Entrepreneurship

Engineering students turn industry challenge into AI startup ‘built by engineers, for engineers’

Charles Ferrer — Tue, 01 Sep 2026 18:32:10 +0000

Engineering students turn industry challenge into AI startup ‘built by engineers, for engineers’ Charles Ferrer Tue, 09/01/2026 - 12:32

Charles Ferrer

Sami Yohannes and Caleb Woldemichael are the ultimate go-getters ready to change how engineering firms do business.

As current juniors at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, they’ve co-founded a startup company, YW Holdings, to streamline the slow, manual processes companies depend on to run engineering firms.

“It’s pretty exciting being able to leverage our STEM degrees and start our own company,” Yohannes said.

Yohannes (middle) and Woldemichael (right) meeting Campos (left) for the first time at EngiNearMe, a summer bridge program.

Yohannes, who is studying computer science, and Woldemichael, who is majoring in mechanical engineering, developed the business through a connection with alumnus and entrepreneur Marco Campos (CivEngr’98), who they met years before either of them set foot on the Boulder campus.

By attending EngiNearMe, a summer STEM program offered through the college, during their senior year of high school, they first connected with Campos, founder of Campos Family of Companies and a longtime supporter of student engineers.

“We went up to talk to Marco and were just curious about his company,” the students noted.

What began as curiosity about his business turned into mentorship, starting with advice on where they would go to college. Both were weighing other options at the time, and Campos made the case for ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, mentioning the college’s resources through the Campos Student Center, formerly BOLD, and the vast opportunities the university has to offer.

After enrolling here, they continued to reach out to Campos for guidance.

As their courses progressed, they both realized they had a shared desire to apply what they’ve learned so far in their engineering journeys to solve real-world problems.

Yohannes' coursework in computer science gave him a good basis of the fundamentals of software development and critical thinking skills in calculating risk and probabilities. Through Woldemichael's engineering internship at Lockheed Martin, he learned how engineers take complex problems by working within constraints to build solutions. He mentioned carrying that same mindset into the startup by understanding the engineering workflow, then building solutions around the problems people face every day.

‘Built by engineers, for engineers’

YW Holdings co-founders Sami Yohannes (left) and Caleb Woldemichael (right) with Marco Campos (CivEngr’98) and Mike Venturini, chief administrative officer of Campos EPC.

Marco Campos encouraged Yohannes and Woldemichael to start their own company, urging them to find a problem they could solve and turn it into a business, putting their entrepreneurial spirit to work.

In speaking with employees and leaders at Campos Companies, a portfolio of energy infrastructure companies, the students identified a widespread pain point — the request for proposal (RFP) process, which oftentimes is a lengthy endeavor used by many industries to bid on projects.

“It’s a time consuming process that takes a lot of money and resources,” Woldemichael said. “We utilized AI to streamline and automate processes that save time for engineering-construction firms.”

They also did their due diligence, reaching out to executives leading construction companies to ask about their RFP experience. This largely came through cold outreach on LinkedIn and leaning on office hours at the Deming Center for Entrepreneurship.

What they heard was consistent: RFP work is cumbersome, manual and often lacks standardized processes. They also heard a common frustration, that past attempts to bring AI into construction workflows had failed because tech companies didn’t have the inside knowledge of the construction industry.

These two young men are motivated, intelligent and ready for the next level. They are my protégés, and I’m very proud of what they have accomplished. I stand with them and hope the rest of the community embraces them and others that meet challenges head on and overcome.

Marco Campos (CivEngr’98)

“That’s where we saw an opportunity,” Woldemichael said. “We created a tool and a company that’s built by engineers, for engineers."

Work on the RFP project began in February, starting with research and close collaboration with Campos leaders. What followed was a fast-moving build out where the agent tool was developed and tested. That success led to a bigger proposal, not just fixing processes inside Campos EPC, but spinning the work into its own entity, Campos Process Improvements.

The platform has already automated roughly 60% of the bid-qualification-through-RFP workflow, freeing engineers from tedious administrative work so they can pursue more projects with less overhead.

“At the end of the day, we want firms to bid on more projects and ultimately generate more revenue,” Yohannes said.

Paying it forward

The two are now on the other side of an equation.

Through the Campos Foundation, founded by Marco Campos and led by Deanna Campos, Yohannes and Woldemichael have become mentors of their own, working with the high school cohort of the Campos Scholars program. The initiative works with students from DSST Public Schools, the same schools the two attended.

Yohannes and Woldemichael host a lunch and learn with the Campos Foundation scholars from DSST Public Schools on the importance of internships, scholarship opportunities, work/life balance and finishing high school strong.

In conversations with these students, topics ran the gamut from college life, scholarships, entrepreneurship and what the transition from high school to a university engineering program looks like, all aimed at helping the scholars succeed in STEM. This direct mentorship for students at DSST was similar to what Yohannes and Woldemichael received from Campos themselves.

The work has changed how they think about their own company. Inspired by the impact Marco and Deanna Campos have created through the Campos Foundation, which is funded by 1% of revenue from the Campos companies, Yohannes and Woldemichael have made a similar commitment. They have pledged 1% of their own company's revenue to expand access to STEM education and invest in schools across Eritrea and Ethiopia, the communities that helped shape their lives.

Both students hope their story shows the impact experienced professionals can have on students.

“Marco put his trust in us, even though we’re just students to some people,” Yohannes said. “It’s crazy what can happen when you put your trust in students and what can happen when students take that first step and take initiative.”

Woldemichael hopes this message resonates with professionals reading about their success: “Extend your hand to students. If a student is reaching out on LinkedIn, organize a quick 30-minute call. I think you’ll be really surprised by how motivated or inspired a student will be.”

With the RFP tool now deployed and additional projects in the works, Yohannes and Woldemichael say their ambitions with Campos Process Improvements reaches well beyond one company.

“No large problem is unique to one company. By helping Campos Companies first, we want to shake up the whole industry,” said Woldemichael.

Sami Yohannes and Caleb Woldemichael turned an industry challenge into an AI startup, developing a tool that helps engineering and construction firms streamline the time-consuming RFP process.

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Yohannes and Woldemichael with Campos Foundation scholars in their 2026 summer celebration where they spoke about the transition from high school to college in STEM fields and entrepreneurship in engineering.

CU Engineering brings energy experts together to power the future

Alexander Servantez — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 16:09:31 +0000

CU Engineering brings energy experts together to power the future Alexander Servantez Wed, 08/12/2026 - 10:09

Alexander Servantez

AI data centers. Manufacturing facilities. Quantum computing. Local communities.

The future of each depends on a power grid that can deliver electricity quickly, reliably and efficiently. But meeting that challenge will require more than just better batteries—it will take new partnerships and a shared vision.

Sir M. Stanley Whittingham, distinguished professor of chemistry at Binghampton University and recipient of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry, delivering his keynote talk at the 2026 Battery-Grid Application Workshop.

This summer, those partnerships came to life at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� Battery-Grid Application Workshop. Hosted through the College of Engineering and Applied Science’s (CEAS) Catalyzing Engineering Research Teaming (CERT) program, the all-day event brought academic researchers and professors from universities together with industry leaders, national laboratory experts and other stakeholders to explore the future of battery-enabled power infrastructure.

"We don't want people working in isolation," said Associate Dean for Research Michael Gooseff. "Our goal was to blend different areas of expertise and spark new collaborations that can move technology forward not just for our labs, but for society as a whole."

The event opened with a keynote address by Sir M. Stanley Whittingham, distinguished professor of chemistry at Binghamton University and recipient of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Chemistry. His talk set the stage for discussions on bridging battery science, technological innovation, manufacturing and real-world applications.

From there, the workshop, led by Professor Chunmei Ban of the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering and Professor Bri-Mathias Hodge of the Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering, focused on four key themes: batteries for emerging technologies, manufacturing pathways, accelerated battery discovery and next-generation technologies.

Conference attendees chatting with each other after a workshop session.

A panel of industry practitioners and faculty representatives discussing the future of battery research and innovation.

Conference attendees, including keynote speakers M. Stanley Whittingham (left) and Dr. Jud Virden (standing), sharing ideas in the lobby during lunch.

Industry representatives from Eaton, Forge Nano, Mana Battery, Peak Energy, Prieto Battery, Solid Power, and Xcel Energy shared insights into current technological needs and commercialization opportunities. Faculty members representing institutions such as the Ohio State University, Texas A&M University and University of California San Diego showcased existing research initiatives and OSU Battery Cell R&D Center facilities.

Dr. Jud Virden, laboratory director at the National Laboratory of the Rockies, giving his keynote address at the workshop.

Researchers from the National Laboratory of the Rockies shared their research expertise and ongoing projects aimed at addressing critical energy challenges. Laboratory Director Dr. Jud Virden delivered a keynote presentation highlighting the government's priorities in applied energy research.

“Thanks to CEAS, this workshop brought together professors, national laboratory scientists and industry experts,” said Ban, who is also affiliated with the Materials Science & Engineering Program. “We are entering a new era with rapidly emerging applications and energy storage is a critical technology for enabling them. Bringing together experts with diverse perspectives in one room is exactly how we can accelerate the process and turn lab research into large-scale manufacturing.”

The workshop highlighted a wide range of applications where next-generation batteries could have a transformative impact, from powering AI data centers to electrifying forklifts in Amazon warehouses. While significant scientific and engineering advances are still needed before many of these technologies reach widespread commercial deployment, Ban and Hodge believe ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� is uniquely positioned to help bridge that gap.

Professor Chunmei Ban (left) and Associate Dean for Research Michael Gooseff (middle) at the workshop.

“We’re hearing from industry practitioners that there is no one energy storage technology that works for every application,” said Hodge. “At ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, we bring a new design mentality. We have faculty working at the application level all the way down to the fundamental level, ready to develop various technologies for different use cases, rather than applying them as a one-size-fits-all solution.”

Moving forward, CEAS and the CERT program plan to build on the momentum generated by the workshop by advancing a large-scale proposal for a center focused on battery-grid integration. The envisioned center would further support energy research by accelerating discoveries in battery materials, manufacturing, power electronics and grid planning.

But most of all, it would unite researchers, industry partners and national laboratories in one place—something Gooseff says is crucial to ensuring that promising technologies emerge from laboratories and play a role in the systems that power our everyday lives.

“It’s so easy for us all, especially in academia, to put blinders on and focus solely on our own labs, papers and work,” said Gooseff. “But if we do that, who benefits from it besides us? We need to step out, understand each other’s goals and find new ways to leverage each other’s strengths and ideas for one common purpose.

“This workshop is just the first step on a long journey towards making that happen.”

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ME senior project turns waste heat into clean energy savings

Alexander Servantez — Wed, 25 Mar 2026 20:53:21 +0000

ME senior project turns waste heat into clean energy savings Alexander Servantez Wed, 03/25/2026 - 14:53

Many industrial facilities rely on cryogenic gases for processes such as cooling, materials testing or energy transport. But before those gases can be used, they must be vaporized with electricity-intensive equipment that can cost companies tens of thousands of dollars each year. A team of seniors are working to address that problem by developing a heat-exchange device for their senior capstone project that captures waste heat circulating through refrigeration systems.

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How one engineering alum optimizes clean energy operations before they break

Charles Ferrer — Thu, 05 Feb 2026 15:53:18 +0000

How one engineering alum optimizes clean energy operations before they break Charles Ferrer Thu, 02/05/2026 - 08:53

Aoife Henry (PhDElEngr‘24) is leading Zentus, a startup she founded that addresses a critical challenge in the energy sector: how to prevent costly equipment failures that can bring wind and solar farms offline without warning.

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Researchers redefine hip arthroscopy with breakthrough surgical device

Alexander James Servantez — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 20:00:36 +0000

Researchers redefine hip arthroscopy with breakthrough surgical device Alexander Jame… Fri, 11/14/2025 - 13:00

Research Professor Jacob Segil collaborated with Dr. Omer Mei Dan from the University of Colorado Anschutz School of Medicine to create a redesigned surgical instrument called the CAP-LIFT cannula. The device was recently launched in October, and within the first few weeks used in over 100 successful surgeries.

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��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� ranked No. 1 for launching startups based on university discoveries

Michelle Wiese — Mon, 27 Oct 2025 15:15:14 +0000

��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� ranked No. 1 for launching startups based on university discoveries Michelle Wiese Mon, 10/27/2025 - 09:15

The University of Colorado Boulder reached a historic milestone, launching 35 new companies based on university intellectual property during fiscal year 2024, more than any other U.S. campus that year. In addition to holding the No. 1 spot for that year, the achievement also places ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� No. 2 for the most startups launched in a single year by a U.S. campus.

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Alumni Entrepreneurs

Michelle Wiese — Fri, 06 Jun 2025 17:31:13 +0000

Alumni Entrepreneurs Michelle Wiese Fri, 06/06/2025 - 11:31

Jesse Petersen

In 2024, 35 startups were launched out of labs and research projects at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��, putting the university second only to Stanford University in the number of new ventures. Twenty-two of those were affiliated with CU Engineering, solidifying our role as a leader in innovation on campus.

We’re taking the opportunity to highlight two of our alumni-run startups: Mana Battery, founded in 2023 as a spinout of Chunmei Ban’s laboratory in the Paul M. Rady Department of Mechanical Engineering, and Manifest Technologies, founded as Vitro3D in 2020 by PhD students in electrical engineer and materials scientist Bob McLeod’s lab.

“We’re doing a new form of volumetric additive manufacturing where we create an entire 3D part all at once.”

Camila Uzcategui
(MMatSci’18; PhDMatSci’21), Manifest Technologies

“We’re developing next-generation materials and batteries in order to support low-cost energy storage.”

Tyler Evans
(PhDMechEngr’15; PhDMatSci’15), Mana Battery Inc.

Hear from our alumni entrepreneurs

Alumni founders from Mana Battery and Manifest Technologies talk about why they chose CU Engineering as the place to launch their startup.

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Rentschler, Aspero Medical awarded $4.5M for endoscopy advancement

Alexander James Servantez — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 21:43:46 +0000

Rentschler, Aspero Medical awarded $4.5M for endoscopy advancement Alexander Jame… Tue, 02/11/2025 - 14:43

With the help of a $4.5 million award through the Anschutz Acceleration Initiative, they are working to bring two new products to the market that will transform procedures in the small bowel region.

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CU Engineering announces inaugural Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellows

Caroline Harrah — Tue, 11 Feb 2025 21:30:37 +0000

CU Engineering announces inaugural Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellows Caroline Harrah Tue, 02/11/2025 - 14:30

Max Saffer-Meng, graduate student, and Assistant Professor Anthony Straub, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (CEAE)

Caroline Harrah

The University of Colorado Boulder’s College of Engineering and Applied Science (CEAS) has announced the recipients of its inaugural class of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (I&E) Fellows, a new program designed to support faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students in advancing cutting-edge research with commercial potential. The fellowships are supported by the CEAS I&E initiative and Venture Partners at ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ��.

Assistant Professor, Longji Cui, Department of Mechanical Engineering (MCEN)

Launched in 2025, the fellowships include two tracks: the Faculty & Postdoc/Graduate Student Team Fellowships and the ASCENT Deep Tech Accelerator Fellowships. Both are designed to foster a culture of entrepreneurship within the college by helping researchers translate academic discoveries into real-world impact.

“This inaugural cohort represents the remarkable breadth and depth of innovation within the College of Engineering and Applied Science,” said Wil Srubar, Deming associate dean for innovation and entrepreneurship. “By providing targeted support through these fellowship programs, we aim to empower researchers to transform their groundbreaking ideas into impactful solutions for society.”

Faculty & Postdoc /
Graduate Student Team Fellowships

The Faculty & Postdoc/Graduate Student Team Fellowships support collaborative teams of faculty members and graduate students or postdoctoral researchers. It provides funding, mentorship and access to entrepreneurial resources to help translate new technologies and innovations that have a strong commercialization potential.

Max Saffer-Meng, graduate student, and Assistant Professor Anthony Straub, Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering (CEAE)

The inaugural recipients are:

Max Saffer-Meng, graduate student, and Assistant Professor Anthony Straub (Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering - CEAE)

William Franz, graduate student, and Professor Mark Borden (Department of Biomedical Engineering - BMEN)

Grace McFassel, postdoctoral researcher, and Assistant Professor Kaushik Jayaram (Department of Mechanical Engineering - MCEN)

Yunxuan Zhu, postdoctoral researcher, and Assistant Professor Longji Cui (Department of Mechanical Engineering - MCEN)

Maxwell Conway, graduate student, and Professor Nikolaus Correll (Department of Computer Science - CS)

Tsung-Han Wu, postdoctoral researcher, and Professor Scott Diddams (Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering - ECEE)

These interdisciplinary teams are commercializing several new technologies in areas such as advanced materials, robotics, biomedical devices and carbon capture.

Aoife Henry, graduate student, Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering (ECEE)

ASCENT Deep Tech Accelerator Fellowships

The ASCENT Deep Tech Accelerator Fellowships support individual researchers working on transformative technologies aimed at addressing complex societal challenges. Fellows receive funding and tailored entrepreneurial support through ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� ASCENT Deep Tech Accelerator to advance the development and commercialization of their innovations.

The first ASCENT Fellows are:

Sanghamitra Neogi, associate professor (Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences - AES)

Kian Lopez, graduate student (Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering - ChBE)

Aoife Henry, graduate student (Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering - ECEE)

Laila Fighera Marzall, research faculty (Department of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering - ECEE)

Jason Rivas, graduate student (Department of Materials Science and Engineering - MSE)

Dhiman Nandi, graduate student (Department of Chemistry)

Subrata Pal, graduate student (Department of Chemistry)

These fellows are advancing technologies in areas such as energy systems, advanced manufacturing and materials science.

Learn more about the CEAS Innovation & Entrepreneurship Fellowship programs.

CU Engineering has named the inaugural recipients of its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellows program, which supports faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students in bringing research to market. The fellows, selected for their work in fields like robotics, biomedical devices and advanced materials, receive funding, mentorship and entrepreneurial support to accelerate commercialization.

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5 ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� startups to watch in 2025

Michelle Wiese — Mon, 03 Feb 2025 17:12:41 +0000

5 ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� startups to watch in 2025 Michelle Wiese Mon, 02/03/2025 - 10:12

From July 2023 to June 2024, ��Ҵ�ý�ƽ�� helped to launch 35 new companies based on research at the university. The new businesses are embracing technologies from the worlds of healthcare, agriculture, clean energy and more. Here’s a look at how engineers and scientists, with the help of the university’s commercialization arm Venture Partners, seek to use discoveries from the lab to make a difference in peoples’ lives.

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Entrepreneurship

Engineering students turn industry challenge into AI startup ‘built by engineers, for engineers’

‘Built by engineers, for engineers’

Paying it forward

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CU Engineering brings energy experts together to power the future

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ME senior project turns waste heat into clean energy savings

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How one engineering alum optimizes clean energy operations before they break

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Researchers redefine hip arthroscopy with breakthrough surgical device

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���Ҵ�ý�ƽ������ ranked No. 1 for launching startups based on university discoveries

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Alumni Entrepreneurs

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Rentschler, Aspero Medical awarded $4.5M for endoscopy advancement

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CU Engineering announces inaugural Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellows

Faculty & Postdoc / Graduate Student Team Fellowships

ASCENT Deep Tech Accelerator Fellowships

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