CU Showcase spotlights innovation, partnerships

The University of Colorado’s second annual CU Showcase highlighted the university’s pivotal role in driving innovation across the state and nation.

Coinciding with Colorado Startup Week, Monday’s event at the McNichols Civic Center Building in Denver brought together more than 60 CU innovators, students and community partners to share ideas and discoveries with the potential to change lives. The showcase connected CU’s four campuses through a mix of exhibits, conversation and collaboration.

“We developed the I&E initiative to leverage the incredible innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem we have across the CU system,” said CU President Todd Saliman. “Our world-class research and our immersive educational opportunities generate real-world impact.”

In fiscal year 2024, CU Boulder led the country in launching startups from a university, outpaced only by Stanford for startups launched within a single year. Each year, CU remains among the top 20 U.S. universities for patents granted – a testament to the strength of faculty research and entrepreneurial activity.

CU’s impact remains vital to Colorado’s economy and communities, demonstrated by its annual statewide economic contribution of $19.4 billion, 2.6 million patient visits and more than $1.7 billion in sponsored research.

Keynote speakers at Monday’s event included Matt Ridenour of Google; Thomas “Detour” Evans, MBA, a CU Denver alumnus and internationally recognized artist; Maithreyi Gopalakrishnan, M.S., a CU Boulder alum and founder of PrecisionTerra; Rafael de la Vega, a UCCS alumnus and co-founder of Salt Athletic; and Col. Vik Bebarta, M.D., a CU Anschutz professor and founding director of the CU Center for COMBAT Research.

Nearly 110 high school students from Denver and Aurora public schools also participated, engaging with CU students and innovators throughout the day.

“The future of innovation relies on partnerships,” Saliman said. “Events like this showcase the work happening in our community and the connections we’re building. Who knows what breakthrough will start here today?”

For more information about the CU Showcase and the President’s I&E Initiative, visit cu.edu/impact-cu.