Empowering Innovators: The Path to Entrepreneurial Success at CU Boulder through the NVL Program

Embarking on an entrepreneurial journey is a thrilling experience that goes beyond merely establishing a business. The entrepreneurial journey involves a blend of creativity, problem-solving and strategic thinking. At the heart of this entrepreneurial pursuit are several key elements that aspiring entrepreneurs at the University of Colorado (CU) Boulder are encouraged to embrace. The Deming Center for Entrepreneurship’s New Venture Leadership (NVL) program is specifically designed for entrepreneurially-focused students who are driven to succeed in a startup ecosystem!

Led by Brad Werner, the Faculty Director at the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship, the NVL program is designed to equip participants with the essential skills to transform existing products, services and opportunities into tangible and operational ventures. Drawing from the knowledge of external experts and speakers immersed in the world of entrepreneurship, many of whom have firsthand experience as founders or direct involvement with entrepreneurs and investors, NVL provides a comprehensive learning experience.

Meet the Teams 

Cnidarion 

Cnidarion, founded by Bhargav Shadilya along with his team members Tyler Hollenbach, and Henry Coote, is an innovative startup focused on developing advanced artificial intelligence agents designed to optimize and automate software development processes for companies across industries. This model not only ensures easy access to their Al solutions but also allows for scalability as client requirements grow.

NoteWriter 

NoteWriter uses Artificial Intelligence to write clinical notes for healthcare providers automatically. Boston Gubler, along with Ryan Brodsky, stresses the importance of saving time and money, preventing burnout and allowing them to focus on what should matter most to their patients.

Mindsurf 

Mindsurf is an app that has been built by Lissette Reynoso, along with team members Marisha Parikh and Valentin Gutierrez to bring mental health aid instantly to the palm of your hand. With accessible pricing and a friendly and respectful approach.

Affix 

Affix is an affordable housing solutions company. Jamie Saunders, Dan Collins, and Benjamin Asser’s first product is a proprietary trailer & foundation design that allows tiny homes to become legal year-round residences in most jurisdictions. Without their product, the only places where tiny homes are legal for year-round residence are within recreational vehicle parks or mobile home parks.

Icarus Quantum 

Icarus Quantum, started by Poolad Imany, Kaden Sisk, and Christian Wagner, is developing quantum dot technology to expand the range of secure quantum communications.

Inertial

Inertial solves the problem of adventure sports recording inadequacies by utilizing inertial sensor fusion techniques. Issac Wilcove uses his unique experience and skill sets to develop a hardware product that uses heavy software data processing, along with Kyle Paris and Tim Okita. Their initial target market is adventure sports super-enthusiasts in the Colorado Eldora, Golden and Boulder areas.

OsmoPure 

OsmoPure, started by Kian Lopez and Tony Straub, is a membrane technology company that utilizes a novel method for membrane separation that involves pressure-driven distillation. This method of distillation offers a factor of ten improvement in inefficiency compared to standard thermally driven distillation processes. This process is more chemically robust and more selective than standard pressure-driven membrane separations such as reverse osmosis.

By tapping into the insights and expertise of seasoned professionals, these participants gain the proficiency needed to navigate various business functions with limited resources. The curriculum covers crucial aspects of entrepreneurship, including comprehension of business legalities, fundraising strategies, establishing an online presence, effective selling techniques, fostering innovation, crafting impactful marketing strategies and proficiently managing both cash flow and operations. Students also receive the chance to compete in the University of Colorado Boulder’s New Venture Challenge (NVC), where student businesses pitch for $50,000 in funding.

Empowering Future Entrepreneurs: Insights from Gabe Fenton, President of the Intuitive Foundation

NVL class is made possible thanks to the generous support from the Intuitive Foundation. President of Intuitive Foundation, Gabe Fenton, shares his insight on what he hopes students will accomplish through this class. Engaging in the process of learning what it takes to initiate a business and cultivating an idea that is adaptable to criticism and setbacks is crucial for being an entrepreneur. The ability to stand before an audience and present your pitch is vital to this journey. Additionally, the recognition that building a company is a collaborative effort involving a team underscores the reality that business success is not a solo endeavor.

“I think the learning process of what it takes to start a business includes having an idea that must adapt and move and get criticized and be shot down. It is really important. To stand up in front of people to do your pitch is very important. And it takes a team to build a company. It's not something that you do on your own.”