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Julie Penner, an experienced startup founder, mentor, investor and community builder, has been named the new director of the CU �Ǹ�Թ� Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative. The initiative connects, coheres and elevates CU �Ǹ�Թ�’s many innovation and entrepreneurship programs and resources, enhancing the student experience and connections to the community.

Julie Penner

“Julie is a leader in Colorado entrepreneurship. We are fortunate to be joined by someone with such an established record of excellence, and who is a true delight to collaborate with,” said Bryn Rees, senior associate vice chancellor for innovation and partnerships. “I am incredibly excited to work alongside Julie and our many innovation and entrepreneurship colleagues at the university to bring in a new era for CU �Ǹ�Թ�.”��

This position marks a full-circle moment for Penner. As an undergraduate, she and several classmates entered the university’s business plan competition with a startup later named Zeo. The experience of working as a student team supported by mentors and investors to turn an idea into a reality left an indelible mark on her.

“A single entrepreneurial experience can alter the direction of someone’s life,” Penner said. “I want everyone at CU �Ǹ�Թ� to have the opportunity to discover what is possible when they are given the resources, skills and encouragement to build the organizations we need next in the world, be they nonprofits, small businesses or venture-backed startups. Turning good ideas into reality should be for everyone.”

Entrepreneurship has been a throughline in Penner’s career. She earned a JD from Colorado Law and an MBA from the Leeds School of Business. As a graduate student, she helped start CU �Ǹ�Թ�’s New Venture Challenge and has remained connected to the university as a guest lecturer, mentor and entrepreneurship collaborator across campus.

Penner brings more than two decades of experience working with entrepreneurs, accelerators, venture funds, business plan competitions and startup community builders. Her experience includes five years at Techstars �Ǹ�Թ�, one of the world’s leading startup accelerators, and seven years as an Entrepreneur-In-Residence at Telluride Venture Network, working with small businesses, “solo-preneurs” and deep tech founders. For seven years, Penner was a venture partner with two funds, Frazier VC and Next Frontier Capital. Additionally, she has co-organized community events including �Ǹ�Թ� New Tech and the Women’s Venture Challenge. ��

Building momentum and a new direction for the Innovation & Entrepreneurship Initiative

Penner steps into the role with a strong foundation to build on. CU �Ǹ�Թ� is already a cornerstone for one of the world’s premier innovation ecosystems:��

• For fiscal year 2026, 3,605 undergraduate students participated in 34 entrepreneurship courses offered at CU �Ǹ�Թ�.
• In 2027, the New Venture Challenge will celebrate its 20th season, drawing creative problem solvers and entrepreneurs from across and beyond the campus.��
• CU �Ǹ�Թ� has spun out 87 startups from its research labs over the past three years.
• Recent partnerships with Techstars �Ǹ�Թ� and Buff Gold Ventures expand mentorship, educational and funding opportunities for startup founders.

Rees emphasized the next priority for the initiative. “CU �Ǹ�Թ� is not faced with a lack of innovation and entrepreneurship programs, but we do have room to improve the connectivity and navigation across such a collection of opportunities,” he said. “Our early priorities for the initiative include making it easier for our students, faculty, staff and many community partners to participate and find inspiration.”��

Penner’s focus will be to build on those strengths for students, faculty, staff, researchers, alumni and community partners. “We have an incredible opportunity to connect extraordinary people with existing entrepreneurship programs,” she said. “This puts the entrepreneur’s journey at the center of the ecosystem, so everyone knows where to start and how to help support someone’s journey.”

“Entrepreneurship is bigger than startups, and so is an entrepreneurial mindset,” Penner said. “Successful ventures are one measure of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, but so are students who learn to identify opportunities, test assumptions, work across disciplines, build something for the first time, recover from failure and leave CU �Ǹ�Թ� with greater confidence in their ability to shape their own futures.”

Penner will lead the initiative’s efforts to turn that vision into a more connected and accessible entrepreneurial experience across CU �Ǹ�Թ�.