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 campus-wide 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, July 9: Golden Startup Coffee—A morning meetup for entrepreneurs, innovators, creatives, professionals, investors, and everyone to elevate the entrepreneurial community in Golden, Colorado.
Thursday, July 10: Colorado Startups Happy Hour—Join other ambitious entrepreneurs, investors, and community members in our state's thriving startup ecosystem for a lively and fun event.
Thursday, July 10: Boulder New Tech Meetup—For anyone interested in technologies.
Tuesday, July 15: Boulder Open Coffee Club (BOCC)—This is an informal group for anyone interested in the startup community, particularly those with an interest in technology.
Thursday, July 17: New Tech Denver Meetup—For anyone interested in technologies.
Friday, July 18: Startup Hikes—Do you like being outside? How about on a Friday morning when the trails aren’t packed? Startup Hikes is a series designed to help you meet and get to know other local startup founders, operators, investors, and community members. Whether you’ve been in Colorado forever or just moved here, see some familiar faces and meet new ones.
Wednesday, July 23: Longmont Open Coffee Club Happy Hour—A meetup for entrepreneurs, developers and investors with a focus on discussing startups, staffing, marketing and debating the hot topics of the day.
Wednesday, July 23-Thursday, July 24: Colorado Drive to Five: Life Sciences Innovation Tour—A two-day, multi-city experience providing a comprehensive view of Colorado’s thriving life sciences ecosystem.
Thursday, July 24-Friday, July 25: Microsystems Technology Office (MTO) Spark Tank—For academic researchers, small businesses, startups and others who haven’t worked with DARPA before. Open only to prospective MTO proposers; closed to the general public and members of the media. Advance registration required.
Thursday, July 24: Breakfast & Networking | BioMed Realty—Gain insight into the companies shaping the future of health innovation, alongside leaders from Colorado’s other advanced industries, including quantum.
Tuesday, July 29: Boulder Open Coffee Club (BOCC)—This is an informal group for anyone interested in the startup community, particularly those with an interest in technology.
Friday, Aug. 1: Venture Partners at CU Boulder | Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop—Whether a researcher, entrepreneur, inventor or problem solver, the Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop at Venture Partners at CU Boulder can help you transform your concept into a successful venture.
Thursday, Aug. 7: Thunderview CEO Dinner—A monthly dinner founded to introduce a diverse set of CEOs (across backgrounds, stages and markets) to one another to share their experiences and receive outside perspectives.
Sept 3-Oct. 10: Research-to-Market (R2M) Customer Discovery Program—This virtual, four-week program is designed for researchers, entrepreneurs, inventors and problem solvers to commercialize their innovations, helping teams through customer discovery and finding a market for their innovation.
Sept. 16-18: Colorado Startup Week—Formerly Denver Startup Week, this event brings together entrepreneurs, investors and innovators from across Colorado for three days of inspiration, learning and networking.
Applications
Friday, July 11 (deadline): J&J Pitching Respiratory Innovation QuickFire Challenge—Chosen applicants with innovations in non-T2 pathways with the potential to deliver treatments for patients living with Asthma and COPD will showcase science to a panel of Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine Immunology leaders in a closed-door virtual pitch in late August.
Friday, July 11 (extended deadline): 2025 Eli Lilly and Company Grand Challenge Grant Application—Selected participants will be invited to network with Lilly executives and scientists and compete for $100,000 USD in non-dilutive grant funding, as well as gain access to Lilly’s extensive scientific and business network to help advance their technologies.
Sunday, July 13 (deadline): PharmStars Fall Accelerator “Innovations in Data Management and Insights”—Applications are welcome from startups with innovations in areas such as enterprise data management (including data collection, storage, or governance) or insight generation (including AI tools). Startups with a product or prototype related to the theme are encouraged to apply.
Friday, July 25 (deadline): Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop—Offered as part of the National Science Foundation (NSF) I-Corps™ Hub: West Region, this workshop is for anyone from a research or community institution motivated to bring their ideas to life, secure funding and create lasting impact.
Friday, August 1 (deadline): XI Fall Accelerator—Exclusively for technology-driven startups—designed to help you learn, grow and thrive in a collaborative, supportive community.
Wednesday, August 13 (deadline): 2025 Oil & Gas Cleantech Challenge—A technology-scouting competition that fast-tracks clean-tech solutions into the oil and natural-gas value chain. Finalists will pitch live to leading operators, service companies, and investors—gaining exposure, feedback and potential partnership opportunities.
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.
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: 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.