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Whether you're developing new technologies, pioneering creative works or advancing scientific discoveries, Venture Partners at �� Boulder provides support to help transform your ideas into real-world solutions—while securing funding to advance your work.

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Photo: Winners of the 2024 Lab Venture Challenge competition.

University of Colorado's Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator to showcase 2025 cohort in June

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 13 May 2025 19:26:25 +0000

University of Colorado's Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator to showcase 2025 cohort in June Daniel Corbin … Tue, 05/13/2025 - 13:26

The Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase

Wednesday, June 25, 4:30-7:30 p.m.
Byron R. White Stadium Club at Folsom Field
Registration is required at

The University of Colorado's Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator will present its 2025 cohort of startups at the Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase on Wednesday, June 25. Attendees will hear pitches from emerging deep tech ventures across disciplines such as clean energy, advanced materials, quantum computing and next-generation therapeutics, followed by a networking session with researchers, investors and community supporters.

Launched in 2021 by Venture Partners at �� Boulder, the Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator 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 Hub: West Region—also offered through Venture Partners—and provides tailored support in business formation, market strategy and fundraising.

Now in its fourth year, Ascent is showcasing one of its most diverse cohorts to date. The 2025 cohort includes startups tackling critical challenges in physical and life sciences, from sustainable energy solutions and advanced materials to medical diagnostics and therapeutic technologies.

“This showcase event is 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.”

Since its inception, Ascent has graduated 35 companies, which collectively have raised more than $15 million in non-dilutive grants and $41 million in seed funding from venture capital investors. Alumni have gone on to secure spots in nationally recognized incubators such as NREL’s West Gate, Creative Destruction Lab, Techstars and Activate, further validating the program’s role in accelerating �� startups toward commercial success.

The Ascent Deep Tech Community Showcase is presented with financial support from Hatch Spaces LLC and Holland & Hart LLP.

2025 Ascent Cohort

ArgiLur

ArgiLur is a Boulder-based clothing company revolutionizing the fashion industry by offering carbon-sequestering clothing. Style and sustainability can go hand in hand, and we are committed to providing eco-friendly options for our customers. Visit the ArgiLur Website

Team: Maria Luisa Sánchez Montes (�� Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering Department), Founder and CEO

Industry Applications: Advanced Materials, Environment and Sustainability, Fashion and Design, Biotech

AtomTCAD Inc.

AtomTCAD provides precise and rapid thermal modeling of nanometer-scale semiconductors. Our software makes complex quantum physics simulations accessible. Leveraging AI, AtomTCAD enables chip designers and engineers to rapidly discover thermally optimal designs, empowering them to overcome heat challenges.

Team: Sanghamitra Neogi (�� Boulder Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences), Founder, Principal Investigator; Jason Rivas (�� Boulder Materials Science & Engineering Program), Research Engineer; Subrata Pal (�� Boulder Chemistry), Research Engineer; Dhiman Nandi (�� Boulder Chemistry), Research Engineer

Industry Applications: Aerospace, Advanced Materials, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning, Research and Exploration

BoldRF LLC

BoldRF is a spin-off from Microwave Research Lab at �� Boulder, focused on the efforts to commercialize innovative tunable active RF circulators that enable resilient analog self-interference features for in-band full duplex (IBFD) RF front-ends for communication systems, radar, electronic warfare, aviation direction finding.

Team: Laila Fighera Marzall (�� Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-Founder, CEO; Zoya Popovic (�� Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Co-Founder; Marisha Parikh (�� Boulder Lockheed Martin Engineering Management Program), Head of Business; Sarah Johns (undergraduate student, �� Boulder Leeds School of Business), Business Strategist; Stephanie Torres (undergraduate student, �� Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering), Gary Dolsen, Industrial Mentor

Industries: Aerospace, Hardware and Instrumentation, Information Technology, Quantum, Research and Exploration, Smart Cities

Colexible Technologies LLC

Colexible Technologies develops cutting-edge flexible electronics. Our devices replace traditional rigid circuit boards and solid metallic wires with flexible polymers and liquid metal, offering unparalleled stretching, bending, and durability.

Team: C.J. Whelan, CEO, Founder (fmr. �� Boulder Embark Entrepreneur in Residence); Kris Obernyer, VP of Product; Jianliang Xiao (�� Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Principal Investigator, Lead Advisor

Industry Applications: Advanced Materials, Hardware and Instrumentation, Robotics, Sensors, Medical Devices, Manufacturing

EerDx Inc.

EerDx uses earbud sleep diagnostics to transform the diagnosis and treatment of the 100 Million Americans with sleep disorders, starting with drug and cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic insomnia. Visit the EerDx Website

Team: Bart Emery, CEO, Co-Founder; Samir Chabra, CTO, Co-Founder; Jianliang Xiao, Principal Investigator, Advisor (�� Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering)

Industry Applications: Sensors, Health and Wellness, Medical Devices, Diagnostics

Endios Bio

Endios Bio is developing breakthrough therapeutics for rare neurodegenerative diseases by targeting the newly discovered impacts of the gene peg10, which was recently linked to ALS and Angelmans and has druggable potential. Visit the Endios Website

Team: Wendy Overton (fmr. �� Boulder Embark Entrepreneur in Residence)

Industry Applications: Biotech, Health and Wellness, Therapeutics, Diagnostics

IntraLumenus

IntraLumenus is revolutionizing interventional endoscopy with its single-use flexible robotic endoscope. Offering unparalleled precision, stability and control, our device reduces technical complexity and procedure times, enabling more endoscopists to perform advanced procedures, all while improving patient outcomes.

Team: Jesse M. Sheppard (Alum: �� Denver Business, �� Boulder Business), CEO, Co-Founder; Mark Rentschler (�� Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Principal Investigator

Industry Applications: Biotech, Health and Wellness, Robotics, Medical Devices, Hardware and Instrumentation

Kitsune Biotherapeutics Inc.

Kitsune Bio develops shape-shifting cyclic peptides that penetrate cells and adhere to targets more effectively. Our platform creates therapeutics that go beyond antibodies and small molecules, offering new treatment options for difficult diseases and improving the standard of care. Visit the Kitsune Website

Industry Applications: Health and Wellness, Biotech, Therapeutics

Team: Makenna Morck (Alum: �� Boulder Biochemistry), CEO; Alec Santiago, COO; Michael Stowell (�� Boulder Molecular Cellular & Developmental Biology), CTO; Thomas Fallon, Advisor

LEVL Inc.

LEVL is a cutting-edge biotech company dedicated to advancing human health and extending longevity through advanced nutraceutical synergies. Our mission is to translate the latest breakthroughs in aging science into practical, effective solutions that seamlessly integrate into everyday life. Visit the LEVL Website

Team: Kylen McClintock (fmr. �� Boulder Embark Entrepreneur in Residence), CEO, Co-Founder; Daniel Callen, CSO, Co-Founder; Tom LaRocca, CRO, Co-Founder (fmr. �� Boulder Integrative Physiology)

Industry Applications: Health and Wellness, Biotech, Therapeutics

OsmoPure Technologies Inc.

OsmoPure Technologies develops high-performance membranes for ultrapure water production in aerospace, electronics, and energy applications. Our membranes remove more contaminants, last longer and use less energy while meeting strict purity requirements and lowering chemical demand. Visit the OsmoPure Website

Team: Kian Lopez (�� Boulder Chemical and Biological Engineering), CEO; Nadia Jorgenson (�� Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), CTO; Anthony Straub (�� Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), CSO

Industry Applications: Aerospace, Advanced Materials, Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech

Tierra Metrics Inc.

We combine low-cost sensors with continuous models of the agricultural nitrogen cycle. We envision a world where digital twins of farms inform farmers and land managers in real time to reduce excess fertilizer use, cutting costs, pollution and emissions to build more resilient farming systems. Visit the Tierra Metrics Website

Team: Taylor Sharpe (�� Boulder Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering), Chief Engineer; Greg Whiting (�� Boulder Paul M. Rady Mechanical Engineering), Co-Founder; Whendee Silver, Co-Founder; Ana Arias, Co-Founder

Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech, Food and Agriculture, Hardware and Instrumentation, Sensors, Information Technology, Software, Manufacturing, Research and Exploration, Smart Cities

WindSenseAI Inc.

WindSenseAI optimizes wind farm performance through AI-driven wake steering control (WSC). Our deep learning models predict how turbine yawing impacts power output, adapting in real-time to site-specific wind conditions to maximize efficiency and asset performance.

Team: Aoife Henry, CEO, Co-Founder (�� Boulder Electrical, Computer & Energy Engineering)

Industry Applications: Environment and Sustainability, Cleantech

The University of Colorado's Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator will present its 2025 cohort of startups in a June showcase. Attendees will hear pitches from emerging deep tech ventures across disciplines such as clean energy, advanced materials, quantum computing and next-generation therapeutics, followed by a networking session with researchers, investors and community supporters.

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Using federally funded university research to power America

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Mon, 12 May 2025 18:07:14 +0000

Using federally funded university research to power America Daniel Corbin … Mon, 05/12/2025 - 12:07

Forbes—Since World War II, the U.S. research and development (R&D) enterprise has driven an era of prosperity and innovation, fueling breakthroughs in space, medicine and technology while empowering our national security and international trade.

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University of Colorado ranks among Top 20 U.S. universities for granted patents

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Thu, 08 May 2025 17:11:40 +0000

University of Colorado ranks among Top 20 U.S. universities for granted patents Daniel Corbin … Thu, 05/08/2025 - 11:11

�� Connections—The University of Colorado has secured the No. 18 position on the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) 2024 Top 100 U.S. Universities Granted U.S. Utility Patents list, reinforcing ��’s standing as a national leader in research, innovation and real-world impact. At �� Boulder, 53% of the campus’s patents have been licensed commercially.

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University of Colorado Boulder awards pre-seed funding to alum’s promising GPS spin-off

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 06 May 2025 18:28:58 +0000

University of Colorado Boulder awards pre-seed funding to alum’s promising GPS spin-off Daniel Corbin … Tue, 05/06/2025 - 12:28

Heather Hansen

Venture Partners at �� Boulder bridged a historic investment gap to move a deep tech spin-off a step closer to the marketplace by awarding $100,000 in pre-seed funding to PrecisionTerra, founded by CEO Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan (alum, �� Boulder Physics). Gopalakrishnan went on to win $144,000 in additional funding for the company in the 2025 New Venture Challenge.

Venture Partners created the pre-seed fund to help bridge the so-called “valley of death” between research and commercialization, where even high-potential start-ups can sometimes get lost, said Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships. “When somebody creates an innovation with broad potential to be translated out into a new venture, there is now funding to support the earliest stages of that new company,” said Rees. “This was a missing piece.”

With the new funding mechanism, the university supports company founders translating �� Boulder innovations with high potential for broad, real-world applications, said Rees. The fund is intended to help startups as they prepare for outside investment, a critical moment on their path to commercialization.

“It’s a demonstration of the university's commitment to innovation and to its faculty,” said Rees. “For �� Boulder to be a destination of choice for the most innovative faculty and students, it’s critical that we support and resource our innovators, and having this new investment mechanism, a pre-seed investment fund, is a really important part of that. This complements the many upstream funding resources, like the Lab Venture Challenge, and downstream resources, like Buff Gold Ventures.”

PrecisionTerra is commercializing a cutting-edge software solution that enhances coverage in GPS-degraded environments where signals are weak, including those with ‘vertical distractions’ such as tall buildings, deep canyons or even large trees. The breakthrough technology, which improves the signal strength of GNSS receivers, was developed by Jade Morton (�� Boulder Ann and H.J. Smead Aerospace Engineering Sciences), director of the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research and leader of the Satellite Navigation and Sensing Laboratory.

The tech addresses a critical market need in industries where poor GPS quality undermines performance, including mapping, autonomous vehicles and military operations. “What excites me about Dr. Morton's technology is its potential to improve the reliability of positioning systems used in mission-critical applications where human safety and economic stability are of utmost importance,” said Gopalakrishnan. “Think collision avoidance for autonomous vehicles, autonomous planting and harvesting operations for large-scale farming, and military navigation in active war zones.”

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.

An exceptional partnership

As an undergraduate, Gopalakrishnan was a Boettcher scholar and pursued a passion for engineering, entrepreneurship and dance. Post-graduation, she celebrates an enduring connection to the university and to strengthening community bonds. On a whim during the pandemic, Gopalakrishnan began volunteering as a mentor with Venture Partners and has seen several of those entrepreneurs develop flourishing, impactful companies.

Passionate about solving large-scale problems by leveraging frontier technology, Gopalakrishnan founded PrecisionTerra as an Entrepreneur in Residence (EIR) in the inaugural cohort of the Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator. Embark is a Venture Partners’ program that matches entrepreneurs with promising �� innovations and provides intellectual property (IP) rights, salary support, grant funds and investor introductions to selected EIRs.

Through Embark, Gopalakrishnan and others explored Venture Partners’ curated portfolio of �� Boulder technologies. “These were some of our top technologies that we believe could be, and should be, a startup,” said Marta Zgagacz, senior director at Venture Partners. Once Gopalakrishnan learned more about Morton’s remarkable research, she knew she wanted to form a company around it and pitched a commercialization plan to land the six-month spot as an EIR.

The Venture Partners’ team was impressed with Gopalakrishnan’s pitch, said Zgagacz. She had already tested the technology and engaged in customer discovery with big and small companies through the NSF I-Corps: Hub West Region programming offered through Venture Partners to find out how Morton’s GPS technology could meet their needs. “Because Maithreyi has the technical background and the entrepreneurial background, she’s really the full package,” said Zgagacz.

New Venture Challenge Deep Tech category judges Blair Simpson, principal, Denver Angels (left), and Joey Money, consultant, IndustriSpark (right), celebrate as D4 investments partner Kelly Coyne (center, left) hands Precision Terra founder and CEO Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan her $144,000 first prize check. Photo: Glenn Asakawa, �� Boulder.

In addition to Embark, Gopalakrishnan took part in other �� Boulder programs, including the New Venture Challenge, and has managed Catalyze �� and been a mentor for other aspiring entrepreneurs. It’s that long-term relationship and the fact that Gopalakrishnan has been an “exceptional partner,” said Rees, that made PrecisionTerra an obvious choice for the new pre-seed funding. “In Maithreyi, we’re attracting the interest of very talented entrepreneurs who want to be a part of the university’s entrepreneurial ecosystem,” he said.

Moving the needle forward

Already, PrecisionTerra has letters of intent from prospective customers and at least one cooperative agreement in place with a large GPS receiver manufacturer that is loaning the company some hardware to test software capabilities over the coming months. Gopalakrishnan emphasized that a software solution for GPS signal-weak environments is attractive to existing companies because it doesn’t require manufacturing new chips or motherboards which are lengthy and costly upgrades.

PrecisionTerra now has a fully operational end-to-end, software-based GPS signal processor. “It’s not yet a complete product, but it’s absolutely the foundation we need to do validation testing,” said Gopalakrishnan. The new pre-seed funding, combined with competition winnings and additional pre-seed funding from outside sources, will allow the company to hire a summer staff to perform critical testing proving how the PrecisionTerra’s tech bests what is on the market today.

“I was really honored to receive funding, and I think it’s going to be tremendously helpful in accelerating some early testing that we need to do,” said Gopalakrishnan. “We can take those results, go to prospective customers and say, ‘This is a commercial grade device and you can see how much more effective our ability to track GPS signals is’—and that would really move the needle forward for us as a company.”

Innovation incubator

The new pre-seed funding is the latest element complementing a robust ecosystem attracting the best researchers, entrepreneurs and investors to �� Boulder, said Rees. “The environment that we’ve created here in Venture Partners is an incubator through which founders can really prove themselves."

Gopalakrishnan credits Rees and colleagues for being there every step of the way, from curating outstanding innovations to PrecisionTerra’s founding and where the company is now. “At this point, Venture Partners really feels almost like a family that is there for me and has my back. They’re always thinking about ways and opportunities to provide us with support,” she said. “It’s all so valuable.”

In PrecisionTerra, Rees sees both proof of concept in how university innovators can imagine their work translated to commercial products (even if they don’t want to be the ones running the company) and how entrepreneurs can take that baton and carry it forward. “Maithreyi and others have laid out a great model of how to engage with the university, build a new venture, and get this initial investment. It’s a replicable model that others are already doing well,” said Rees. “And the more, the better.”

Winning big at the Boulder Theater

Most recently, PrecisionTerra garnered significant recognition at �� Boulder’s 2025 New Venture Challenge (NVC) Finals, where entrepreneurial teams of �� Boulder students, faculty and staff competed for a share of $325,000 in funding. Gopalakrishnan’s pitch secured the top prize of $144,000 in the newly introduced Deep Tech Category, which focuses on ventures built around scientific or technological innovations, a partnership between Venture Partners and NVC.

The recognition and funding from ��’s top-ranked entrepreneurial competition not only underscores PrecisionTerra's potential impact but also highlights the entrepreneurial spirit and opportunity fostered within �� Boulder's vibrant startup ecosystem.

What can we do together?

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with �� researchers

Explore the Path to Commercialization

Venture Partners at �� Boulder bridged a historic investment gap to move a deep tech spin-off a step closer to the marketplace by awarding $100,000 in pre-seed funding to PrecisionTerra, founded by CEO Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan (alum, �� Boulder Physics). Gopalakrishnan went on to win $144,000 in additional funding for the company in the 2025 New Venture Challenge.

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The coolest technology in the universe

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Mon, 14 Apr 2025 19:24:08 +0000

The coolest technology in the universe Daniel Corbin … Mon, 04/14/2025 - 13:24

Heather Hansen

Infleqtion’s star continues to rise as Colorado’s quantum hub grows. The company of firsts, spun out of �� Boulder as ColdQuanta, seems to be everywhere these days, including outer space, while commercializing pioneering research to address needs across several critical markets including positioning, navigating and timing, global communication security and efficiency, resilient energy distribution, and accelerated quantum computing.

Dana Anderson, Glenn L. Murphy Professor of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Professor of Physics and JILA Fellow, 2024

It was decades ago but Dana Anderson (JILA, �� Boulder College of Arts and Sciences and College of Engineering and Applied Science) still recalls well the day his research took a major turn. “I started to do atoms instead of photons,” he said. While Anderson makes it sound like a subtle shift–focusing on atoms and subatomic particles instead of particles of light (lasers)–that move has contributed significantly to the present and future of quantum technologies worldwide.

Anderson, now Infleqtion’s chief technology officer, then began focusing on cold atom inertial sensing, a process in which ultra-cold atoms (cooled to near absolute zero) are used to precisely measure forces like rotation and acceleration. That unprecedented accuracy is based on leveraging atoms’ wave-like nature in a controlled quantum state. It was groundbreaking work also built on a strong foundation of quantum innovation at �� Boulder spanning decades and (up to that point) two Nobel Prizes.

That was the mid-1990s and, around the same time, Anderson’s JILA colleagues, NIST fellow Eric Cornell and �� Boulder physicist Carl Wieman, created a never-before-seen state of matter called the Bose-Einstein condensate (BEC), in which ultracold atoms coalesce into a single “superatom” with uniform properties. They received the 2001 Nobel Prize in Physics for that work, shared with MIT physicist Wolfgang Ketterle and 70 years after Albert Einstein predicted BECs could exist based on the work of Satyenda Bose. “Boy, that’s going to be useful,” Anderson recalls thinking at the time, imagining BEC being used to dramatically boost the performance of various devices, including accelerometers, gyroscopes, gravimeters and magnetometers. “I felt that it would change the world,” he said.

Following the BEC breakthrough, the trio went on to guide cold atoms through hollow core optical fibers, leading to Anderson and Cornell’s “atom chip” work and Anderson’s group demonstrating the first ultracold atom chip “portable vacuum system” in 2004. Those innovative techniques created a controlled environment for Anderson and others to study and manipulate atoms, a critical step in developing technologies like atomic clocks, quantum sensors and quantum computers.

“Slowly building the technology”

Dana Anderson poses with a spectrum analyzer in a laboratory at JILA. Photo: JILA, 1980.

As a “born and raised physicist,” said Anderson, he’s always looking for practical applications for cutting-edge science. “I’m an applied physicist, so I like to do things that are useful,” he said. “They don’t have to happen tomorrow but be useful sooner or later.” In those earlier days of quantum research, making that transition meant landing grants from the U.S. Army and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA). That funding, said Anderson, “allowed us to focus on developing the technology and getting it out into the world.” During that time, they solved many problems, said Anderson. “We were struggling and making mistakes like gangbusters and trying this and trying that, and slowly building the technology,” he said.

In 2007, Anderson made the first critical leap from lab to market when he founded ColdQuanta with the goal of streamlining devices for BEC experiments using the technology discovered at ��. After receiving a $100,000 proof of concept investment from what was then the �� Technology Transfer Office (now Venture Partners at �� Boulder), ColdQuanta earned contracts from the U.S. Army, U.S. Navy, NASA and the National Science Foundation (NSF).

Josh Bennett, assistant director of licensing at Venture Partners, now manages much of the university’s portfolio of quantum technologies, and he sees Infleqtion’s success as key to both advancing quantum research worldwide and paving the way for new quantum spinouts from ��. “Since they were the first real quantum company out of Colorado to translate their research into a commercial entity, and they’ve become a leader globally in their research and in their work, I think it’s fair to say that without Infleqtion (or ColdQuanta), we wouldn’t be seeing all these other quantum spin-outs in the last two, three years,” he said.

Infleqtion laid the groundwork for several other �� Boulder quantum companies now working with Venture Partners, including Icarus Quantum, Flari Tech and Mesa Quantum. Today, through Venture Partners (the commercialization arm for �� Boulder, �� Denver’s physical sciences and UCCS), the entrepreneurs behind these startups have myriad programs to help get their ventures off the ground.

But what is "commercialization?"

What distinguishes Infleqtion today, said Scott Sternberg, executive director of the ��bit Quantum Initiative, is their ability to combine the capabilities of quantum phenomenon with highly engineered platforms that focus on customer usability. “Infleqtion embodies the vibrant campus efforts to support the translation of fundamental discovery towards product realization and company growth,” said Sternberg. “We are fortunate to have such a great company, forged here in Boulder, that now leads the international quantum community.”

Beyond proving that quantum tech can lead to a compelling business entity, Infleqtion blazed the trail to Colorado becoming a national quantum hub, said Bryn Rees, associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships. He points to Anderson’s important role in boosting Elevate Quantum, a consortium of over 120 quantum-focused organizations in Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. “[Infleqtion] has become an international quantum success and sensation,” he said. “They're now a big-time player.”

Inflection points

Anderson recalls well how most people responded when he first started pitching the concept of commercializing quantum tech. Looking back on his first quantum-related NSF proposal nearly 20 years ago, he said, “Now those [concepts] seem right in the thick of things but back then most people said, ‘This is too unrealistic’. That’s what it was like.” Anderson knew that he was on the fringe, especially at a time when most people still used flip phones. “We were crazy people that were really gung-ho, and yet, we certainly didn't have a good business ‘story’,” said Anderson. “But I just believed that quantum was going to be important.”

Now quantum technology promises to revolutionize industries from computing, healthcare, defense, energy, finance and beyond. Building on decades of research from Anderson and others, Infleqtion is driving advances in that burgeoning ecosystem. The company now offers quantum hardware and software products—from quantum clocks and sensors, positioning components and glass cells containing cold atoms to quantum computers and quantum-enabled, AI-driven software.

Several years ago, Anderson famously took ultracold atoms (around 10 million of them) out of the lab and onto his own plane, to test the robustness of his team’s magneto-optical trap. Not long after that, it was deployed by NASA for use on the International Space Station, making it what could be called the ‘coolest’ tech in the universe. “When we commercialized a Bose Einstein condensation machine… including making things very small,” said Anderson, “NASA noticed and said, ‘Let's put it up into space’. And that was terribly important for our growing up.”

Research labs and commercial entities worldwide are now using Infleqtion’s products to generate high-value information and improve reliability and performance in quantum computing. Customers and collaborators include the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sandia National Laboratories, the Japanese Moonshot Program, the UK’s National Quantum Computing Centre and the Defense Cyber Marvel 3, a global cyber defense competition..

Infleqtion is also now participating in the first round of the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) newly formed Quantum & Space Collaboration. The collaboration aims to use quantum tech to move the needle forward in national security, energy/sustainability and economic interests.

Infleqtion's cloud-based quantum matter machine, “Albert, named TIME's Best Inventions. Photo: TIME, 2022

In 2022, ColdQuanta adopted the trade name Infleqtion to mark the company’s transition from research and development of quantum technology to deploying it for commercial uses. The company has now been through two successful rounds of funding, most recently raising $110 million in its Series B round in 2022. TIME magazine also named the company’s cloud-based quantum matter machine, dubbed “Albert,” as one of its 2022 Best Inventions. Infleqtion’s software platform recently secured a $1.15 million DOE grant, paving the way for energy-efficient computing.

Of all its latest advances, Anderson is most enthusiastic about Oqtant, a first-of-its-kind quantum innovation platform launched last year that democratizes quantum discovery and invention by giving researchers, innovators and students access to quantum matter via BECs where they can create, manipulate and study quantum phenomena—and all they need is internet access. “I’m extremely excited about Oqtant,” said Anderson. “Everyone having the building blocks of our universe at their fingertips points us toward a new age of exploration and discovery.”

Anderson is gratified to see that he and his colleagues' own 'eureka' quantum moments of long ago are finally being realized on a larger scale. Infleqtion’s readiness to meet that new understanding and demand has meant quantum leaps in the company’s recent growth. “We knew that BEC was going to be big, and we’re seeing that now,” he said.

What can we do together?

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with �� researchers

Infleqtion’s star continues to rise as Colorado’s quantum hub grows. The company of firsts, spun out of �� Boulder as ColdQuanta, seems to be everywhere these days, including outer space, while commercializing pioneering research to address needs across several critical markets including positioning, navigating and timing, global communication security and efficiency, resilient energy distribution, and accelerated quantum computing.

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

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

Find the market for your innovation

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 22:06:23 +0000

Find the market for your innovation Daniel Corbin … Tue, 04/08/2025 - 16:06

Could your research, invention or creative idea make an impact beyond the academic world? The National Science Foundation’s I-Corps^TM programs offer the ideal starting point. Designed to help those new to commercialization explore the market potential of their innovations, I-Corps serves as a practical and accessible first step for anyone looking to translate their discoveries into real-world solutions.

Why start with I-Corps?

Ready to go further?

Protect your discoveries before you publish them: Your discoveries could have far-reaching impacts while securing recognition and opportunities for you.

Fund your research or creative work through commercialization: transform your ideas into real-world solutions—while securing funding to advance your work.

For some, commercialization can feel far removed from their academic goals. But what if the process aligned with your mission to create a meaningful impact? The NSF I-Corps program provides a structured, supportive pathway for exploring how your innovation could address real-world challenges—with no prior entrepreneurial experience.

�� Boulder is a national leader in the NSF I-Corps Hub: West Region, a collaboration with universities across the West, including University of Southern California, University of California, Los Angeles, California Institute of Technology, University of California (Riverside and Santa Barbara), University of Colorado Boulder, Colorado State University, University of Utah, Colorado School of Mines, University of New Mexico.

As part of I-Corps Hub West, �� Boulder (through Venture Partners at �� Boulder, part of �� Boulder’s Research & Innovation Office) offers hands-on regional I-Corps programs open to researchers, faculty, students and staff from any discipline or institution.

That programming begins with the introductory three-week Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop and advances through the four-week Research-to-Market (R2M) Customer Discovery Program. Teams are then primed to pursue the National I-Corps Teams Program, where they can win a $50,000 grant.

Through I-Corps, you will:

Conduct customer discovery to understand market needs and pain points.
Assess the commercial potential of your idea in a supportive environment.
Develop the commercialization mindset needed to move your innovation forward.

Real results, real impact

I-Corps has helped countless entrepreneurs and nontraditional innovators take their first steps toward commercialization. Participants leave with a clearer understanding of their innovation’s market potential and a roadmap for next steps, whether that means pursuing funding through the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) programs or the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), applying for the National I-Corps program where teams can further advance their innovation and win $50,000, or connecting with industry partners for licensing opportunities.

�� Boulder companies like PAGE Technologies, Mesa Quantum and Vitro3D began their journey with customer discovery and market validation—essential skills gained through I-Corps programming.

How I-Corps fits into the path to commercialization

I-Corps and Venture Partners empower �� innovators to take the lead in translating their discoveries into real-world applications, providing guidance and opportunities to support your journey, whether you want to launch a startup, collaborate with industry or license your technology.

Entrepreneurship isn’t for everyone. Venture Partners can also help connect you with industry partners or experienced entrepreneurs who can drive commercialization forward on your behalf—ensuring that your discoveries make an impact without requiring you to leave academia.

Whether your journey leads to licensing agreements, starting your own venture or collaborations with entrepreneurs, Venture Partners helps ensure your success.

Take the first step today

Your work at �� could be the foundation for the next groundbreaking innovation. NSF I-Corps and Venture Partners are here to help you explore your innovation’s potential. With no prior experience required and a supportive, inclusive environment, there’s no better way to begin your journey.

Learn more and apply to the I-Corps program here. Whether you’re ready to disclose an innovation or simply want to explore the possibilities, I-Corps is your stepping-off point for turning ideas into impact.

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Explore the Path to Commercialization

Could your research, invention or creative idea make an impact beyond the academic world? The National Science Foundation’s I-CorpsTM programs offer the ideal starting point.

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Photo: Elliot Strand, co-founder of PAGE Technologies

From research to impact: Massimo Ruzzene

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Tue, 08 Apr 2025 17:13:45 +0000

From research to impact: Massimo Ruzzene Daniel Corbin … Tue, 04/08/2025 - 11:13

CEO Magazine—Research is more than just a group of scholars furrowing away behind closed doors in universities around the globe, and Massimo Ruzzene of all people knows that. As the Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation at the University of Colorado Boulder (�� Boulder), he sees research as a broad arc that moves from initial findings to real-world applications.

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Richard Noble bridges the gap between research and industry

Daniel Corbin Leonard — Thu, 03 Apr 2025 19:08:21 +0000

Richard Noble bridges the gap between research and industry Daniel Corbin … Thu, 04/03/2025 - 13:08

Heather Hansen

Celebrated professor and prolific inventor Richard Noble reflects on decades of teaching and discovery and embarks on a new path to commercialization of a game-changing technology.

Growing up the eldest of seven children, in a family of modest means, Richard Noble learned how to work together with his siblings and how to be independent and persistent—skills he’s relied on throughout his life. “To succeed, you have to be willing to persevere; you don’t give up,” said Noble, research professor of chemistry (�� Boulder Chemistry, College of Arts and Sciences).

Several decades later, what ‘sticking with it’ looks like for Noble is nearly 50 years teaching, close to 90 patents, hundreds of publications, millions of dollars in research funding, dozens of technologies licensed—and too many honors and awards to catalog including �� Boulder Inventor of the Year (2008), Dean’s Performance Award for Research (2013), Institution of Chemical Engineers Innovator of the Year (2013) and North American Membrane Society Fellow (2018).

Today, Noble is an internationally recognized leader in using novel membrane and thin-film materials. For decades, his lab has been experimenting with how ionic liquids (liquid salts), liquid crystals and electric and light energy can selectively separate components–in mixtures, membranes or even micro-scale devices. Harnessing these materials may have a broad range of potential applications, including nano-filtration (specifically treating ‘spent’ water from fracking), ‘lab on a chip’ devices and gas separation.

The CO₂ problem

How to separate carbon dioxide (CO₂) from other mixed gases, in particular, has been on Noble’s mind for a very long time. Extracting CO₂ from the air is challenging because the gas is highly diffuse, spreading rapidly and mingling readily with other gases. Currently, sequestering CO₂ traditionally involves chemical absorption, a process in which gases are sent through liquid amines (derivatives of ammonia), which trap the gas. In addition to the toxic and corrosive nature of amines, this separation technique is generally costly and energy-intensive.

Despite the many hurdles to sequestering CO₂, it’s important to Noble for a couple of reasons. Separating CO₂ from natural gas increases its heating value as well as the safety and efficiency of transporting it by preventing corrosion in pipelines (due to the acidity of CO₂) and issues during natural gas liquefaction in which CO₂ may crystallize. Removing CO₂ from natural gas before it’s burned can also lower its overall emissions.

Successfully separating and storing CO₂ could also play a key role in mitigating climate change. CO₂ is a potent greenhouse gas (GHG) that is supercharging climate change. According to the NOAA Global Monitoring Lab, carbon dioxide alone is responsible for about two-thirds of the total heating influence of all human-produced GHGs. Trapping CO₂ before it’s emitted from the flues of large industrial plants—like cement and coal-burning power plants—could make a major dent in worldwide CO₂ emissions.

The ‘just right’ path to commercialization

Over his career, when Noble has considered what he wants the overall impact of his many innovations to be, he’s clear: “I’m an engineer, I want to know at the end of the day that somebody’s going to value what I do, that it’s useful. I’m always moving toward application,” he said. To that end, �� Boulder has licensed intellectual property for some of his inventions to companies large and small, including several of his membrane technologies. Over the years, he’s also considered spinning off a company to build his own business around some of his inventions.

For Noble, who is also a former director of the NSF Membrane Applied Science and Technology (MAST) Center, there were advantages and disadvantages to each approach. Licensing in the traditional way meant researcher and customer came together generally through sponsorship or an applied research project—great for the time-crunched professor but lacking some of the impact Noble wanted. At the other extreme was launching a startup, which meant finding capital, customers, the right team and the time to cultivate each—a combination requiring business prowess that, he said, was not his strength. “A long time ago, I realized that I don’t have good business sense,” said Noble, “But I wanted to find the people that knew the business so that they could take what I made and know how to do that part of it successfully.”

Recently, Noble chose a different path that represents a shift in licensing at the university, according to Marta Zgagacz, senior director at Venture Partners at �� Boulder.

Early this year, several of Noble’s patents based on ionic liquid membrane technologies used for carbon capture and separation were optioned by startup incubator High Tech XL, which builds fast-growing, deep-tech companies focused on changing the world. Membranes are an attractive tech for removing CO₂ from mixed gases because, structured and charged in the way Noble has devised, they are more productive and have a longer lifespan with a smaller cost and footprint than traditional techniques. Noble plans to join the new startup as a technical advisor.

Noble arrived at that ‘just right’ space between research and development thanks to new opportunities through Venture Partners—and his own enthusiasm. At Zgagacz's urging in 2022, Noble teamed up with the Venture Partners licensing team to join the Starting Blocks Customer Discovery Workshop, offered as part of the National Science Foundation I-Corps™ Hub: West Region.

But what is "commercialization?"

Over those few weeks, Noble gained a deeper understanding of the commercialization process and got to test his ideas with potential customers. “This evolution of Venture Partners has allowed academic people like myself to do the ‘R’ of R&D, and to find others who can do the ‘D’ whereas when I first started [at ��], that was a black hole,” said Noble.

Zgagacz describes this new route as a new path for commercialization, one that combines elements of partnership with existing companies and launching a startup without researchers having to drive company formation. “Some inventors or researchers might not be interested in starting a company or in being in partnership with an existing company, so they might be discouraged from talking to us,” she said. “But not everyone has to jump on that entrepreneurship wagon. There’s a third way of doing this, even if you don’t think your technology is ready for that.”

Zgagacz emphasized that there are many promising technologies being developed at �� Boulder, with inventors at all stages of their careers, and she wants them, like Noble, to find a home with Venture Partners. “Hopefully, other inventors, other researchers, other PIs will see his story, and it will resonate with them as a potential path,” she said.

In mid-2024, Noble took part in Venture Partners’ Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator, which matches entrepreneurs with breakthrough innovations. “I think it’s really good to educate faculty on what it really takes,” said Noble. “There’s a point where you have to let go and realize that different expertise is needed.” While Noble’s tech didn’t match during that Embark round, High Tech XL started showing interest around the same time and Noble and Venture Partners were ready. After a series of conversations, it was clear that the startup lab and Noble made a great match.

The importance of curiosity and community

A key mindset to experimentation that has served Noble well throughout his lengthy career—and that he recommends to his students—is a willingness to try anything. “I usually start with a crazy idea,” he said, “I tell them, ‘I don’t know if it’ll work or how it’ll work, but it’ll be new and different, so let’s just try it and see what happens.” As a scientist, you may not get the result you’re looking for immediately, but success by increments is still success. “Students have to trust and believe that doing this is going to lead to some positive outcomes, and it does,” said Noble. “Sometimes things went one way or the other way, but there’s a culmination and they see the evolution of knowledge and realize that this was something worth doing.”

That thinking is how Noble went from trying many different approaches to carbon separation over decades to where he is now. “People have been working on this thing for 50 years, and nobody’s come up with a really good way to do it,” said Noble. “But I thought, ‘We should be able to make a material that has really high productivity and works for a long time.’ And what we have now has immense potential.”

Another key lesson Noble teaches his students is the importance of working as a team to drive successful innovation. “You really have to be curious, you have to take risks, and you have to develop trust amongst the people you’re going to work with,” he said. “It’s not just one person generating things and then making the ultimate decisions. [Innovation] requires a cooperative approach to moving forward. It's a community.” Noble acknowledged the many fruitful partnerships he’s had over the years, including those with long-time collaborator Doug Gin, who passed away last July.

“It’s going to be very satisfying for me, and all the people that have worked with me over the years to see something that we worked on become commercial while making a quantum improvement in that technology area,” said Noble. “Because that’s what this is–a real game changer.”

What can we do together?

Find partners and opportunities for your innovation

Explore investing in and partnering with �� researchers