CU Technology and Discovery News /venturepartners/ en The materials we rely on every day could become more reliable thanks to AI /venturepartners/2026/09/22/external-news/materials-we-rely-every-day-could-become-more-reliable-thanks-ai <span>The materials we rely on every day could become more reliable thanks to AI</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-09-22T08:14:04-06:00" title="Tuesday, September 22, 2026 - 08:14">Tue, 09/22/2026 - 08:14</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-09/AtomTCAD%20article%20092426.png?h=f8174aee&amp;itok=QLl9NNIg" width="1200" height="800" alt="Gloved hands use a small screwdriver on the exposed circuit board of an opened smartphone"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="align-right image_style-medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <div class="imageMediaStyle medium_750px_50_display_size_"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/medium_750px_50_display_size_/public/2025-07/Sanghamitra%20Neogi%20072425.png?itok=eNqAkyoB" width="750" height="417" alt="Sanghamitra Neogi"> </div> </div> <p class="lead">Tiny carbon particles mixed with rubber in car tires help distribute heat when we speed up on a highway. And billions of nanoscale switches run the chips in our smartphones. But how long will these important materials last?</p><p>A team of physicists and aerospace engineers at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï is working toward a future where artificial intelligence can help answer this question. The scientists created an AI tool that could eventually help engineers design manufactured materials that are more durable and predictable.</p><p dir="ltr"><span>“AI in science is not only about automation, speed or replacing human expertise,â€� said </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sanghamitra-neogi/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Sanghamitra Neogi</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, an associate professor at the&nbsp;</span><a href="/aerospace/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Ann and H.J. Smead Department of Aerospace Engineering Sciences</strong></span></a><span>, who led the research. “In materials science, AI may help researchers reason about hidden physics.â€�</span></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/today/2026/09/22/materials-we-rely-every-day-could-become-more-reliable-thanks-ai" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More: CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï Today</span></a><br>&nbsp;</p><h2>On the path to commercialization</h2><p>Neogi is the founder of AtomTCAD Inc., the CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï startup using AI-enhanced modeling to simulate thermal behavior in nanoscale semiconductors. <span>Neogi and AtomTCAD were part of CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï's 2025 Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator cohort; </span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dqd-Up-bVyk" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>watch her pitch at the culminating showcase here</strong></span></a><span>.</span> In 2025, Neogi <a href="/today/2025/07/23/new-quantum-physics-and-ai-powered-microchip-design-software-awarded-grants" rel="nofollow"><strong>received $150,000 in state grant funding</strong></a> from the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT), matched by $50,000 from Venture Partners.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><hr><p>&nbsp;</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 3"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>What could you do with a CU technology?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and partners with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-right col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <figure class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/2024-09/Aerospace%20technologies%20header%20092524.jpeg?itok=mM_cmJuf" alt="Closeup of a screen showing designs of a jet engine." loading="lazy"> <figcaption class="ucb-paragraph-media__caption" style="text-align: left;"> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default 2"> <div class="ucb-article-row-subrow row"> <div class="ucb-article-content-media ucb-article-content-media-left col-lg"> <div> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--media paragraph--view-mode--default ucb-article-media-paragraph"> <figure class="ucb-paragraph-media__image"> <img class="ucb-article-media-img ucb-article-media-img--original" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/original_image_size/public/callout/3.png?itok=doT5l19a" alt="Two white men in button-up shirts work on a structural device in a lab" loading="lazy"> <figcaption class="ucb-paragraph-media__caption" style="text-align: left;"> </figcaption> </figure> </div> </div> </div> <div class="ucb-article-text col-lg d-flex align-items-center" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.&nbsp;</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>A CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï team led by Sanghamitra Neogi built FluxGAN, a generative AI system that maps how a coating's microscopic structure controls heat flow, a step toward AI tools that could predict when manufactured materials will fail. Neogi's related CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï startup, AtomTCAD, has drawn matching funding support from Venture Partners.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-09/AtomTCAD%20article%20092426.png?itok=8aoemak_" width="1500" height="567" alt="Gloved hands use a small screwdriver on the exposed circuit board of an opened smartphone"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 22 Sep 2026 14:14:04 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2960 at /venturepartners Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for more than $1M in awards /venturepartners/2026/09/15/internal-news/get-front-row-seat-university-colorados-next-big-ideas-competing-more-1m-awards <span>Get a front-row seat to the University of Colorado's next big ideas competing for more than $1M in awards</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-09-15T10:28:30-06:00" title="Tuesday, September 15, 2026 - 10:28">Tue, 09/15/2026 - 10:28</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2025-06/LVC%20article%20thumbnail%20061025b.png?h=0641894f&amp;itok=R2-u_bti" width="1200" height="800" alt="Lab Venture Challenge"> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/361"> CU Commercialization News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/12"> CU Startup News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead" dir="ltr"><span>Twelve teams of University of Colorado faculty researchers, graduate student innovators and entrepreneurs will compete for more than $1 million in early-stage commercialization grants in this year’s&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/lab-venture-challenge" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Lab Venture Challenge (LVC) Showcases</strong></span></a><span> at the Dairy Arts Center. Judges from Venture Partners at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï’s entrepreneurial network will hear Shark Tank-style pitches across two nights, one for innovations in physical sciences and another for biosciences.</span></p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p class="lead"><i class="fa-solid fa-calendar-days ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>Physical Sciences: Wednesday, Oct. 21, 6-8:30 p.m.&nbsp;</strong><br><i class="fa-solid fa-calendar-days ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>Biosciences: Thursday, Oct. 22, 6-8:30 p.m.&nbsp;</strong></p><p><i class="fa-solid fa-location-dot ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>Dairy Arts Center, °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong><br><i class="fa-solid fa-people-group ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>All Are Welcome — CU Affiliation is Not Required</strong><br><i class="fa-solid fa-ticket ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>Tickets Are Free</strong></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-gold ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://thedairy.org/labventure2026/" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Get Free Tickets</span></a></p><p><strong>Add to Calendar:&nbsp;</strong><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-white ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-small" href="https://addcal.co/e/7jay5zegh44r/google" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-brands fa-google">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Google</span></a>&nbsp;<a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-white ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-small" href="https://addcal.co/e/7jay5zegh44r/apple" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-brands fa-apple">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Apple</span></a>&nbsp;<a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-white ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-small" href="https://addcal.co/e/7jay5zegh44r/outlook" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-brands fa-windows">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Outlook</span></a>&nbsp;<a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-white ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-small" href="https://addcal.co/e/7jay5zegh44r/office365" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-brands fa-windows">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Office 365</span></a>&nbsp;<a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-white ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-small" href="https://addcal.co/e/7jay5zegh44r/ics" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-solid fa-download">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;ICS File</span></a></p></div></div></div><p dir="ltr"><span>Through LVC, top innovators from CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï, Denver and Colorado Springs compete for grants of up to $125,000. LVC supports projects that address a commercial need, have a clear path to a compelling market and have strong scientific support. The LVC grants are funded by the&nbsp;</span><a href="https://oedit.colorado.gov/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT) Advanced Industries Program</strong></span></a><span>, as well as Venture Partners and the Chancellor’s Innovation Fund.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>LVC is run by Venture Partners, one of the university’s commercialization arms and a central resource for researchers who wish to translate their work into impactful business and social ventures. LVC finalists are working and collaborating with Venture Partners on their&nbsp;</span><a href="/venturepartners/path-commercialization" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>path to commercialization</strong></span></a><span>.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>“At this early stage, funding is essential, but can be a challenge to obtain," said </span><a href="/venturepartners/about/people/joshua-bennett" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="4e6542b6-a4c4-4f91-819a-8352abb8357c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Joshua Bennett"><span><strong>Joshua Bennett</strong></span></a><span>, director of LVC and assistant director of licensing at Venture Partners. “All of these teams have promising innovations ready to launch new businesses. LVC is a unique opportunity for those innovators to receive that vital funding, and we’re proud to work with the State of Colorado to make it happen."</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>To date, LVC has funded 117 projects through 70 new deep-tech startup companies, which collectively have raised over $691 million in follow-on financing, </span><span lang="EN-US">including Arkana Therapeutics, </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/mesa-quantum-systems-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="880a4316-8328-4ae9-8f4a-bab637d77715" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Mesa Quantum Systems Inc."><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Mesa Quantum</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> and </span><a href="/venturepartners/startup-portfolio/forge-nano-inc" data-entity-type="node" data-entity-uuid="d91f0df1-7e42-4c7a-839c-b829cf75653c" data-entity-substitution="canonical" rel="nofollow" title="Forge Nano Inc. "><span lang="EN-US"><strong>Forge Nano</strong></span></a><span lang="EN-US"> — CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï's 11th unicorn spinout.</span></p><p dir="ltr"><span>Members of the entrepreneurial and university communities are invited to attend the LVC Showcases to enjoy good food, network and see which teams will walk away with funding for their groundbreaking work.</span></p><div><div><h2><span>2026 LVC Finalists</span></h2></div><div><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>Showcase Pitch Presenters |&nbsp;</strong><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;<strong>Contact for Project Inquiries</strong><br>&nbsp;</div><h3><strong>Physical Sciences Finalists</strong></h3><h4><strong>AI-Accelerated Advanced Battery Materials</strong></h4><p><span>Developing a new class of high-energy, beyond-lithium battery active materials made entirely from earth-abundant, domestically sourced elements. By integrating ML/AI with proprietary advanced crystal-structure engineering, their materials enable energy parity with conventional lithium systems at a fraction of the cost. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/orvaenergy" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Orva Energy</strong></span></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/evanflitz" rel="nofollow"><strong>Evan Flitz</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, PhD Candidate of <a href="/chbe/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Chemical and Biological Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Co-Founder and Principal Materials Engineer of Orva Energy, <a href="mailto:evan@orvaenergy.com" rel="nofollow"><strong>evan@orvaenergy.com</strong></a>&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/chunmei-b-10b4171a" rel="nofollow"><strong>Chunmei Ban</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/mechanical/chunmei-ban" rel="nofollow"><strong>Professor of Mechanical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Advisor of Orva Energy</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/cooper-tezak-75a15b165" rel="nofollow"><strong>Cooper Tezak</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, PhD Alum of <a href="/engineering/academics/degree-programs/chemical-engineering" rel="nofollow"><strong>Chemical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, <span>Scientific Advisor at Orva Energy&nbsp;</span></li></ul><h5><span>In the News</span></h5><ul><li><a href="https://www.nlr.gov/news/detail/program/2026/from-tony-stark-to-obi-wan-kenobi-meet-4-(of-7)-west-gate-fellows-and-their-technologies" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>From Tony Stark to Obi-Wan Kenobi: Meet 4 (of 7) West Gate Fellows and Their Technologies</strong></span></a> (2026, National Laboratory of the Rockies)</li></ul><h4>An Autonomous Optical Clock</h4><p><span>Ptarmigan is developing the autonomous optical clock, the first clock to eliminate the environmental and calibration constraints that have kept optical clocks bespoke devices. For the first time, optical precision can be manufactured at scale and deployed as network infrastructure for distributed sensing, quantum systems and national security. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ptarmigan-clockworks/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Ptarmigan Clockworks Inc.</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjamin-hunt-0a9415309/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Benjamin Hunt</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="https://www.nist.gov/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Graduate Research Assistant at NIST</strong></a> and Graduate Student of <a href="/physics/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Physics at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder and CEO of <span>Ptarmigan Clockworks</span>, <a href="mailto:benjamin.hunt@ptarmigan-clockworks.com" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>benjamin.hunt@ptarmigan-clockworks.com</strong></span></a>&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipashley/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Phillip Klein</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, Commercialization for Ptarmigan Clockworks&nbsp;</span></li><li><span>Andrew Ludlow, </span><a href="https://www.nist.gov/people/andrew-ludlow" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Neutral Atom Optical Clock Group Leader at NIST</strong></span></a><span>, Scientific Advisor</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jun-ye-57aa3088/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Jun Ye</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/physics/jun-ye" rel="nofollow"><strong>Professor Adjoint of Physics at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a> and <a href="/jila/jun-ye" rel="nofollow"><strong>Fellow at JILA</strong></a>, Scientific Advisor</li></ul><h4>Intelligent Electronic Skin Transforming Prosthetic Diagnostics</h4><p><span>Intelligent liquid-metal electronic skin embedded in prosthetic sockets for real-time pressure mapping. AI-driven analytics learn each patient’s pressure patterns to predict socket issues before they cause pain. This affordable, scalable system gives prosthetists data-driven insights to improve socket fit and daily comfort. The team has formed a startup, RheoSynapse Inc., to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li>Jianliang Xiao, <a href="/mechanical/jianliang-xiao" rel="nofollow"><strong>Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder of <span>RheoSynapse</span>, <a href="mailto:Jianliang.Xiao@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><strong>jianliang.xiao@colorado.edu</strong></a><strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></a></li><li>Dhileep Kumar Jayashankar, PhD Candidate in <a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Mechanical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Lead Researcher&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><span>Ruili Zhang, Graduate Student of </span><a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Mechanical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></span></a></li></ul><h5><span>Read More °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï the Science</span></h5><ul><li><a href="https://spj.science.org/doi/10.34133/2021/9846036" rel="nofollow"><strong>Stretchable, Rehealable, Recyclable, and Reconfigurable Integrated Strain Sensor for Joint Motion and Respiration Monitoring</strong></a> (2021, Research)</li><li><a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41528-023-00272-1" rel="nofollow"><strong>Deep-learning-assisted printed liquid metal sensory system for wearable applications and boxing training</strong></a> (2023, npj Flexible Electronics)</li></ul><h4>Optical Timekeeping Made Portable: The Single-Chip Acoustic-Optoelectronic Oscillator</h4><p><span>A chip-scale microwave oscillator that generates exceptionally pure signal tones by circulating energy between sound and light on a single chip. By amplifying the sound waves directly on-chip — with no electronics in the loop — the device targets the signal purity of room-sized precision oscillators in a package small enough for portable radar, navigation and communications.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dmblesko/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Daniel Lesko</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Research Scientist in <a href="/ecee/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Engineer&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-eichenfield-0637554/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Matt Eichenfield</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, PI, <a href="/ecee/matt-eichenfield" rel="nofollow"><strong>Endowed Chair in Quantum Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, <a href="mailto:matt.eichenfield@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><strong>matt.eichenfield@colorado.edu</strong></a><strong>&nbsp;</strong><a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></a></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/scott-diddams-7bb1081ab/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Scott Diddams</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/ecee/scott-diddams" rel="nofollow"><strong>Professor of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Scientific Advisor</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kiyan-hocek/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Kiyan Hocek</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, PhD Student of <a href="/ecee/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Engineer</li></ul><h4>Practical Post-Quantum Cryptography for Resource-Constrained Networks and Devices</h4><p><span>New quantum-resistant algorithms have been developed that prevent quantum computers from breaking the public-key algorithms that secure almost all internet communications. This technology works where these new public-key algorithms do not: low-power IoT devices and limited-bandwidth networks. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="http://www.choyu.net/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Choyu Networks Inc.</strong></span></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellioteichen/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Elliot Eichen</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/cs/elliot-eichen" rel="nofollow"><strong>Research Associate of Computer Science at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder and CTO of Choyu Networks, <a href="mailto:elliot.eichen@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>elliot.eichen@colorado.edu</strong></span></a>&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mcollier7/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Matt Collier</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Co-Founder and CBO of Choyu Networks</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/marcojrubin/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Marco Rubin</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Co-Founder and Investment Advisor of Choyu Networks</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvia-llosa/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Sylvia Llosa</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, PhD Candidate in <a href="/ecee/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Cryptography SME</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/richarddixongunboat/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Richard Dixon</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Marketing for Choyu Networks</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/yueqi-chen-a9247aa3/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Yueqi Chen</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/cs/yueqi-chen" rel="nofollow"><strong>Assistant Professor of Computer Science at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Advisor</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sangtaeha/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Sangtae Ha</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/cs/sangtae-ha" rel="nofollow"><strong>Associate Professor of Computer Science at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Advisor</li></ul><h4>Tunable 3D-Printed Helmet Liners for Multi-Impact Protection</h4><p><span>Reimagined helmet protection with a 3D-printed liner computationally tuned by sport, helmet region and impact type. Its plate-lattice structure is designed to manage repeated hits and severe impacts alike. Peer-reviewed research showed up to 6x greater energy absorption than conventional foams at equal density—performance being translated into next-generation helmet protection. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="https://fortifyd.io/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Fortifyd LLC</strong></span></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hamteri/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Teri Ham</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/venturepartners/embark" rel="nofollow"><strong>Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator</strong></a> and BS Alum of <a href="/business/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Business at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Co-Founder and CEO of Fortifyd, <a href="mailto:hamteri@gmail.com" rel="nofollow"><strong>hamteri@gmail.com</strong></a>&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/robert-maccurdy-2887876a/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Robert MacCurdy</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/mechanical/robert-maccurdy" rel="nofollow"><strong>Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI and <span>Technical Advisor</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/charles-colson-wade/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Charles Wade</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Master of Science Alum and PhD Student of <a href="/cs/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Computer Science at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Lead Software Engineer at Fortifyd</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daphne-felt/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Daphne Felt</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Graduate Student of <a href="/mechanical/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Mechanical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Lead Product Engineer at Fortifyd</li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/elisselockhart/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Elisse Lockhart</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Product Strategy and Commercialization Leader at Fortifyd</li></ul><h4><span>Read More °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï the Science</span></h4><ul><li><a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/admt.202301668" rel="nofollow"><strong>Tunable Metamaterials for Impact Mitigation</strong></a> (2024, Advanced Materials Technologies)</li><li><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S2214860423005250?via%3Dihub" rel="nofollow"><strong>OpenVCAD: An open-source volumetric multi-material geometry compiler</strong></a> (2024, Additive Manufacturing)</li><li><a href="https://advanced.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/adma.202308491" rel="nofollow"><strong>Digital Multiphase Composites via Additive Manufacturing</strong></a> (2024, Advanced Materials)</li></ul><h3>Biosciences Finalists</h3><h4>AI-Designed Biomaterials for Regenerative Medicine</h4><p><span>Cell therapies are grown in Matrigel, an undefined mouse tumor extract that varies lot to lot; every alternative is one formulation sold for every use. Regelife uses machine learning to design the matrix around the cell, turning 18 months of trial and error into one kit. In ALS, the matrix decides whether transplanted neurons survive. Built on Anseth Lab hydrogel chemistry at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="https://regelife.bio" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Regelife Inc.</strong></span></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/kristi-anseth-58611275/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Kristi S. Anseth</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/chbe/kristi-s-anseth" rel="nofollow"><strong>Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder and CSO of <span>Regelife</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/hao-mark-ma/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Mark Ma</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Co-Founder and CEO of <span>Regelife</span>, <a href="mailto:mark@regelife.bio" rel="nofollow"><strong>mark@regelife.bio</strong></a>&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li>Hideyuki Okano, Scientific Co-Founder of <span>Regelife</span></li></ul><h4><span>A Real-Time Screening Platform for Drugs Targeting Transcription Regulators</span></h4><p><span>RIFT (Real-time In vitro Fluorescent Transcription), developed in the Taatjes Lab at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï, enables direct visualization of individual drug-target interactions in real time, distinguishing on-target from off-target activity to improve drug screening ahead of clinical trials. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="https://enlixabio.com/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Enlixa Bio Inc.</strong></span></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/nikhilc/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Nik Chopra</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/venturepartners/embark" rel="nofollow"><strong>Embark Startup Founder</strong></a>, Co-Founder and CEO of Enlixa Bio, <a href="mailto:nik@enlixabio.com" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>nik@enlixabio.com</strong></span></a><span>&nbsp;</span><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/dylan-taatjes-9708a114/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Dylan Taatjes</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/biochemistry/dylan-taatjes" rel="nofollow"><strong>Professor of Biochemistry at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI, Founding Scientist of Enlixa Bio</li></ul><h5><span>Read More °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï the Science</span></h5><ul><li><a href="https://www.cell.com/cell-reports/fulltext/S2211-1247(25)01022-8" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Real-time visualization of reconstituted transcription reveals RNAPII activation mechanisms at single promoters</strong></span></a><span> (2025, Cell Reports)</span></li></ul><h4><span>EYA Degraders: Releasing the Immune Brake in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer</span></h4><p><span>Triple-negative breast cancer resists immunotherapy because tumor-associated macrophages are reprogrammed to shield it. The team discovered that eliminating a single protein, EYA3, from those macrophages shrinks tumors in mice and draws cancer-killing T cells inward. They are now building bifunctional molecules that destroy EYA3 outright, making immunologically cold tumors treatable. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="https://sieyaxbio.wordpress.com/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Sieyax Inc.</strong></span></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><span>Xiang Wang,</span> <a href="/chemistry/xiang-wang" rel="nofollow"><strong>Associate Professor of Chemistry at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a><span>, PI, Co-Founder and Co-CSO of Sieyax, </span><a href="mailto:xiang.wang@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>xiang.wang@colorado.edu</strong></span></a><span>&nbsp;</span><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><span>Heide Ford, </span><a href="https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/pharmacology/faculty/primary-faculty/heide-ford-phd" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Endowed Chair and Professor of Pharmacology at CU Anschutz</strong></span></a><span>, Co-Founder and Co-CSO of Sieyax</span></li><li><span>Rui Zhao, </span><a href="https://medschool.cuanschutz.edu/biochemistry/people/primary-faculty/zhao-rui" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Professor of Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics at CU Anschutz</strong></span></a><span>, Co-Founder and Co-CSO of Sieyax</span></li><li><span>Ginny Orndorff, Co-Founder and CEO of Sieyax</span></li></ul><h5><span>Read More °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï the Science</span></h5><ul><li><a href="https://chemistry-europe.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/cmdc.202400179" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Rational Design of Novel Allosteric EYA2 Inhibitors as Potential Therapeutics for Multiple Brain Cancers</strong></span></a><span> (2024, ChemMedChem)</span></li><li><a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.07.22.739910v1" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Genetic and Pharmacologic Targeting of Eya3 in Macrophages Drives Anti-Tumor Immunity in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer</strong></span></a><span> (2026, bioRxiv)</span></li></ul><h4><span>Long-Acting, Non-Opioid Therapy for Chronic Pain</span></h4><p><span>A long-acting non-opioid analgesic that selectively targets CaV3.2 to provide sustained relief from chronic pain without abuse liability. The team has formed a startup, </span><a href="https://anesabio.com/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>AnesaBio</strong></span></a><span>, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li>Michael Stowell, <a href="/mcdb/michael-stowell" rel="nofollow"><strong>Professor of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder and CSO of <span>AnesaBio, </span><a href="mailto:Michael.Stowell@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>michael.stowell@colorado.edu</strong></span></a><span>&nbsp;</span><i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li>Slobodan Todorovic, <a href="https://som.cuanschutz.edu/Profiles/Faculty/Profile/24028" rel="nofollow"><strong>Professor of Anesthesiology at CU Anschutz</strong></a>, Co-Founder and CMO of <span>AnesaBio</span></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/sam-kintz-1716b411" rel="nofollow"><strong>Sam Kintz</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, Advisor</li><li>Joe Lyssikatos, Advisor</li></ul><h5><span>Read More °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï the Science</span></h5><ul><li><a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.03.631165v2" rel="nofollow"><strong>Facilitation of CaV3.2 channel gating in pain pathways reveals a novel mechanism of serum-induced hyperalgesia</strong></a> (2025, bioRxiv)</li></ul><h4>Microgravity Manufacturing of Next-Generation Stem Cell Therapies</h4><p><span>A microgravity biomanufacturing platform designed to expand umbilical cord blood stem cells for treating blood cancers. By keeping cells naturally suspended without mechanical agitation, the technology aims to preserve their therapeutic advantages while producing enough cells to treat adult patients, unlocking the potential of cord blood transplantation. The team has formed a startup, Opera Space LLC, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/stutoz/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Stuart Tozer</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/center/bioserve" rel="nofollow"><strong>Associate Director of BioServe Space Technologies at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, Co-Founder of Opera Space LLC, <a href="mailto:stuart.tozer@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><strong>stuart.tozer@colorado.edu</strong></a>&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-star ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i><i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/tobiasniederwieser/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Tobias Niederwieser</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="/aerospace/tobias-niederwieser" rel="nofollow"><strong>Assistant Research Professor of Bioastronautics</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder of Opera Space LLC</li></ul><h4>Novel Electromechanics Biomarkers for Cartilage Health Diagnostics</h4><p><span>A noninvasive MRI technique that reveals cartilage's hidden electrical and mechanical signatures under joint loading, detecting early degeneration years before it appears on standard scans. This new biomarker could help diagnose osteoarthritis risk sooner and track whether emerging joint-preserving therapies are actually working. The team has formed a startup, Potentis Imaging, to bring their innovation to market.</span></p><ul><li>Corey Neu, <a href="/mechanical/corey-neu" rel="nofollow"><strong>Professor of Mechanical Engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>, PI, Co-Founder of <span>Potentis Imaging, </span><a href="mailto:cpneu@colorado.edu" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>cpneu@colorado.edu</strong></span></a>&nbsp;<i class="fa-solid fa-address-book ucb-icon-color-gold">&nbsp;</i></li><li>Yassmeen Youssef, Co-Founder of <span>Potentis Imaging</span></li></ul></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>The Lab Venture Challenge at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï has announced the 2026 finalists of bio- and physical sciences innovators to pitch their ideas to a live audience at the Dairy Arts Center for more than $1 million in awards.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2024-10/LVC%20article%20title%20image%20100124.png?itok=UZ9hMb3H" width="1500" height="844" alt="Lab Venture Challenge"> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 15 Sep 2026 16:28:30 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2952 at /venturepartners $1.2M National Science Foundation award backs self-healing concrete repair technology /venturepartners/2026/08/25/internal-news/12m-national-science-foundation-award-backs-self-healing-concrete-repair-technology <span>$1.2M National Science Foundation award backs self-healing concrete repair technology</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-08-25T13:19:29-06:00" title="Tuesday, August 25, 2026 - 13:19">Tue, 08/25/2026 - 13:19</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-09/MIja%20Hubler%20and%20Elena%20Forchielli%20090326.JPG?h=ade04f22&amp;itok=nA5cMGQ-" width="1200" height="800" alt="Two women in navy lab coats and safety glasses examine a circular, gel-like substance held up to the light in a laboratory, both smiling as they look closely at it, with lab equipment and shelving visible in the background."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/397"> CU Innovators News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="small-text">Photo: Elena Forchielli and Mija Hubler in their CU lab.</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-left ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title"><strong>Secure Non-Dilutive Funding with the Center for Translational Research</strong></div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p><span>As a resource for startups partnering with or originating from the university seeking non-dilutive funding—including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards—the center advises on best practices for securing non-dilutive capital, provides market research and industry analysis and offers proposal editing and critique.</span></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support/center-translational-research" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><span>Visit the CTR Website</span></span></a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><span>The U.S. National Science Foundation has awarded $1,199,341 to a °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï research team developing Regenerative Concrete Repair (RCR), a bacterial nanocellulose composite that repairs both active and dormant cracks in concrete infrastructure. </span><a href="https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2613230" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>The three-year award</strong></span></a><span>&nbsp;is through the Translate track of the </span><a href="https://www.nsf.gov/funding/opportunities/nsf-ttp-national-science-foundation-translation-practice" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Translation to Practice (TTP) program</strong></span></a><span>, administered by NSF's </span><a href="https://www.nsf.gov/tip/latest" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Directorate for Technology, Innovation and Partnerships (NSF TIP)</strong></span></a><span>.</span></p><p><span>Existing repair methods are often complex, labor-intensive and prone to failure, causing many agencies to defer needed maintenance; RCR is designed to tolerate real-world variability in crack behavior and installation conditions, making preventive maintenance feasible at scale for the nation's aging concrete infrastructure. As part of its public engagement plan, the team will place QR codes on municipal sidewalks so passersby can learn about the science behind the repairs as the technology moves toward commercialization.</span></p><p><span>RCR is being developed in the laboratory of </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/mija-hubler-987b9159/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Mija H. Hubler</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, </span><a href="/ceae/mija-h-hubler" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>associate professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></span></a><span>, with co-principal investigators </span><a href="/ceae/wil-v-srubar" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Wil V. Srubar</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, </span><a href="/ceae/wil-v-srubar" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>professor of civil, environmental and architectural engineering at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></span></a><span>&nbsp;and </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/eforchielli/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Elena Forchielli</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, co-founder and CEO of </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/ripalith/" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>RipaLith</strong></span><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a><span>, the CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï startup commercializing the technology through the </span><a href="/venturepartners/embark" rel="nofollow"><span><strong>Embark Deep Tech Startup Creator</strong></span></a><span>.</span></p><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>What could CU research do for you?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners connects entrepreneurs and companies—from early-stage startups to the Fortune 500—with more than 1,500 CU technologies ready to license and bring to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>If you're a CU researcher or inventor, Venture Partners guides you from idea to market—IP protection, funding, mentorship and licensing.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>NSF has awarded $1.2 million to a CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï research team developing Regenerative Concrete Repair (RCR), a bacterial nanocellulose composite that repairs both active and dormant cracks in concrete infrastructure.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-09/MIja%20Hubler%20and%20Elena%20Forchielli%20090326.JPG?itok=S7xSdogi" width="1500" height="1000" alt="Two women in navy lab coats and safety glasses examine a circular, gel-like substance held up to the light in a laboratory, both smiling as they look closely at it, with lab equipment and shelving visible in the background."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 25 Aug 2026 19:19:29 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2939 at /venturepartners CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï window insulation technology wins R&D World recognition /venturepartners/2026/08/03/external-news/cu-boulder-window-insulation-technology-wins-rd-world-recognition <span>CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï window insulation technology wins R&amp;D World recognition</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-08-04T12:55:56-06:00" title="Tuesday, August 4, 2026 - 12:55">Tue, 08/04/2026 - 12:55</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-01/MOCHI%20article%20010625.png?h=7b436a88&amp;itok=459hL7o_" width="1200" height="800" alt="A person holds a clear, octagonal laboratory sample labeled “PENTAPANE MOCHI IGUâ€� in front of their face, looking through the transparent material as it frames their eyes and facial features."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p><span>R&amp;D World—The CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï-developed technology,&nbsp;M<strong>esoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulators (MOCHIs)</strong>, has received a 2026 R&amp;D 100 Special Recognition Award in Green Tech. Described as "frozen air," MOCHIs combine exceptional transparency with record-setting thermal insulation, transmitting more than 99.5% of visible light while outperforming even the aerogels developed for NASA's Mars rovers in thermal insulation. The technology has the potential to improve the energy efficiency of windows and skylights, enable high-performance glazing retrofits, enhance solar thermal energy harvesting and prevent condensation on super-insulated vehicle windshields.</span></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://www.rdworldonline.com/announcing-the-2026-rd-100-special-recognition-green-tech-winners/" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-up-right-from-square">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Read More From R&amp;D World</span></a></p><h2><span>New window insulation blocks heat, but not your view</span></h2><p>Physicists at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï have designed a new material for insulating windows that could improve the energy efficiency of buildings worldwide—and it works a bit like a high-tech version of Bubble Wrap.</p><p>The team’s material, called Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulator, or MOCHI, comes in large slabs or thin sheets that can be applied to the inside of any window. So far, the team only makes the material in the lab, and it’s not available for consumers. But the researchers say MOCHI is long-lasting and is almost completely transparent.</p><p>That means it won’t disrupt your view, unlike many insulating materials on the market today,</p><p>“To block heat exchange, you can put a lot of insulation in your walls, but windows need to be transparent,â€� said Ivan Smalyukh, senior author of the study and a <a href="/soft-matter-physics/people/people/ivan-i-smalyukh" rel="nofollow"><strong>professor of physics at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï</strong></a>. “Finding insulators that are transparent is really challenging.â€�</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/today/2025/12/11/new-window-insulation-blocks-heat-not-your-view" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read More From CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï Today</span></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>What could you do with a CU technology?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and partners with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.&nbsp;</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><br>&nbsp;</p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>R&amp;D World—The CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï-developed technology,&nbsp;Mesoporous Optically Clear Heat Insulators (MOCHIs), has received a 2026 R&amp;D 100 Special Recognition Award in Green Tech. Described as "frozen air," MOCHIs combine exceptional transparency with record-setting thermal insulation, transmitting more than 99.5% of visible light </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-01/MOCHI%20article%20010625.png?itok=_rnYGAnW" width="1500" height="844" alt="A person holds a clear, octagonal laboratory sample labeled “PENTAPANE MOCHI IGUâ€� in front of their face, looking through the transparent material as it frames their eyes and facial features."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Tue, 04 Aug 2026 18:55:56 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2927 at /venturepartners Pythons' extreme biology may hold clues for treating human disease /venturepartners/2026/07/13/external-news/pythons-extreme-biology-may-hold-clues-treating-human-disease <span>Pythons' extreme biology may hold clues for treating human disease</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-07-13T13:58:35-06:00" title="Monday, July 13, 2026 - 13:58">Mon, 07/13/2026 - 13:58</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-07/Arkana%20article%20072026.png?h=990a14b1&amp;itok=70OMjrNx" width="1200" height="800" alt="A person holds a large ball python coiled around their hands and forearms outdoors on a grassy lawn. The snake has gray, tan and dark brown patterned scales, with its head extending outward as it is gently supported."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>When Skip Maas first adopted Agrapina, a mottled ball python, she hadn't eaten in 14 months.</p><p>But as he soon observed, she was still a taut coil of spring-loaded muscle. Presented with a rat, she struck quickly, constricted it and then gorged on her meal.</p><p>And then her body performed another feat pythons are known for: It accelerated its metabolism dramatically to deal with the sudden influx of protein and fats, says Maas, "to help break down that meal and extract all of its nutrients."</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://www.npr.org/2026/07/13/nx-s1-5887668/pythons-metabolism-digestion-human-disease-treatment" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-up-right-from-square">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Read and Listen to More from NPR</span></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>What could you do with a CU technology?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and partners with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.&nbsp;</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>NPR's Short Wave—CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï researchers are uncovering how pythons' remarkable biology—from reversing heart growth to preserving muscle during months of fasting—could lead to new therapies for heart disease, age-related muscle loss and obesity. Their discoveries have also helped launch CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï startup Arkana Therapeutics to translate these evolutionary adaptations into medicines.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-07/Arkana%20article%20072026.png?itok=xG3ho-Bf" width="1500" height="999" alt="A person holds a large ball python coiled around their hands and forearms outdoors on a grassy lawn. The snake has gray, tan and dark brown patterned scales, with its head extending outward as it is gently supported."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Mon, 13 Jul 2026 19:58:35 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2912 at /venturepartners WATCH: Google Maps for space—how a 20 Twenties winner built HoloAstro /venturepartners/2026/07/09/external-news/watch-now-google-maps-space-how-20-twenties-winner-built-holoastro <span>WATCH: Google Maps for space—how a 20 Twenties winner built HoloAstro</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-07-09T13:01:48-06:00" title="Thursday, July 9, 2026 - 13:01">Thu, 07/09/2026 - 13:01</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-07/HoloAstra%20screencap%20072026b.png?h=d1cb525d&amp;itok=50-Qvu5t" width="1200" height="800" alt="Illustration of a lunar transfer trajectory overlaid in augmented reality inside a modern university atrium. A yellow orbital path loops across the space with labels showing transfer parameters, including “Transfer 2,â€� delta-v and flight time, while students walk through the building in the background."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/397"> CU Innovators News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/12"> CU Startup News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="field_media_oembed_video"><iframe src="/venturepartners/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/ht_vHjXTZV0%3Fsi%3DwAVIARfjx17rk6U4&amp;max_width=516&amp;max_height=350&amp;hash=IcKn0Buh2CF6el7RnROIw0qst5mwJVpuqlsrAewAFxA" width="516" height="290" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="Google Maps for Space: How a 20 Twenties Winner Built HoloAstro"></iframe> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p><p class="lead"><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/daviddezellturner/" rel="nofollow"><strong>David Dezell Turner</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï PhD candidate in astrodynamics and satellite navigation, shares how winning the 2024 20 Twenties award became the catalyst for founding <a href="http://holoastro.com/" rel="nofollow"><strong>HoloAstro</strong></a>—a revolutionary augmented reality tool that's transforming space mission design.</p><p class="lead">&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>What could you do with a CU technology?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and partners with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.&nbsp;</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Aviation Week—David Dezell Turner, CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï PhD candidate in astrodynamics and satellite navigation, shares how winning the 2024 20 Twenties award became the catalyst for founding HoloAstro—a revolutionary augmented reality tool that's transforming space mission design.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-07/HoloAstra%20screencap%20072026b.png?itok=BttaKcTP" width="1500" height="844" alt="Illustration of a lunar transfer trajectory overlaid in augmented reality inside a modern university atrium. A yellow orbital path loops across the space with labels showing transfer parameters, including “Transfer 2,â€� delta-v and flight time, while students walk through the building in the background."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 09 Jul 2026 19:01:48 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2908 at /venturepartners Larisza Krista awarded $600,000 NSF grant to translate coronal mass ejections research /venturepartners/2026/06/25/external-news/larisza-krista-awarded-600000-nsf-grant-translate-coronal-mass-ejections-research <span>Larisza Krista awarded $600,000 NSF grant to translate coronal mass ejections research</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-06-25T13:43:10-06:00" title="Thursday, June 25, 2026 - 13:43">Thu, 06/25/2026 - 13:43</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-08/0e32c54e-5ba4-4625-ad99-c47b7e31d1c3.png?h=249f8d98&amp;itok=ntBWe3ZY" width="1200" height="800" alt="Close-up image of the sun showing bright arcs and loops of superheated plasma extending from its surface during a coronal mass ejection. The glowing orange and yellow solar disk is surrounded by fiery prominences against the blackness of space."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/397"> CU Innovators News </a> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-left ucb-box-alignment-right ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title"><strong>Secure Non-Dilutive Funding with the Center for Translational Research</strong></div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p><span>As a resource for startups partnering with or originating from the university seeking non-dilutive funding—including Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) awards—the center advises on best practices for securing non-dilutive capital, provides market research and industry analysis and offers proposal editing and critique.</span></p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-full ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators/funding-opportunities-and-support/center-translational-research" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><span>Visit the CTR Website</span></span></a></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><p><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/larisza-krista-5038b91/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Larisza Krista</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>, <a href="https://cires.colorado.edu/people/larisza-krista" rel="nofollow"><strong>research scientist at CIRES at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï,</strong></a> was awarded a $600,000 U.S. National Science Foundation Translation to Practice—Explore (NSF TTP-E) grant to translate fundamental research on coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from their low-corona signatures to their effects near Earth, establishing actionable parameters for operational space weather forecasting and contributing to next-generation space weather warning systems that help protect satellites, aviation and power grids—including <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fheliotoday.com%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cdaniel.leonard%40colorado.edu%7C61d87a0617ad4181810308deefb8099c%7C3ded8b1b070d462982e4c0b019f46057%7C1%7C0%7C639211770948502210%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=DDIznbLSqedgjMBjUZff8w1mhL0mJsVn2aCaOiassgs%3D&amp;reserved=0" rel="nofollow"><strong>Helio Today</strong></a> (by <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/heliotoday/" rel="nofollow"><strong>Helio Physics</strong><i class="fa-brands fa-linkedin">&nbsp;</i></a>), the forecasting platform founded by Krista, which integrates her patented flare-forecasting technology, DEFT.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/show-award/?AWD_ID=2400789" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-up-right-from-square">&nbsp;</i><strong>&nbsp;View the NSF Award Details</strong></span></a></p><h2>CIRES scientist Larisza Krista fuels new space weather forecasts with Helio Today</h2><p>CIRES research advances space weather forecasting through the observation, modeling, and interpretation of solar eruptions and geomagnetic storms. These events can cause major disturbances to Earth’s magnetic field, impacting power grids, communications, satellites, and the health of airplane crew and astronauts in space. As our reliance on orbital infrastructure grows, the economic risk of a single unpredicted solar event now totals in the billions.</p><p>Building on decades of experience in this space, CIRES Senior Research Scientist Larisza Krista identified a gap between what public forecasting systems provide and what commercial industries need: while probabilistic forecasts alert that a disruption might happen or is already underway, operators require early alerts, consistency, and improved certainty. To meet this need, Krista created Helio Today to identify the early physical triggers and signs of solar phenomena and provide deterministic arrival windows and magnitudes that help operators respond effectively.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://cires.colorado.edu/news/cires-scientist-larisza-krista-fuels-new-space-weather-forecasts-helio-today" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Full Story from CIRES</span></a></p></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>Larisza Krista, research scientist at CIRES at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï, was awarded a $600,000 National Science Foundation Translation to Practice—Explore (NSF TTP-E) grant to translate fundamental research on coronal mass ejections (CMEs).</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-08/0e32c54e-5ba4-4625-ad99-c47b7e31d1c3.png?itok=NsJWYvYC" width="1500" height="1416" alt="Close-up image of the sun showing bright arcs and loops of superheated plasma extending from its surface during a coronal mass ejection. The glowing orange and yellow solar disk is surrounded by fiery prominences against the blackness of space."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 25 Jun 2026 19:43:10 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2925 at /venturepartners Growing stem cells in space to improve cancer and disease treatments /venturepartners/2026/05/28/growing-stem-cells-space-improve-cancer-and-disease-treatments <span>Growing stem cells in space to improve cancer and disease treatments</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-28T16:39:58-06:00" title="Thursday, May 28, 2026 - 16:39">Thu, 05/28/2026 - 16:39</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-06/NASA%20ISS%20article%20061126.png?h=328780b6&amp;itok=fjUVYWhi" width="1200" height="800" alt="Researcher works inside a sealed laboratory glovebox, handling biological samples and equipment while wearing protective gloves and a headset. The enclosed workspace helps maintain a sterile, controlled environment for sensitive experiments."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p>NASA—Research led by Tobias Niederwieser, assistant research professor in CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï's BioServe Space Technologies, is exploring how microgravity can enable the large-scale production of high-quality blood stem cells aboard the International Space Station. The work could improve treatments for blood cancers, immune disorders and other diseases by creating more reliable supplies of stem cells for patients on Earth.</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/iss-research/growing-stem-cells-in-space-to-improve-cancer-and-disease-treatments/" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-up-right-from-square">&nbsp;</i><strong>&nbsp;Read More From NASA</strong></span></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>What could you do with a CU technology?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and partners with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.&nbsp;</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>NASA—Research led by Tobias Niederwieser, assistant research professor in CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï's BioServe Space Technologies, is exploring how microgravity can enable the large-scale production of high-quality blood stem cells aboard the International Space Station. The work could improve treatments for blood cancers, immune disorders and other diseases by creating more reliable supplies of stem cells for patients on Earth.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-06/NASA%20ISS%20article%20061126.png?itok=ZnnU7IC_" width="1500" height="1000" alt="Researcher works inside a sealed laboratory glovebox, handling biological samples and equipment while wearing protective gloves and a headset. The enclosed workspace helps maintain a sterile, controlled environment for sensitive experiments."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 28 May 2026 22:39:58 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2887 at /venturepartners WATCH: CU study identifies protein animals emit in crowded conditions, affecting fertility /venturepartners/2026/05/28/external-news/watch-cu-study-identifies-protein-animals-emit-crowded-conditions-affecting-fertility <span>WATCH: CU study identifies protein animals emit in crowded conditions, affecting fertility</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-28T13:37:19-06:00" title="Thursday, May 28, 2026 - 13:37">Thu, 05/28/2026 - 13:37</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-06/9NEWS%20animal%20study%200626226.png?h=5547c07b&amp;itok=s1A2REl7" width="1200" height="800" alt="Person stands in front of an illuminated medical imaging display showing mammography scans, reviewing images in a darkened clinical or research setting."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div> <div class="field_media_oembed_video"><iframe src="/venturepartners/media/oembed?url=https%3A//youtu.be/4rRqjWlUbH8%3Fsi%3DLQTQxCCclllLHPaJ&amp;max_width=516&amp;max_height=350&amp;hash=QLjR81HSv0fbylpc9HfKstlCXKf-EzzObuD8_sLCDh4" width="516" height="290" class="media-oembed-content" loading="eager" title="CU study identifies protein animals emit in crowded conditions, affecting fertility"></iframe> </div> <p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>What could you do with a CU technology?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and partners with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.&nbsp;</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>9NEWS—Ding Xue, professor in CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï's Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology, said the study opens the path to see if the protein affects humans in crowded cities.<br> </div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-06/9NEWS%20animal%20study%200626226.png?itok=EzB6ktYG" width="1500" height="892" alt="Person stands in front of an illuminated medical imaging display showing mammography scans, reviewing images in a darkened clinical or research setting."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Thu, 28 May 2026 19:37:19 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2894 at /venturepartners Light without electricity? Glowing algae could make it possible /venturepartners/2026/05/06/external-news/light-without-electricity-glowing-algae-could-make-it-possible <span>Light without electricity? Glowing algae could make it possible</span> <span><span>Daniel Leonard</span></span> <span><time datetime="2026-05-06T14:59:50-06:00" title="Wednesday, May 6, 2026 - 14:59">Wed, 05/06/2026 - 14:59</time> </span> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle focal_image_wide"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/focal_image_wide/public/2026-05/Glowing%20algae%20shapes%20051126.png?h=df01241a&amp;itok=J_GfN1Q4" width="1200" height="800" alt="Scientific image showing glowing blue algae formed into different shapes under acidic and basic conditions, including circles, grids and crescent-like structures on a black background."> </div> </div> <div role="contentinfo" class="container ucb-article-categories" itemprop="about"> <span class="visually-hidden">Categories:</span> <div class="ucb-article-category-icon" aria-hidden="true"> <i class="fa-solid fa-folder-open"></i> </div> <a href="/venturepartners/taxonomy/term/398"> CU Technology and Discovery News </a> </div> <div class="ucb-article-content ucb-striped-content"> <div class="container"> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--article-content paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div class="ucb-article-text" itemprop="articleBody"> <div><p class="lead">Imagine a sea of glowing blue lights pulsing to the beat of the music. But instead of glow sticks filled with toxic chemicals, the luminescence comes from living algae, shimmering on demand.</p><p>In a new study published May 6 in Science Advances, CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï researchers and collaborators unveil a new technology that could make it possible. They’ve successfully turned on the “light switchâ€� in algae and kept them lit up using simple chemical solutions. The finding opens the door for future technologies such as autonomous robots that can operate in dark environments and living sensors for water quality.</p><p>“This project was a moonshot idea,â€� said Wil Srubar, professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental and Architectural Engineering. “I was curious if we could create a world in which we don’t use electricity but rather use biology to produce light. This discovery really paves the way for engineering other living light materials and devices.â€�</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/today/2026/05/06/light-without-electricity-glowing-algae-could-make-it-possible" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Read More at CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï Today</span></a>&nbsp;&nbsp;<a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.aee3907" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents"><i class="fa-solid fa-arrow-up-right-from-square">&nbsp;</i>&nbsp;Read More at Science Advances</span></a></p><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="ucb-box ucb-box-title-hidden ucb-box-alignment-none ucb-box-style-fill ucb-box-theme-lightgray"><div class="ucb-box-inner"><div class="ucb-box-title">&nbsp;</div><div class="ucb-box-content"><p>&nbsp;</p><div class="row ucb-column-container"><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>What could you do with a CU technology?</h2><div><div><p>Venture Partners manages a portfolio of over 1,000 technologies from university investigators and partners with entrepreneurs and companies of all sizes—from startups to the Fortune 500—to bring these inventions to market.</p><p dir="ltr"><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/technology-portfolio" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">Explore Partnership Opportunities</span></a></p></div></div></div><div class="col ucb-column"><h2>Turn your discovery into real-world impact</h2><div><div><div><div><div><div><div><p>Venture Partners helps researchers, inventors and creators take their groundbreaking discoveries every step of the way, from intellectual property (IP) management to market launch.&nbsp;</p><p><a class="ucb-link-button ucb-link-button-blue ucb-link-button-default ucb-link-button-regular" href="/venturepartners/university-innovators" rel="nofollow"><span class="ucb-link-button-contents">More for University Innovators</span></a></p></div></div></div></div><div>&nbsp;</div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div> </div> </div> </div> </div> <div>CU °Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï Today—°Ç¸ç³Ô¹Ï researchers have developed a method to activate and sustain glowing bioluminescent algae using simple chemical solutions, opening the door to future technologies such as living sensors and autonomous systems that operate in dark environments.</div> <h2> <div class="paragraph paragraph--type--ucb-related-articles-block paragraph--view-mode--default"> <div>Off</div> </div> </h2> <div>Traditional</div> <div>0</div> <div> <div class="imageMediaStyle large_image_style"> <img loading="lazy" src="/venturepartners/sites/default/files/styles/large_image_style/public/2026-05/Glowing%20algae%20shapes%20051126.png?itok=kc4Sw99-" width="1500" height="809" alt="Scientific image showing glowing blue algae formed into different shapes under acidic and basic conditions, including circles, grids and crescent-like structures on a black background."> </div> </div> <div>On</div> <div>White</div> Wed, 06 May 2026 20:59:50 +0000 Daniel Leonard 2874 at /venturepartners