In under two years, CU Denver’s Smart Futures Lab has transformed the startup ecosystem by empowering 19 tech companies to secure $4.5 million in investments and sales. These smart city startups have generated 22 new jobs, created six patents and positioned themselves as key contributors to the smart city innovation landscape.

Among these successes, three companies earned coveted Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants and one secured a million-dollar contract with the Department of Defense. This remarkable progress stems from the Lab’s two no-cost, six-month tracks, designed to launch and scale startups into thriving businesses.

The Program

The Smart Futures Lab is tailor-made for new majority tech founders, professionals and students passionate about smart city solutions. The two tracks offer focused support to meet startups where they are in their journey:

• Incubator: Ideal for aspiring founders, this track helps entrepreneurs refine their concepts, develop a solid business plan and articulate their value proposition. Participants learn how to communicate their worth, attract seed investment and lay the groundwork for long-term success.
• Accelerator: Geared toward scaling businesses, this track guides entrepreneurs through competitive analysis, business model refinement, team leadership and board formation. Participants gain insights into equity, investor relations and government procurement processes—empowering them to drive growth through strategic partnerships.

Applications for the next Smart Futures Lab cohort are now open! Interested tech founders can apply by February 21, 2025: Apply Here.

"As a solopreneur, it was very helpful just to have a team of people who understood my business and were concerned about it,” said Matt Harder, founder of Civic Trust, a 2024 incubator program graduate. “Consistent meetings with the SFL team were motivational, kept me making progress and were great at making connections and bringing opportunities my way.”

Program Growth Tools

Participants in our no-cost, six-month program will finish with a more robust, scalable business. Key benefits include access to coworking and prototyping spaces, equipped with a private 5G network for IoT innovation.

The program features a customized education curriculum, supported by an extensive partnership network, weekly check-ins with program managers, marketing manager and mentorship from the Smart Futures Lab Mentor Network—a diverse group of over 30 industry leaders with expertise spanning product development, business operations and more.

As part of the Smart Futures Lab incubator and accelerator, all participants gain exclusive access to the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance (CSCA) and its government partners. The CSCA, a statewide organization, connects government entities, businesses and allied organizations to foster technology partnerships benefiting Colorado. This alliance plays a vital role in helping Smart Futures Lab companies overcome the unique challenges of the smart cities industry, providing essential people, resources and business opportunities to accelerate growth.

Get Involved!

We are actively seeking mentors, instructors, industry experts and potential investors to collaborate with us in shaping the future. If you’re passionate about making an impact, we’d love to hear from you. Reach out to us at [email protected] to explore how you can get involved.                                                              

The Smart Futures Lab program is part of CU Denver College of Engineering, Design and Computing and was created in partnership with Colorado Smart Cities Alliance and Innosphere Ventures and made possible thanks to a $2 million grant from the U.S. Economic Development Administration (EDA) to support startups and entrepreneurs in the civic innovation space led by the New Majority.