people, strengthens communities and drives meaningful impact. Each founder receives the equivalent of up to $52,000 in direct support.
Sunday, Feb. 1 (deadline): Runway Startup Postdocs—Based at the Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, Runway ushers recent PhDs in digital technology fields from an academic mindset to an entrepreneurial outlook.
Thursday, Feb., 26 (deadline): OEDIT Advanced Industries Accelerator Program Proof of Concept grants—Open to approved Colorado research universities and federal labs located in Colorado. These grants are for pre-commercialization research and commercialization preparation of innovative technologies. Grants up to $150,000 will be awarded.
Thursday, Feb., 26 (deadline): OEDIT Advanced Industries Accelerator Program Early-Stage Capital and Retention grants—Funding for companies commercializing innovative technologies to create viable products that meet a market need and can be created or manufactured in Colorado and exported globally. Grants up to $250,000 will be awarded.
Applications open: EnergyTech University Prize–Student teams compete for more than $540,000 for successfully identifying a promising energy technology, assessing its market potential, and creating a business plan for commercialization.
Applications open: The Environmental Sustainability Entrepreneurship Program—A free expert-led cohort to help sustainability ventures. Participants will receive expert-led training, committed mentorship and pitch coaching.
Rolling Application: Activator: 25-26 Cohort—An open-access, equity-free biotech accelerator for early-stage founders.
Rolling Application: Startup Colorado Community and Entrepreneurship Grants–Grants that support rural entrepreneurs who are eager to level up their businesses but need a financial boost to get there.and delivering results.
Rolling Application: OEDIT Advanced Industry Investment Tax Credit—For investors and advanced industries businesses in the amount of 25% to 35% per investment up to $100,000.
Rolling Application: Global Business Development's 2025 Trade Shows–Apply for the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade's funding and trade show participation program.