Entrepreneurship at Colorado State University

Colorado State University's entrepreneurship advantage lies in its research strengths in areas that are increasingly venture-fundable: clean energy, agriculture, veterinary science, and infectious disease. The College of Business runs the entrepreneurship curriculum, and CSU Ventures handles technology commercialization from the university's $450 million+ annual research portfolio. The Powerhouse Energy Campus, focused on clean energy innovation, provides infrastructure for startups building climate and energy technology.

Fort Collins itself has become a genuinely attractive startup city. The city's craft beer scene (New Belgium, Odell, and dozens of microbreweries) demonstrates its entrepreneurial culture, and the growing tech community has attracted companies in clean energy, agriculture technology, and outdoor products. The CSU Research Foundation supports commercialization efforts, and the university's veterinary teaching hospital (one of the best in the world) creates unique opportunities for animal health startups.

The broader Colorado Front Range ecosystem (Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver) creates a startup corridor with different strengths in each city: Boulder for tech startups and Techstars, Denver for growth-stage companies and corporate headquarters, and Fort Collins for research-based and sustainability-focused ventures. CSU founders can access all three without relocating.

CSU student founders in 2026 are well-positioned in clean energy and climate tech, which have seen massive investment growth. The Bohemian Foundation and local angel networks provide early-stage funding, and CSU's research strengths create differentiated technology for startups in energy, agriculture, and animal health.

The practical advantage is Fort Collins' quality of life and cost structure (lower than Boulder or Denver), combined with access to the broader Colorado startup ecosystem. The Innosphere Ventures accelerator in Fort Collins provides additional support for tech startups beyond university programs.

• College of Business Entrepreneurship Program
• CSU Ventures - technology commercialization
• Powerhouse Energy Campus - clean energy innovation
• School of Biomedical Engineering entrepreneurship programs

• CSU Ventures - startup support and tech transfer
• Innosphere Ventures - Fort Collins tech accelerator
• Powerhouse Energy Campus

• CSU Entrepreneurship Club
• Ram Ventures
• Clean Energy Club
• CSU Business Plan Competition team

• New Belgium Brewing (Kim Jordan)
• VetDC (animal health)
• Innosphere portfolio companies
• Advanced Energy Industries (Doug Schatz)

Fort Collins has evolved from a college town to a genuine startup-friendly city, anchored by CSU's research output and a community culture that values entrepreneurship and sustainability. Innosphere Ventures has become one of the more successful regional accelerators, supporting technology startups with mentorship and investor connections. The Bohemian Foundation, funded by the founder of Bohemian Companies (parent of New Belgium Brewing), actively supports local entrepreneurship. For CSU founders, the Front Range ecosystem provides a multi-city support structure: develop technology in Fort Collins, connect to Techstars in Boulder, and scale in Denver. The clean energy focus aligns with both state policy (Colorado has aggressive clean energy targets) and national investment trends.

Fort Collins has a growing startup scene, particularly in clean energy, agtech, and craft food/beverage. The broader Colorado Front Range (Boulder-Denver) ecosystem is within easy driving distance.