CU Denver’s Smart Futures Lab Announces 2023 Graduating Class

By November 14, 2023Press Release

CU Denver’s Smart Futures Lab Announces 2023 Graduating Class – A Glimpse Into the Cohort Companies and Their Technologies A Year Later

The 2023 Smart Futures Lab cohort supported ten companies led by New Majority founders (women, people of color, and those with disabilities) to develop 5G technologies addressing transportation safety, mobility for people with disabilities, climate change and urban planning.

Media is invited to cover the Smart Futures Lab 2023 graduation ceremony and demo day. The event is scheduled to happen Thursday, November 16, from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm. on the CU Denver campus at the Tivoli Student Union in the Zenith Room (Room 640). The address is 900 Auraria Parkway Denver, CO 80204. 

Media will be able to access the following: 

  • Video of live tech demonstrations (w/examples – robot, AR, etc)

  • Interviews with company leadership

  • Real technology projects happening with cities in Colorado

  • CU Denver leadership interviews

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Denver, CO [November 14, 2023] – The Smart Futures Lab at the University of Colorado Denver, which launched at the beginning of 2023 with the goal of building a new incubator and accelerator program for companies in the civic innovation space led by women, people of color and those with disabilities, is hosting its inaugural graduation ceremony and demo day for its first cohort of 2023. In this ceremony, the Smart Futures Lab team will summarize what the program accomplished this year and cohort companies will be hosting on-campus demonstrations and exhibits of the transformative technology that they are developing in the smart cities industry vertical. This program is operated out of the College of Engineering, Design and Computing at the University of Colorado Denver.

CU Denver Chancellor Michelle Marks is scheduled to provide remarks, and several entrepreneurs that are part of the Lab will demo their technology that they’ve iterated on during the course of the program. CU Denver’s Director of Partnerships and Innovation, Anthony Graves, is also scheduled to speak during the ceremony. The invitation-only event will be held on the CU Denver campus at the Tivoli Student Union in the Zenith Room (Room 640). The address is 900 Auraria Parkway Denver, CO 80204.

Attendees will include individuals working in the smart cities industry, investors,  technology and business professionals, municipality and government leaders, and the entrepreneurial community in Colorado.

Demo Day for the 2023 Smart Futures Lab Cohort

Much of the technology the companies have been developing address quality of life issues communities across Colorado face, including transportation safety, mobility for people with disabilities, climate change, water, and urban planning. Several of the companies are also international, which means their impact will be felt around the globe. 

Those attending the Smart Futures Lab graduation ceremony and demo day will have an opportunity to see demos and learn more about the ten companies that are part of the 2023 cohort including:

A big congratulations to our 2023 cohort!

About Our Companies:

  • GridMatrix, Inc.: GridMatrix is a transportation data analytics company that provides cities with a continuous stream of real-time, accurate data on vehicular and pedestrian road users, traffic congestion, signalized intersection performance, emissions, and safety.
  • Caliola Engineering LLC: Caliola is a 100% woman-owned business that provides innovative technical solutions and services for secure and resilient communications.
  • inCitu.AR Inc.: InCitu is mapping the future of the built environment in augmented reality (AR), to foster collaboration between residents, designers, and city governments in the process of urban change.
  • Lazarillo Holding Inc.: Lazarillo is a mapping platform and mobile app that enhances the experience in cities for citizens with and without disabilities, with the goal of making the world more accessible.
  • Electrafide: Electrafide is a product design and engineering consulting company mainly focused on the development of concepts and prototypes in the digital and electromechanical realms. They are developing a drone to clean solar panels in difficult-to-reach places or in large arrays.
  • Globewater & Solar Technologies, LLC.: GlobeWater & Solar offers, through distribution channels and its own research and development technology, water, and power systems that are designed to provide instant water and energy infrastructure to individuals, families, and communities. They are focused on off-grid solar power to provide water for agriculture, plus drinking water capabilities.
  • Herculean Feats: Herculean Feats supports a sustainable and equitable built environment with innovation. They build tools that let community members easily interact with infrastructure to get the most out of their experience in the public realm.
  • Snowbotix: Snowbotix develops utility robots for non-road snow removal and off-road vegetation management.
  • SWAP: SWAP is solving one of the challenges that’s preventing electric vehicles from becoming a practical form of mobility, by building a smart and sustainable energy infrastructure and electro-mobility ecosystem.
  • Tappy Guide: Tappy Guide is a smart mobility and transportation solution for people with disabilities and seniors.

Announcing Applications for the Smart Futures Lab 2024 Cohort 

Applications for the Smart Futures Lab 2024 cohort will soon be live. If you are building a solution or have an idea that can innovate and transform the smart cities vertical, we’d love to hear from you. Our program seeks to support New Majority founders and empower them to imagine more inclusive solutions that realize their vision. All of our companies are building technology solutions to issues confronting quality of life in communities across Colorado, including transportation safety, mobility for people with disabilities, climate change, water, and urban planning. Don’t miss out on the opportunity to bring your idea to life all while accessing a state-of-the art 5G Lab, a dedicated mentor network composed of various industry experts, vetted business curriculum tailored to help you get to the next stage, and access to key government and industry leaders. We look forward to building together. 

The application will be available in English and Spanish and any necessary accommodations needed for completion of the application can be happily made or arranged. For any additional questions regarding your submission or the application process, please reach out to Dan Griner (daniel.griner@ucdenver.edu). 

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About the University of Colorado Denver
The University of Colorado Denver is the state’s premier public urban research university and equity-serving institution. Globally connected and locally invested, CU Denver partners with future-focused learners and communities to design accessible, relevant, transformative educational experiences for every stage of life and career. Across seven schools and colleges in the heart of downtown Denver, our leading faculty inspires and works alongside students to solve complex challenges through boundary-breaking innovation and impactful research and creative work. As part of the state’s largest university system, CU Denver is a major contributor to the Colorado economy, with 2,000 employees and annual economic impact of $800 million. For more information, visit www.ucdenver.edu.

About Colorado Smart Cities Alliance
The Colorado Smart Cities Alliance is the first state-wide alliance of its kind in the nation, bringing together public, private, federal research, and academic sector leaders committed to advancing smarter communities. Through partnership development, education and capacity-building, the Alliance has facilitated some of the most innovative government technology projects in the state.

Contact
Chelsea Barrett
Colorado Smart Cities Alliance
chelsea@coloradosmart.city
720.213.8238

 

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