CU Innovation Day celebrates bold ideas, breakthrough ventures
Invention, entrepreneurship and impact across the University of Colorado were the focus of CU Innovation Day on Sept. 14, an event that drew more than 500 attendees to History Colorado in downtown Denver.
With a theme of “Deep roots. New routes,” CU Innovation Day – held in partnership with Colorado Startup Week – celebrated the university’s 150-year history as a hub of bold ideas and innovation, and showcased work by the CU community that is changing the way we live and work and creating new possibilities for the future.
“CU is Colorado’s University. In fact, we were established the same year as our great state – 150 years ago,” CU President Todd Saliman said in his welcome remarks to a standing-room-only audience. “During that time, CU has been a place of discovery, creativity and innovation, and an integral part of Colorado’s rich innovation ecosystem, which impacts the nation, the world and beyond.”
More than 60 innovators from all of CU’s campuses showcased their work in Inspiration Hall, with projects spanning arts, culture and storytelling; biotech and medical innovation; community, mental and digital health; emerging and deep tech; and games and playful innovation.
Other highlights included a keynote presentation featuring Ibotta Founder and CEO Bryan Leach and innovators from CU’s four campuses, as well as a panel discussion on CU and the future of the arts in the Rocky Mountain West that included a representative from the Sundance Film Festival. Additionally, CU hosted about 150 students from the Denver School of Science and Technology and Valor High School at the event.
Now in its third year, the annual showcase is a product of the President’s Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative, an effort to amplify and connect work happening systemwide in innovation and entrepreneurship, research, creative works, immersive education, and private and public partnerships to generate substantial real-world impact.
For more information about CU’s work in innovation, read the latest CU System Innovation & Entrepreneurship Impact Report.