Make a Gift and Translate Discovery into Impact
As the commercialization arm of the ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ, Colorado Springs and Denver campuses (except CU Denver biosciences investigators, who work with Ìý), our mission is to support innovators in translating breakthrough research into market-ready solutions and industry transforming ventures.
Now, we invite you to join us as a catalyst: your philanthropic investment will directly fuel the next wave of entrepreneurs and discoveries that address global challenges in health, sustainability, quantum, advanced materials, aerospace and more. Explore giving opportunities and benefits for individuals and brands, and partner with Venture Partners on growing the next generation of innovators and entrepreneurs.
How to Give
Make an Individual Gift
Give online today to support the next generation of innovators and business leaders driving real-world impact.
Gifts may be outright, multi-year pledges, named endowments or program-restricted, and are managed through the University of Colorado’s philanthropic infrastructure to ensure stewardship and accountability. Donate online today. As an individual and corporate donor to Venture Partners, you will also enjoy:Ìý
- Exclusive Access: Financial supporters are invited behind the scenes to experience CU firsthand. Your gift connects you directly to the discoveries and the innovators shaping tomorrow.
- Brand Exposure Financial supporters gain visibility in CU’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. Event recognition and association with high-impact programs position your brand as a champion of innovation, talent and impact.
You + the Venture Partners Advantage
- Entrepreneurship is a vehicle of social and economic mobility, transforming the lives of the entrepreneurs, their communities and those who use their products.
- Scientific discovery is accelerating, but transforming breakthroughs into market-ready products still lags, and strategic early-stage support is often what turns a promising idea into a high-growth venture.
- As one of the nation's top-ranked Tier 1 research institutions and a leader in startup creation, CU is uniquely positioned to deliver outward impact, but we need the backing of visionary partners.
When you support Venture Partners:
- You de-risk innovation. Early-stage translation is high risk; our support helps ideas thrive from customer discovery to market launch.
- You amplify institutional strength. Sustaining our operations supports CU’s reputation, faculty talent and research engines.
- You reap downstream impact. Economic growth, job creation, improved health, sustainable solutions—your gift helps launch ventures that can create real-world returns.
Venture Partners meets innovators and entrepreneurs where they are and builds companies alongside founders. This includes:
- Management and commercialization of CU Intellectual Property (IP)
- Entrepreneurial training and ecosystem development for CU and beyond
- Translational funding for impactful new technologies and capital for promising startups
- Facilitating mentorship for innovators and industry partnerships with the university
Learn more ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ Our Path to CommercializationÌýÌý
You + Innovators and Entrepreneurs
University of Colorado Boulder biochemistry professor Xuedong Liu was inducted into the National Academy of Inventors this year, recognizing a career of pioneering discoveries and real-world impact. His research on cellular communication has fueled four startups advancing novel treatments for cancer and neurodegenerative diseases.
Mesa Quantum, a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ spinout and leader in quantum sensing, recently announced $3.7 million in seed funding and a $1.9 million grant from SpaceWERX, the innovation arm of the U.S. Space Force. Both investments are fueling the company’s drive toward commercializing chip-scale quantum sensors for multiple applications including next-generation position, navigation and timing solutions.Ìý
Manifest Technologies (prev. Vitro3D), a ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ startup pioneering volumetric 3D printing for life sciences, just closed its first . The hard-won vote of confidence from the investment community will allow the promising new venture to pursue ambitious technical advances while continuing to build critical business capacity.ÌýÌý
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Venture Partners at ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ bridged a historic investment gap to move a deep tech startup a step closer to the marketplace by awarding $100,000 in pre-seed funding to PrecisionTerra, founded by CEOÌýÌý(alum,ÌýÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ Physics). Gopalakrishnan went on to win $144,000 in additional funding for the company in the 2025 New Venture Challenge.
You + Groundbreaking Programming
Venture Partners' signature programming has guided hundreds of innovators toward impact. Explore giving opportunities and benefits for individual programs.Ìý
Part of the National Science Foundation’s nationwide I-CorpsTM program, it equips innovators with entrepreneurial training and customer discovery tools to validate their ideas, reduce risk and accelerate commercialization.
Contact Emily Vogt, director of venture development, to explore giving opportunities.
An initiative that provides grants, expertise and industry engagement to move promising research toward commercialization and societal benefit.
Contact Sarah Hughes, director of the Cener for Translational Research, to explore giving opportunities.
Matches entrepreneurial leaders with breakthrough ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ technologies, providing salary support, training and access to express licensing options to found new startups.
Contact Amy Dodenhoff, director of venture development, to explore giving opportunities.
New! Creative Futures Fellowship
This fellowship offers grants of $5,000-$25,000, along with support and community, toÌýtransform new ideas, creative works and social innovations into positive impact beyond ÃÛÌÒ´«Ã½Æƽâ°æÏÂÔØ.
Contact Jonathan Marenus, director of the Creative Futures Fellowship, to explore giving opportunities.
You + An Ecosystem of Support
Thank You to Our Current Donors
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