Oct. 12-16 2026: CU Boulder Research & Innovation Week Opens Doors to Colorado’s Research Enterprise
CU Boulder will host its eighth annual Research & Innovation Week, October 12 through 16, bringing together researchers, students, industry partners and the broader community to explore the research, facilities, talent and ideas emerging across one of Colorado’s largest research ecosystems. Organized by CU Boulder’s Research & Innovation Office (RIO), the week is designed not simply as a celebration of research, but as an opportunity to create collaborations, expose people to resources they may not otherwise encounter and demonstrate how research moves toward real world impact. The agenda spans research leadership, sustainability, industry partnerships, shared research facilities, career development and opportunities to translate discoveries into broader economic and societal value. See full details>>>
A particular highlight for the CO-LABS community is the State of the Research and Innovation Enterprise, Tuesday, October 13, from 11 to 11:45 a.m. Senior Vice Chancellor for Research and Innovation and Dean of the Institutes Massimo Ruzzene will present significant metrics, trends, accomplishments and aspirations shaping CU Boulder’s research enterprise. CU Boulder's Research and Innovation Office (RIO) is a founding member and supporter of CO-LABS, and their leadership represents an essential part of Colorado’s larger research ecosystem. Massimo's presentation provides a valuable opportunity to understand not only where CU Boulder research stands today, but where the university sees emerging opportunities for greater impact, collaboration and innovation. The event is open to the public, with lunch following the presentation.
For businesses and researchers interested in accessing sophisticated scientific capabilities, another particularly valuable event is the Core Facilities Open House and Front Range Industry and Postdoc Symposium (FRIPS) on Wednesday, October 14, from 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the SEEC Building. CU Boulder’s Core Facilities provide access to advanced instrumentation, technical expertise, experimental design support and specialized research services. The joint event brings those capabilities together with the Postdoctoral Association of Colorado and NIST’s Postdoctoral and Early Career Association of Researchers, creating an unusual opportunity for academic researchers, postdocs and industry to meet in the same setting. Programming includes career development, networking among industry, academia and Core Facilities, and an elevator pitch competition. Details>>>
That combination of people and physical research assets is especially important to CO-LABS. Colorado possesses extraordinary scientific equipment, facilities and expertise across universities and federally funded research institutions, but their economic value increases when companies, entrepreneurs and researchers know those resources exist and understand how to engage with them. Research & Innovation Week also includes Research to Impact: Funding and Industry Partnership Strategies, where Venture Partners, Industry Research Partnerships and the Center for Translational Research will examine diversified research funding and pathways for collaboration with industry. Together, these events create practical entry points for moving from awareness of research to partnerships, commercialization and application.
CO-LABS strongly encourages our members, industry partners and others across Colorado’s innovation community to explore the full Research & Innovation Week agenda. Events such as Massimo Ruzzene’s State of the Research and Innovation Enterprise and the Core Facilities Open House and FRIPS exemplify something central to the CO-LABS mission: research creates greater value when the people, expertise, instrumentation and ideas behind it are accessible to the broader community. Creating those connections across universities, federal laboratories, businesses and entrepreneurs helps turn Colorado’s exceptional concentration of scientific resources into innovation, companies, careers and lasting economic impact.
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