The University of Colorado Boulder and Techstars, the global startup accelerator and investor, have announced a strategic partnership to expand opportunities for founders and strengthen Colorado’s innovation economy.

The collaboration connects CU Boulder’s entrepreneurship programs and startup pipeline with Techstars’ network of mentors, investors and partners — creating new pathways for innovators to build and scale companies that drive real-world impact.

“This partnership reflects CU Boulder’s commitment to empowering people across our campus to turn ideas into impact,” said Massimo Ruzzene, senior vice chancellor for research and innovation and dean of the institutes. “Our students, faculty and researchers are developing technologies, launching companies and exploring solutions to real challenges. Working with Techstars connects that talent with a global community of entrepreneurs and investors who can help move those ideas from campus into the world.”

From Discovery to Startup

CU Boulder has emerged as one of the most vibrant entrepreneurial ecosystems on a university campus in the United States. Through research, entrepreneurial education and the campus-wide Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, the university supports students and faculty pursuing new ventures based on breakthrough discoveries.

Venture Partners at CU Boulder — the university’s commercialization arm — has played a central role in that momentum and in initiating the new partnership. Through Venture Partners, more than 220 companies based on CU Boulder technologies have launched and collectively exited for over $11 billion. The campus was ranked first in the nation for the number of such startups launched in 2024, the second most ever launched by a single university campus in one year.

The partnership with Techstars will connect CU Boulder’s innovation ecosystem with one of the world’s premier startup accelerators and investors.

Established in Boulder in 2006 by David Cohen, Brad Feld, David Brown, and Jared Polis, Techstars helped shape the city’s startup culture. What began as a single accelerator program has grown into a global platform supporting founders across industries and geographies.

“Techstars has operated continuously in Colorado for two decades. The re-launch of our Techstars Boulder accelerator here reflects our renewed commitment to Colorado and reinforces Boulder’s role as an important hub in our system,” said David Cohen, chief executive officer of Techstars and co-founder of the company. “CU Boulder is a powerful source of new ideas and new companies. By building a deeper relationship with the university, we can help more founders turn breakthroughs into companies that scale.”

Today, Techstars has invested in thousands of startups worldwide, whose combined market value exceeds $220 billion.

CU Boulder and Techstars count dozens of unicorns between them, including DigitalOcean, SendGrid, Salesloft, and Veho (Techstars), Infleqtion, Ball Aerospace & Technologies, Solid Power, and SomaLogic (CU Boulder).

Expanding Pathways for Founders

CU Boulder’s students and faculty will engage with Techstars staff, mentors and alumni through university entrepreneurship programs such as the New Venture Challenge and Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator. The collaboration will also create opportunities for Techstars founders to work with CU Boulder researchers and students while accessing specialized facilities and technical expertise.

For startups emerging from the university, the partnership opens a direct pathway to Techstars’ accelerator programs and investor network.

“This collaboration brings together two communities deeply committed to building great companies,” said Shay Har-Noy, managing director of Techstars Boulder. “CU Boulder consistently produces exceptional research, founders and high-potential companies. By working closely, we can help even more of these teams scale into enduring, world-class businesses.”

“Techstars Boulder just opened applications for its first new cohort, kicking off in person this September,” said Har-Noy, “We’re passionate about backing the strongest founders and companies from CU Boulder, across Colorado and from around the country.”

Strengthening Colorado’s Innovation Economy

The partnership strengthens the connection between CU Boulder’s research and academic mission and the global entrepreneurial ecosystem while expanding opportunities for founders emerging from the university.

“Boulder has long been a catalyst where research, entrepreneurship and community come together to improve people’s lives,” said Bryn Rees, senior associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships at CU Boulder. “This partnership with Techstars builds on that foundation. Together, we can help more great ideas become companies and more founders bring transformative ideas to the world.”

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