CU Engineering advances innovation through startup success

Caroline Harrah — Mon, 02 Dec 2024 19:42:51 +0000

CU Engineering advances innovation through startup success Caroline Harrah Mon, 12/02/2024 - 12:42

Caroline Harrah

The University of Colorado Boulder's College of Engineering and Applied Science continues to establish itself as a leader in innovation, with 22 startups emerging from its research labs in the past fiscal year. This achievement reflects the college's commitment to translating transformative research into solutions that address real-world challenges.

CU Engineering successfully launched 22 startups in fiscal year 2024, in the following industries: Sustainability (6), Medical Device (3), AgTech (2), Quantum/Photonics/Optics (2), Energy & Storage (2), Robotics (2), Software (1), Diagnostics (1), Security (1), Biotech (1), AI (1).

“CU Engineering bridges the gap between research and application by fostering collaboration and creating pathways for impact," said Keith Molenaar, dean of the College of Engineering and Applied Science. "Through mentorship, funding opportunities and state-of-the-art facilities, we empower our scholars to transform discoveries into technologies that benefit humanity.”

CU Engineering’s entrepreneurial ecosystem moves research beyond the lab and into the world, nurturing concepts from inception to market. Educational programs, workshops, and events help students and faculty develop entrepreneurial and problem-solving skills to explore and validate ideas in the early stages of product and company discovery. Access to cutting-edge research labs, maker spaces, and entrepreneurial hubs enables them to move from concept to creation, prototyping and refining their work to develop real-world applications.

Collaboration with entities like Venture Partners at CU Boulder ensures researchers have access to critical commercialization resources, including funding, licensing expertise and industry connections. The college recently strengthened its entrepreneurial initiatives with the appointment of Wil Srubar as the first Deming associate dean for innovation and entrepreneurship in 2024.

"Innovation doesn’t end in the lab—it thrives when it can be applied to real-world challenges," said Wil Srubar, Deming associate dean for innovation and entrepreneurship. "At CU Engineering, we are building a culture where researchers and students don’t just ask ‘what if’ but take steps to turn those questions into solutions."

The success of CU Engineering’s ecosystem reflects the diversity and impact of its startups.

Over the past year, these ventures have tackled critical challenges in renewable energy, water purification, advanced manufacturing and biomedical devices. Each startup represents a blend of cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary effort and entrepreneurial vision.

This year’s Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) exemplifies the strength of CU Engineering’s entrepreneurial pipeline. The LVC awarded $875,000 to seven engineering-led ventures supporting innovative technologies with market potential.

With 22 startups launched this past year and more to follow, CU Engineering’s entrepreneurial efforts reflect its dedication to innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration. By preparing students and researchers to bring ideas to market, the college is shaping future leaders in engineering and advancing workforce development. These efforts foster connections across disciplines and industries, building a foundation for continued progress.

CU Engineering Winners, 2024 Lab Venture Challenge

Codebreaker
Platform for generating variant genomes at scale using an AI framework. Technology drives variant genome design and machine learning to map significance broadly across human diseases and drug responses.

EcoValeric Innovations
Electrochemical process converting biomass-based levulinic acid into 4-hydroxyvaleric acid (HVA), a versatile intermediate for producing biodegradable plastics, biofuels and green solvents. Renewable process reduces reliance on fossil fuels and enhances sustainability.

IntraLumenus
Robotic capsule endoscope for minimally invasive colorectal procedures. Capsule enables advanced mapping and localization with dual-channel tool access, eliminating the need for traditional surgical openings.

OsmoPure Technologies
High-efficiency membrane for ultrapure water production tailored to electronics, aerospace and green hydrogen sectors. Technology achieves significant energy efficiency by using pressure-driven distillation rather than heat.

SteriO3
Compact, portable units using Peroxide Enhanced Germicidal Irradiation (PEGI) for low-temperature sterilization of surgical equipment and microbial contaminants. Units are adaptable for sterilizing advanced medical tools, including 3D-printed materials.

Tierra Metrics
High-spatial-density sensors for real-time characterization of the soil nitrogen cycle. Innovation helps land managers improve efficiency, profitability and soil health while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

WHISPER Energy
Wireless, battery-free sensor platform for smart buildings that uses machine learning to reduce energy consumption by over 30 percent . Platform provides real-time data to optimize energy use and reduce emissions.

CU Engineering continues to establish itself as a leader in innovation, with 22 startups emerging from its research labs in the past fiscal year. This achievement reflects the college's commitment to translating transformative research into solutions that address real-world challenges.

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