Venture Partners News

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with CU researchers

Full Story From CU �ֲ��ý Today

Venture Partners has announced the inaugural cohort of Creative Futures Fellows, supporting arts, humanities and social science projects that address challenges facing communities in Colorado and beyond.

Off

Traditional

White

CU �ֲ��ý ranks among world's top institutions for climate science research

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 20:41:30 +0000

CU �ֲ��ý ranks among world's top institutions for climate science research Daniel Corbin … Tue, 06/30/2026 - 14:41

CU �ֲ��ý Today—CU �ֲ��ý has been named one of the world's leading institutions for climate science, ranking eighth globally in the latest analysis of the most highly cited climate research institutions by Carbon Brief.

The ranking places CU �ֲ��ý among the world's most influential organizations advancing climate science and highlights the university's decades-long leadership in environmental research. It also makes CU �ֲ��ý the highest-ranked university in Colorado and one of just 13 U.S. institutions to place in the global top 20.

What could you do with a CU technology?

Explore Partnership Opportunities

Turn your discovery into real-world impact

Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.

More for University Innovators

Off

Traditional

White

2026 Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase highlights CU’s next breakthrough startups

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 00:32:08 +0000

2026 Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase highlights CU’s next breakthrough startups Daniel Corbin … Mon, 06/29/2026 - 18:32

Interested in the Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator?

Deep tech startups, or new companies based on technological innovation in science or engineering, face unique challenges because of their disruptive nature, intensive research and development, and significant capital requirements. Ascent understands the needs and pathways for deep tech startups to find early success.

Visit the Ascent Website

Venture Partners at CU �ֲ��ý 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 the University of Colorado to an audience of investors, entrepreneurs and fellow researchers. The showcase featured ventures developing breakthrough solutions in health, robotics, advanced materials and more.

Over five months, Ascent teams received mentorship from deep tech experts and Venture Partners staff as they worked toward company formation, refined their paths to market and built compelling fundraising strategies. The showcase marked a milestone for the teams as they emerged ready to engage with early investors, partners and national accelerators.

A Track Record of Impact

Since its launch in 2021, Ascent has supported 67 teams across CU’s �ֲ��ý, Denver and Colorado Springs campuses. Program alumni have raised over $20 million in non-dilutive funding and $47 million in venture capital investment, with many advancing to top-tier programs such as NREL West Gate, Creative Destruction Lab, Techstars and Activate. Ascent is now a cornerstone of CU �ֲ��ý’s deep tech pipeline, helping to turn university inventions and research into impactful startups that solve global challenges.

But what is "commercialization?"

The path to commercialization—also known as "research translation" or "tech transfer"—can be challenging, so Venture Partners unites industry partners, entrepreneurs and investors to help researchers, inventors and creators at the University of Colorado bring their groundbreaking discoveries into the marketplace.

Explore the Path to Commercialization

With 22 teams, 2026 was Ascent's largest cohort to date, including several teams from the Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator, which matches motivated entrepreneurs with breakthrough innovations developed at CU �ֲ��ý.

Ascent addresses the unique challenges faced by deep tech startups (companies based on groundbreaking science or engineering) that often require substantial time, research and capital to reach the market. The five-month program builds upon prerequisite customer-discovery training through the NSF I-Corps^TM Hub West—also offered through Venture Partners—and provides tailored support in business formation, market strategy and fundraising.

“This showcase was such an exciting opportunity for us and for everyone to see what the next phase of impactful companies are doing,” said Emily Vogt, director of venture development at Venture Partners. “I truly believe these companies are going to be big names in Colorado and for investors everywhere.”

"Every company on the stage represents years of research, countless conversations with customers, and the courage to turn a scientific breakthrough into a startup," said Emily Vogt, director of venture development and Ascent at Venture Partners. "The showcase is our opportunity to celebrate those founders and the community that's committed to helping them build what's next."

Recordings of the showcase pitches will be available for viewing through the Venture Partners website in the coming weeks. Subscribe for Updates

The Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase was presented with financial support from Holland & Hart and Richtr Financial Studio.

Presenters: 2025 Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase

Agami Zero

Agami Zero Inc. develops hydrogen-powered, off-grid EV fast charging and clean power systems for grid-constrained and remote locations. Leveraging CU-licensed electrolysis technology, Agami Zero enables reliable EV charging and energy access without requiring utility upgrades, using cost-effective green hydrogen. Visit the Agami Zero Website

Team Members: Jafar Makrani, Co-Founder, CEO, jafar.makrani@agamizero.com*; Lyle Antieau, Co-Founder, CTO

Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech, Hardware and Instrumentation

Arkana Therapeutics

Arkana Therapeutics leverages animals with extreme physiology to discover novel therapeutic molecules and drug targets.

Team Members: Jack Gugel (Alum: CU �ֲ��ý Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology), Co-Founder, CEO, jack@arkanatx.com*; Thomas Martin, Co-Founder, CSO; Jonathan Long (Stanford Medicine), Co-Founder, Scientific Advisor; Leslie Leinwand (CU �ֲ��ý Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology, BioFrontiers Institute), Scientific Advisor

Industry Applications: Biotech

BioStamp

BioStamp synthesizes DNA barcodes for engineered microorganisms, enabling biological intellectual property protection, compliance and high-fidelity identification. BioStamp's technology reduces detection false positives and collision probability through deterministic sequences, improving upon core limitations of random barcoding.

Team Members: John Docter (CU �ֲ��ý Environmental Engineering Program), Co-Founder, CEO, john.docter@colorado.edu*; Cresten Mansfeldt (CU �ֲ��ý Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), Co-Founder, CSO

Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Biotech, Genomics, Research and Exploration

BoBoRobo

BoBoRobo (�ֲ��ý-Born Robotics) automates the design, validation and deployment of industrial robotic workcells from a simple English prompt, cutting integration costs by 50% and time-to-live from six months to 10 days. Visit the BoBoRobo Website

Team Members: Alessandro Roncone (CU �ֲ��ý Computer Science), Co-Founder, CEO; Anuj Pasricha (Alum: CU �ֲ��ý Computer Science), Co-Founder, CTO, anuj.pasricha@colorado.edu*

Industry Applications: Robotics

Dualys Bio

Dualys Bio is developing a programmable bacterial enzymes platform—a CRISPR for proteins—to destroy undruggable fusion oncoproteins in childhood cancers. The mRNA-LNP platform delivers precision protein cleavage where no drug has gone before.

Team Members: Andrew Zorn, andrew@dualys.bio*, CEO; Scott McMenemy, CSO;

Industry Applications: Biotech, Therapeutics

Enlixa Bio

Enlixa Bio is building an in vitro platform that quantifies transcription kinetics to help biopharma identify and validate drug candidates against transcriptional targets.

Team Members: Nik Chopra (CU �ֲ��ý Embark Startup Founder), Founder, CEO, nik@enlixabio.com*; Dylan Taatje (CU �ֲ��ý Biochemistry), Scientific Advisor, dylan.taatjes@colorado.edu

Industry Applications: Biotech, Genomics, Diagnostics

Flari Tech

Flari Tech Inc. is building a breath analysis platform powered by the 2005 Nobel Prize-winning optical frequency comb technology, based on cutting-edge innovations from Jun Ye's lab at JILA. Flari Tech aims to provide affordable, accessible disease detection solutions by revolutionizing breath diagnostics with quantum sensing. Visit the Flari Tech Website

Team Member: Eva Yao, Founder, CEO, info@flaritech.com*

Industry Applications: Medical Devices, Diagnostics

FlowPoint Bio

FlowPoint Bio is redefining cell engineering with its high-viability, continuous-flow microfluidic platform that enables delivery of gene-editing payloads directly into the nucleus, regardless of cell type or payload size. Visit the FlowPoint Bio Website

Team Members: Vineet Erasala, Co-Founder, CEO, vineet@flowpoint.bio*; Xiaoyun Ding (CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Co-Founder, Scientific Advisor

Industry Applications: Biotech, Manufacturing

Games and Theory

Games and Theory LLC applies game theory and AI to model adversaries' thinking, competition and adaptation. Our simulation platform serves defense wargaming and commercial strategic foresight, exploring hundreds of scenarios with statistical analysis to inform high-stakes decisions. Visit the Games and Theory Website

Team Members: Marcus Holzinger (CU �ֲ��ý Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences), marcus@gamesandtheory.space*, Co-Founder, Principal Investigator (PI); Jay McMahon (CU �ֲ��ý Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences), Co-Founder, Principal (PI)

Industry Applications: Aerospace, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Civic Engagement and Government, Software

iMembrane Therapeutics

iMembrane Therapeutics develops AI-designed miniproteins that overcome limitations of conventional biologics. The iMembrane Therapeutics platform enables stable, tunable and precisely dosed cytokine modulators for treating severe inflammatory diseases such as sepsis.

Team Members: Jingshi Shen, Co-Founder, CSO; Suzhao Li, sli@imembranetherapeutics.com*, Co-Founder, CEO; Charles Dinarello, Advisor

Industry Applications: Therapeutics

LeTau Robotics

LeTau Robotics develops AI foundation models to teach robots human-like dexterity with 100x less training data. LeTau Robotics enables rapid deployment (hours vs. months) for complex manipulation across manufacturing, logistics and labs—at a fraction of traditional costs.

Team Members: Zhengxiong Li (CU Denver Computer Science and Engineering), CEO, Co-Founder, zhengxiong.li@ucdenver.edu*; Lingfeng Tao, Co-Founder, Advisor; Xinmin Fang (Student: CU Denver Engineering, Design and Computing), Co-Founder, Advisor; Fenglong Ma, Co-Founder, CTO

Industry Applications: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Robotics

Nanosynth

Nanorobotic DNA synthesis using error detection and real-time correction to overcome fundamental limits of traditional DNA manufacturers. Visit the Nanosynth Website

Team Members: Joshua Johnson (The ATLAS Institute), joshua@nanosynthbio.com*, Co-Founder, CEO; Mirela Alistar, Co-Founder, CTO (The ATLAS Institute)

Industry Applications: Biotech

PEGI LLC

Peroxide Enhanced Germicidal Irradiation (PEGI) rapidly inactivates microbes, allergens and volatile organic compounds in HVAC systems, keeping coils clean between seasonal maintenance. PEGI boosts energy efficiency, extends system life, improves indoor air quality, and is easily retrofitted into existing commercial and residential systems.

Team Members: Emma Biesiada (CU �ֲ��ý Aerobiology and Disinfection Lab), Founder, CTO, emmalee.biesiada@gmail.com*; Mark Hernandez (CU �ֲ��ý Environmental Engineering Program), Advisor

Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech, Medical Devices

Renovare Therapeutics Inc.

Renovare Therapeutics is developing regenerative therapeutics for osteoarthritis. Our portfolio of products can be customized to meet patients where they are, enabled through technologies including innovative biomaterials, gene therapies and controlled delivery of drugs and biologics that regenerate joint tissues.

Team Members: Stephanie Bryant (CU �ֲ��ý Chemical and Biological Engineering), Founder, CSO; Liz Scott, CEO, elizabeth.scott-2@colorado.edu*; Karin Payne, Co-Principal Investigator (PI); Laurie Goodrich, Co-PI; Kelly Santagelo, Senior Investigator; Mike Zuscik, Co-PI

Industry Applications: Advanced Materials, Biotech, Therapeutics

RipaLith

RipaLith is based on the research by Mija Hubler (CU �ֲ��ý Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), an expert in concrete degradation and structural performance. RipaLith is developing a concrete preservation solution that can be applied to existing concrete infrastructure to repair cracks—extending lifespan without costly replacement.

Team Members: Mija Hubler (CU �ֲ��ý Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), Co-Founder, Engineering Advisor; Elena Forchielli (Embark Startup Founder), Co-Founder, CEO, elena.forchielli@colorado.edu*; Paolo Forchielli, Co-Founder, COO;

Industry Applications: Advanced Materials, Construction, Biotech

SureFire

SureFire employs breakthrough LLM and quantum information techniques to more quickly and accurately detect wildfire ignitions from existing thermal camera images. SureFire is launching solutions for fire detection and risk management for customers such as fire agencies, power utilities, insurance companies, and sensor vendors.

Team Members: Gary Robert Dolsen (CU �ֲ��ý Embark Startup Founder), Co-Founder, CEO, garydolsen@gmail.com*; Longji Cui (CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Co-Founder, CSO, Principal Investigator (PI); Kyle Kuczun, Co-Founder, CTO, CPO;

Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Sensors, Software

Synforce

Synforce develops a synergistic catalytic technology to enable efficient clean-fuel generation and water treatment.

Team Members: Sarang Gosavi, Co-Entrepreneurial Lead; Dishan Chooi, Co-Entrepreneurial Lead; Yunxuan Zhu, Co-Technical Lead; Longji Cui (CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), longji.cui@colorado.edu*, Advisor, Principal Investigator (PI); Anurag Chauhan, Co-Technical Lead

Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech

Synteric Robotics

Synteric Robotics builds small, autonomous insect-inspired inspection robots designed to navigate tight, hazardous environments. Our technology combines novel micromechanics, sensing and autonomy to inspect infrastructure humans can’t easily reach.

Team Members: Rob Carpenter (CU �ֲ��ý Embark Startup Founder), Founder, rob@frostrivercapital.com*

Industry Applications: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Robotics

VeriLocal

VeriLocal Inc. is an AI platform that filters out non-local social media noise during fast-moving events. Using machine learning to identify geographically authentic content, it delivers real-time, high-signal local insight for crisis response, utilities, insurance, media and other decision-makers. Visit the VeriLocal Website

Team Members: Todd McGuire (CU �ֲ��ý Embark Startup Founder), Co-Founder, CEO, todd@verilocal.ai*; Lise St. Denis (Earth Lab), Co-Founder, CSO

Industry Applications: Information Technology, Software, Smart Cities

Fortifyd

Fortifyd develops software-designed, 3D-printed impact-absorbing metamaterials that outperform traditional foams. Our precisely tuned materials protect against repetitive low-energy hits and high-impact forces, enabling safer, customizable protection for helmets and other impact-critical applications.

Team Members: Teri Ham (CU �ֲ��ý Embark Startup Founder), Co-Founder, CEO, hamteri@gmail.com*; Renee Sanchez (CU �ֲ��ý Embark Startup Founder), Co-Founder, COO; Sloan Le, CTO

Industry Applications: Advanced Materials, Software, Additive Manufacturing

YarraBio

Yarrabio develops technologies for cancer research, drug discovery and clinical oncology.

Team Members: Savanh Chantha-Phavong (CU �ֲ��ý Embark Startup Founder), Co-Founder, CEO, CSO, savanh.c@yarrabio.com*; Corey Neu, Co-Founder, Scientific Advisor, Principal Investigator (PI)

Industry Applications: Biotech

What can we do together?

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with CU researchers

More at CU �ֲ��ý Today More from Infleqtion

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.

Off

Traditional

White

CU �ֲ��ý joins CU spinout Infleqtion, other innovators in America's Quantum Space Initiative

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 19:55:59 +0000

CU �ֲ��ý joins CU spinout Infleqtion, other innovators in America's Quantum Space Initiative Daniel Corbin … Mon, 06/22/2026 - 13:55

The internal hardware of Infleqtion's neutral atom quantum computing platform. Photo: Infleqtion, 2025.

CU �ֲ��ý has joined Infleqtion’s newly launched America’s Quantum Space Initiative as a founding innovator, helping advance the development and deployment of quantum technologies for future space systems.

The initiative, led by CU �ֲ��ý spinout Infleqtion, brings together Voyager Technologies, Monarch Quantum, Armada and CU �ֲ��ý to foster collaboration across industry, academia and government, accelerate innovation, expand opportunities for quantum technologies in space and strengthen U.S. leadership in next-generation technologies.

The coolest technology in the universe and the origins of Infleqtion at CU �ֲ��ý

What could you do with a CU technology?

Explore Partnership Opportunities

Turn your discovery into real-world impact

Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.

More for University Innovators

CU �ֲ��ý Today—CU �ֲ��ý has joined Infleqtion’s newly launched America’s Quantum Space Initiative as a founding innovator, helping advance the development and deployment of quantum technologies for future space systems.

Off

Traditional

The internal hardware of Infleqtion's neutral atom quantum computing platform. Photo: Infleqtion, 2025.

White

Eight CU �ֲ��ý researchers and four startups receive funding through Colorado’s Advanced Industries Accelerator

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 23:21:52 +0000

Eight CU �ֲ��ý researchers and four startups receive funding through Colorado’s Advanced Industries Accelerator Daniel Corbin … Tue, 06/02/2026 - 17:21

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) has announced that eight �ֲ��ý researchers and four university-connected startup companies 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 grants support a range of CU �ֲ��ý innovations, including gene therapies, augmented reality, aerospace, advanced materials, robotics, AI and regenerative medicine. Statewide, OEDIT awarded nearly $7.5 million to Colorado researchers and companies developing technologies to accelerate and expand Colorado’s advanced-industries economy. CU �ֲ��ý startups and researchers will receive a total of $2.2 million.

"CU �ֲ��ý’s research enterprise continues to produce discoveries with the potential to address major global challenges, and these awards demonstrate the importance of strategic public investment in helping research breakthroughs achieve their full potential,” said Massimo Ruzzene, senior vice chancellor for research and innovation at CU �ֲ��ý. "Programs like the Advanced Industries Accelerator play a critical role in helping transformative technologies move from the laboratory into practical application, delivering tangible benefits to communities in Colorado and beyond."

The Proof of Concept Grant program helps Colorado research institutions accelerate applied research and commercialization activities, while the Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant supports Colorado companies commercializing innovative technologies that will be manufactured or scaled in Colorado.

Historically, these grants have provided powerful returns to the state, in terms of follow-on investment and company growth, according to Bryn Rees, senior associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships at CU �ֲ��ý. “Colorado has built one of the strongest environments in the country for translating research into new businesses. OEDIT has been an essential partner in that effort. CU �ֲ��ý spinout companies like Forge Nano and OnKure Therapeutics have grown to become publicly traded companies, and for them, early support from the Advanced Industries program was critical. This new round of awards is a great signal of what is to come,” said Rees.

But what is "commercialization?"

Explore the Path to Commercialization

Today, Venture Partners at CU �ֲ��ý and the campus’ Center for Translational Research support researchers and startup teams pursuing translational funding—financial support that helps move discoveries and innovations from the research laboratory toward real-world application and commercialization—opportunities, including OEDIT grants, U.S. Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards and other translational research programs.

“These funding programs are often catalytic moments for research teams and startup companies,” said Sarah Hughes, director of the Center for Translational Research at CU �ֲ��ý. “The Center for Translational Research helps innovators identify opportunities, strengthen commercialization strategies and compete for funding that can accelerate the path from discovery to impact.”

The latest Advanced Industries awards come as CU �ֲ��ý continues to demonstrate national leadership in research commercialization and startup formation.

Fourteen of the awardees—including teams from the Colorado School of Mines and CU Denver—participated in the National Science Foundation I-Corps™ customer discovery and commercialization programs offered through CU �ֲ��ý. The university is part of NSF I-Corps Hub West, a partnership of 11 research institutions that includes Colorado State University, Colorado School of Mines, University of Southern California and others.

Most recently, Forge Nano announced plans to go public through a $1.6B SPAC deal, making it CU �ֲ��ý’s 11th “unicorn” company—a startup valued at $1 billion or more while still privately held. Forge Nano traces part of its early support to funding from OEDIT through a partnership with the CU �ֲ��ý that would later become the Lab Venture Challenge. The company commercializes atomic layer deposition nanocoating technology developed at CU �ֲ��ý and now produces advanced battery materials and semiconductor manufacturing technologies.

In fiscal year 2024, CU �ֲ��ý launched 35 new companies based on university intellectual property, more than any other U.S. campus that year. Commercialization activities through Venture Partners generated an economic impact of $8.7 billion nationally and $5.1 billion in Colorado over the last five years, according to a report from the Leeds School of Business.

The university also recently announced a strategic partnership with Techstars, the global startup accelerator and investor network founded in �ֲ��ý, to expand opportunities for founders and further strengthen Colorado’s innovation economy.

The Advanced Industries Accelerator Program received 144 applications during the latest funding cycle, which were reviewed by panels of business, technical and financial experts across Colorado’s advanced industries sectors. Final recommendations were approved by the Economic Development Commission on May 21, 2026. The next application cycle will open July 1, 2026.

CU Proof-of-Concept Grants

�ֲ��ý, PI Mirela Alistar - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing a nanorobotic DNA synthesis platform that uses real-time error correction to produce the long genetic templates required for advanced gene therapies.

�ֲ��ý, PI Christopher Bowman - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing a photopolymer-based optical materials platform to improve the performance and manufacturing of holographic elements for augmented reality displays.

�ֲ��ý, PI Xiaoyun Ding - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing a microfluidic cell-modification platform to improve the manufacturing efficiency and payload capacity of cell and gene therapies.

�ֲ��ý, PI Timothy Hellickson - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing a satellite-mounted, space-debris detection system to identify and characterize orbital debris that is too small for conventional radar tracking.

�ֲ��ý, PI Mija Hubler - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing a regenerative, biobased tape for the durable repair of cracks in residential, commercial, and municipal concrete infrastructure.

�ֲ��ý, PI Laila Marzall - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing an innovative in-band full-duplex analog hardware architecture to enable spectrum-agile wireless communication systems.

�ֲ��ý, PI Jay McMahon - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing an artificial intelligence–powered strategic wargaming platform for evaluating complex conflict scenarios in the defense and aerospace sectors.

�ֲ��ý, PI Stephanie Bryant - �ֲ��ý, CO $150,000: Developing a customizable therapeutic platform to restore cartilage and bone in patients with osteoarthritis at any stage of disease progression.

University of Colorado Denver, PI Zhengxiong Li - Denver, CO $150,000: Developing a foundation model platform that enables robots equipped with high-degree-of-freedom anthropomorphic hands to master complex manufacturing and assembly tasks.

CU Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grants

Blue Cubed LLC - Lafayette, CO $250,000: Developing a laser communications terminal designed for seamless interoperability between satellite networks.

Codebreaker Tx Inc. - �ֲ��ý, CO $250,000: Developing a genomic data-as-a-service platform that generates high-resolution biological datasets for artificial intelligence-driven research and drug development.

Modendo Inc. - �ֲ��ý, CO $250,000: Developing an ultrathin, fiber-based optical probing platform designed for the failure analysis and security evaluation of advanced 3D semiconductor architectures.

Vesicle Therapeutics Inc. - �ֲ��ý, CO $250,000: Developing a targeted genetic therapy to treat head and neck cancer by distinguishing between different versions of the same protein.

What can we do together?

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with CU researchers

Explore the Path to Commercialization

The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) has announced that eight CU �ֲ��ý 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.

Off

Traditional

White

A powerhouse in battery breakthroughs

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 19:03:01 +0000

A powerhouse in battery breakthroughs Daniel Corbin … Tue, 06/02/2026 - 13:03

Heather Hansen

Listen to This Story:

Photo: Nick Singstock, CTO and co-founder of new CU �ֲ��ý startup Mana Battery holds up a prototype of their new sodium-based battery.

The �ֲ��ý is at the cutting edge of battery technology, from groundbreaking research to billion-dollar ventures.

When Tyler Evans (Alum: CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering and Material Science) was applying to PhD programs, he knew he wanted to focus on batteries. “I remember having this impression that batteries were literally a way to bottle up energy and put it in your pocket and use it to do what you wanted, anytime you wanted, and that feels a lot like a superpower,” he said.

That was the start of an exciting era in energy storage, and the race was on to build a better battery that lasted longer, was safer and less expensive. At the time, there were just a handful of universities, including CU �ֲ��ý, working on that kind of technology, and Evans was interested in working specifically with Se-Hee Lee (CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), a pioneer in solid state battery technology who had joined CU �ֲ��ý from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (now the National Laboratory of the Rockies) several years earlier.

Photo: Tyler Evans, CEO and co-founder of Mana Battery, alum of CU �ֲ��ý CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering and Material Science.

Evans felt an immediate affinity with Lee’s research objectives and lab culture and wanted to join his team. “Because I knew I wanted to study energy storage and new battery technologies, the support I found was instrumental in setting me up not just to be a good battery scientist and technologist but also to look at the world through the lens of application and understand what could be useful for the world.”

Photo: Tyler Evans, CEO and co-founder of Mana Battery, alum of CU �ֲ��ý CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering and Material Science.

Photo: Se-Hee Lee (left) and Conrad Stoldt (right) both faculty and researchers in CU �ֲ��ý's Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering, in their lab at CU �ֲ��ý, using a glovebox. The glovebox is used to handle battery materials in an oxygen- and moisture-free environment, preventing reactions with air and enabling the safe development of next-generation energy technologies.

Soon, Evans was part of the team generating test data that led to grant funding for Solid Power Inc., a company spun out of the university by Se-Hee Lee and Conrad Stoldt (CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering). At the same time, Evans was crossing paths with Doug Campbell—Solid Power’s co-founder and a deep tech startup veteran, then its CEO—and Josh Buettner Garrett, the company’s CTO. Through those interactions, Evans was learning about the commercialization path for university lab innovations. “It felt exciting to be a part of that, to see your work have a pretty immediate and direct impact on a company that was hopefully going to make a real impact in the world,” he said.

Photo: Se-Hee Lee (left) and Conrad Stoldt (right) both faculty and researchers in CU �ֲ��ý's Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering, in their lab at CU �ֲ��ý, using a glovebox. The glovebox is used to handle battery materials in an oxygen- and moisture-free environment, preventing reactions with air and enabling the safe development of next-generation energy technologies.

Since then, Solid Power has become an industry-leading developer of next-generation all-solid-state battery technology. The company went public in 2021 with major partnership deals with BMW, Ford and Samsung SDI and now has a 75,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Thornton. As a company co-founder, Lee is excited to see Solid Power at the forefront of this technology, and he’s equally gratified that the company has hired many past CU �ֲ��ý undergraduate, Master’s and PhD students. “Creating so much opportunity for the younger generation, that’s kind of the most exciting stuff,” said Lee.

“Incredible productivity in battery innovation”

Lee was also the principal investigator (PI) guiding the team that led to the spinout of another company, this one co-founded by Evans and fellow student Daniela Molina Piper (Alum: CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering). That venture was SiILion Inc., which focused on developing high-energy, non-flammable, Li-ion (lithium-ion) systems for solid state batteries. Evans saw a new Li-ion cell technology through prototype and early-pilot demonstrations until 2018, when the company was acquired by Tesla.

Photo: Early prototypes of the Solid Power solid state batteries.

Solid Power and SiILion put CU �ֲ��ý on the map for battery breakthroughs, giving the outside world a sense of the high caliber of research coming out of the university, according to Bryn Rees, senior associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships. Soon thereafter, in 2020, Michael Marshak (Fmr. CU �ֲ��ý Chemistry) founded Otoro Energy Inc. to commercialize a breakthrough flow battery—a rechargeable battery in which electrolyte flows through one or more electrochemical cells from one or more tanks—technology developed in his lab. The company’s patented low-cost electrolyte, licensed from CU �ֲ��ý, uses abundant and non-critical minerals, is water-based (pH-neutral), non-corrosive, non-flammable and non-toxic. “We’ve had this incredible productivity in battery innovation at CU. It’s a unique strength that we’ve got here,” said Rees.

Photo: Early prototypes of the Solid Power solid state batteries.

But what is "commercialization?"

Other prolific university labs have contributed to advancing battery technologies in unexpected and intriguing ways. Take Alan Weimer’s (CU �ֲ��ý Chemical and Biological Engineering) lab, where students work at the forefront of innovation in atomic layer deposition (ALD) nanocoating technology. That’s the process of putting down ultra-thin coatings on particles and plastics to improve the performance of new and existing products, including batteries. Researchers on Weimer’s team have shown that, with lithium-ion batteries, ALD can improve performance, extend life cycle and enhance safety in consumer electronics like laptops, cell phones and electric vehicles.

Photo: Factory floor of Forge Nano.

Weimer co-invented the core ALD tech that formed the foundation for an early spinout, ALD NanoSolutions Inc., which merged with Forge Nano Inc. in 2021. Forge Nano was co-founded by Paul Lichty (Alum: CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering and Chemical and Biological Engineering) and Dave King (postdoctoral research assistant) both formerly part of Weimer’s team. Lichty, now Forge Nano’s CEO, developed and patented an idea for scaling up the ALD process, and the company now uses the technology to make scalable nano-coatings for various applications, including batteries, semiconductors, and more. Forge Nano’s proprietary ALD formulation, called “Atomic Armor,” makes batteries’ electrodes better at storing energy. “It's difficult to think of anything else I could have done that would have as big an impact as this company,” Lichty has said.

Photo: Factory floor of Forge Nano.

A photo of the Ban Group, including Tyler Evans (left, furthest back), Chunmei Ban (center right), and Nick Singstock (far right)

Photo: Ban Group, including Tyler Evans (left, furthest back), Chunmei Ban (center right), and Nick Singstock (far right)

An ecosystem of great battery scientists

CU �ֲ��ý researchers like Lee, Lichty and Evans have distinguished themselves by taking on the tough challenges inherent in advancing batteries and storage tech, and successfully pushing those innovations out into the world in an unprecedented and meaningful way. “The notion in the field was that battery technology is too hard, and it’s too hard for these companies to successfully raise capital. It’s too hard for them to get partnerships and to commercialize. Yet what we’ve seen at CU �ֲ��ý has totally turned that thinking upside down,” said Rees. “These really great research capabilities have translated into super impactful ventures.”

Several factors make CU �ֲ��ý a powerhouse for battery innovation, according to Evans. “The Front Range and CU �ֲ��ý have a unique confluence of ingredients that have [contributed] to our strong track record of battery technology companies in the last decade or so,” he said. “First, the network of universities, national laboratories and entrepreneurial resources provides a pool of world-class people and creates fertile ground for breakthroughs. Second, the representation of major players in the energy industry and industries that use battery technology… creates pull for new technologies with a focus on building commercial value. And finally, situated at the foot of the Rocky Mountains, the people here have a very direct connection to the environment; we’re intimately linked to the impact of our work.”

Evans is now CEO and co-founder of Mana Battery Inc., a 2023 spinout of Chunmei Ban’s (CU �ֲ��ý Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering) lab. Ban, company co-founder and a leading researcher in batteries and battery materials, focuses on next-generation electrochemical materials, specifically sodium and magnesium, to meet the need to improve renewable energy storage systems. Mana Battery is advancing that groundbreaking work by developing sodium-ion batteries that are cheaper, safer and longer-lasting than standard lithium-ion ones.

At a CU �ֲ��ý-hosted conference on batteries and storage technology in 2024, Ban commented, “The U.S. has one of the largest sources of soda ash. The reserve is huge, so we have the resources to do something, and I feel it’s the right time,” she said. “We feel confident about our technology, a gigantic market for batteries is already here, and I have a great team.”

At that same meeting, Evans expressed gratitude at being part of the ecosystem of great battery scientists at the university. “CU �ֲ��ý has a really impressive track record in the battery space, and Mana is sitting in a place to enable a sodium-ion battery transition; they do everything lithium-ion can do at half the cost, which the grid needs. Batteries have the potential to change the world.”

What can we do together?

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with CU researchers

CU �ֲ��ý 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.

Off

Traditional

White

Forge Nano to go public via $1.6B SPAC, becoming CU �ֲ��ý’s 11th unicorn

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 18:40:04 +0000

Forge Nano to go public via $1.6B SPAC, becoming CU �ֲ��ý’s 11th unicorn Daniel Corbin … Tue, 04/28/2026 - 12:40

Photo: Factory floor of Forge Nano.

Daniel Leonard

Forge Nano, a U.S.-based semiconductor equipment and advanced materials company, plans to go public through a blank-check deal with Archimedes Tech SPAC Partners II. The deal reflects surging demand for AI chips, as companies accelerate investment in data centers and high-performance computing to support generative AI—driving growth across the semiconductor and equipment supply chain. At a $1.6 billion valuation, Forge Nano is the 11th "unicorn" company to spin out of the �ֲ��ý.

The CU �ֲ��ý Connection

Forge Nano is an advanced materials company based on Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) nanocoating technology. The company merged with ALD NanoSolutions in 2020, an earlier spinout founded in 2001 by CU �ֲ��ý faculty, including Alan W. Weimer (CU �ֲ��ý Chemical and Biological Engineering) and Steven M. George (CU �ֲ��ý Chemistry).

ALD NanoSolutions developed innovative Particle ALD technology for precision coating of powders at the atomic scale, with numerous applications in batteries and other materials. This technology received early-stage funding through a partnership between CU �ֲ��ý and the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), which later became CU's Lab Venture Challenge (LVC). Forge Nano, which also originated from CU �ֲ��ý-related research, combined forces with ALD NanoSolutions to consolidate expertise and rapidly scale the atomic-level manufacturing of materials. Forge Nano continues to expand its technology globally, using its proprietary Atomic Armor^TM platform to produce high-performance lithium-ion batteries and commercial semiconductor equipment.

A pipeline of impact

Forge Nano’s listing makes it CU �ֲ��ý’s 11th “unicorn”—a startup valued at $1 billion or more while still privately held—following Infleqtion. Spun out of CU �ֲ��ý as ColdQuanta and rooted in pioneering research led by Dana Anderson (JILA, CU �ֲ��ý College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering and Applied Science), Infleqtion went public this year at a $1.8 billion valuation. Other CU �ֲ��ý unicorns include Amgen, Ball Aerospace & Technologies, Solid Power and SomaLogic.

In fiscal year 2024, CU �ֲ��ý reached a historic milestone, launching 35 new companies based on university intellectual property, more than any other U.S. campus that year. In addition to holding the No. 1 spot for that year, the achievement also placed CU �ֲ��ý No. 2 for the most startups launched in a single year by a U.S. campus.

Commercialization activities through Venture Partners had an economic impact of $8.7 billion nationally and $5.1 billion in Colorado over the last five years, according to a new report from the Leeds School of Business. The campus also just announced a new strategic partnership with Techstars, the global startup accelerator and investor, to expand opportunities for founders and strengthen Colorado’s innovation economy.

What can we do together?

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with CU researchers