CU-Boulder Technology of the Month:

CU Executes Option Agreement with Tusaar
TTO recently optioned a CU-Boulder water decontamination technology to Tusaar Inc., a privately-held Boulder-based company. The technology, developed by Professor Mark Hernandez of the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Architectural Engineering, is used to remove heavy metals from wastewater. Tusaar anticipates that the inexpensive ingredients used in this technology, plus low energy requirements, lower waste disposal costs and expected compatibility with existing treatment systems will allow the company to gain a significant share of the water treatment market.

TTO Tech Entrepreneurship Luncheon Kicks Off CU-Boulder Entrepreneurship Week
In mid-April TTO hosted a luncheon celebrating faculty entrepreneurship, and kicking off Entrepreneurship Week at CU-Boulder. The event, sponsored by Faegre & Benson and hosted by TTO and the Boulder Innovation Center (BIC), offered insight into the process of taking a technology from a University laboratory and steering it to commercialization, and featured a recent success story. A listing of upcoming Entrepreneurship Week events is available online.

Renewable Energy Ideas Abound at CU
CU received six pre-proposals in mid-March for its Renewable Energy Proof-of-Concept Grant (POCre) program, through which the CU TTO and the CU-Boulder Energy Initiative (EI) plan to award up to four $50,000 grants to researchers. The proposals cover a wide range of fields to include solar, biofuels, energy efficiency, fuel cells and batteries.

Legislative Update: Clean Tech Research Grant Program
Earlier this year, Senator Heath and Representative Riesberg introduced Senate Bill 09-031 (PDF) in support of cleantech-related research and development, and largely modeled after HB 08-1001, the biosciences development bill. If enacted and funded, one quarter of the funds would be directed to university cleantech proof of concept funding up to $50,000 per project matched by university funds, one quarter for matching grants to Colorado cleantech companies up to $150,000 matched by company funds, and half the funds directed to university/industry infrastructure to expand the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory. In late March, the funding source for the bill was removed.  The revised bill passed on third reading in the House, and is now back to the Senate (where it passed in early March) to consider House amendments.  If enacted, this bill provides legislative empowerment for these three programs and at either some future legislative session or through Federal mechanism the bill could be funded.

Legislative Update: Tax Credit for Donations To Research Institutions
In early 2009 Representative Summers and Senator King introduced House Bill 09-1242 (PDF) supporting a tax credit for donations to Colorado research institutions within higher education institutions. Subsequent to introduction, the tax credit was deleted. If enacted, this bill provides legislative empowerment for universities to receive such donations and conceivably at some future legislation session a funding mechanism could be introduced. This bill passed on third reading in the House in early April, and is now being considered by the Senate Finance Committee.

MedShape Solutions Raises $8M
CU licensee MedShape Solutions Inc. has raised $8M in angel funding and received regulatory approval for its first product - a medical implant used to treat shoulder injuries. MedShape hopes to close on an additional $2M round in the second quarter, along with about $2M in federal grants this year.

OPX Raises Additional $5.4M
CU licensee OPX Biotechnologies, Inc. raised an additional $5.4 to close its series B round of financing at $17.5M, the company announced in early April. (See also: Biotech Company Raises $12.1M.)

GlobeImmune Initiates Phase 1 Clinical Trial with NCI in CEA Over-expressing Cancers
In mid-April CU licensee GlobeImmune, Inc. announced the initiation of a Phase 1 clinical trial to investigate the safety and tolerability of a new Tarmogen, GI-6207, in patients with metastatic cancers that over-express carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA).  This is the third new Tarmogen® product candidate to enter human clinical trials over the last four years.

Archemix Initiates Phase 2a for Lead Aptamer Product Candidate ARC1779
CU licensee Archemix Corp., a privately-held biotechnology company working to develop aptamer-based therapeutics, announced in late March that it has initiated a Phase 2a clinical trial of its novel anti-von Willebrand Factor (VWF) aptamer, ARC1779, a potential first-in-class anti-platelet agent in patients with carotid artery disease undergoing a surgical procedure known as carotid endarterectomy, or CEA.

BiOptix Sniffs Out $3M For Commercialization
With plans to start commercializing its technology this year, Biomolecular detection company BiOptix Diagnostics, Inc. has raised a $3M Series A round, led by Boulder Ventures and including several individual investors. BiOptix was founded around CU technology in 2004, when it was known as AlphaSniffer. 

ARCA Releases Final Results for Gencaro Trial
In late March, CU licensee ARCA biopharma, Inc. announced the release of final results for the Phase 3 BEST trial of Gencaro^TM (bucindolol hydrochloride) in patients with advanced chronic heart failure (CHF). Gencaro showed a near significant benefit on overall mortality and a significant benefit in slowing progression of heart failure. Gencaro is currently under review by the FDA.

SFC Fluidics Receives $1.5M from NSF for Technology Development
The National Science Foundation has awarded a $500,000 grant to CU licensee SFC Fluidics to support development of the company's ePump® technology. This is the third $500,000 dollar grant the company has received from NSF this year.

Viral Genetics Secures Grant for New Lyme Research Study
CU licensee Viral Genetics, Inc., a biotechnology company that discovers and develops immune-based therapies, announced in mid-March that it has secured $75,000 in grant funding from the Turn The Corner Foundation for an upcoming Lyme disease study headed by Viral Genetics Head of Research M. Karen Newell and her research group at the University of Colorado.

Colorado on Front Line in Cancer Fight
In a nod to Colorado's booming biotech industry, Pharmaceutical Research and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) issued a report in Denver in early April responding to President Barack Obama's call in February for "a cure for cancer in our time." The press conference happened in Colorado to recognize political leaders here who realize "science drives innovation and innovation drives the economy," according to a PhRMA senior vice president.

Marketing and Medical Writing Assistant
Matthew Pink, a fifth year Neuroscience Ph.D. student at the UC Denver School of Medicine, joined the CU-Technology Transfer team this past February. Matthew assists the marketing team in crafting marketing materials for new bioscience technologies available for licensing. Matthew has over nine years of laboratory experience in the fields of molecular biology, pharmacology and neuroscience and has received a certification in GLP/GMP from Denver University. Prior to attending graduate school at CU, he received his B.S. in biology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2004. Matthew plans to complete his doctoral thesis work in the fall of 2009 and upon graduation hopes to pursue a career in Technology Transfer or Medical Writing.

Center for Research and Education in Wind
The Center for Research and Education in Wind (CREW), part of the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory, advances the science of wind energy technologies to make wind power more accessible by reducing its cost and increasing its reliability and efficiency. CREW serves the wind energy industry and the public by:

* Offering wind industry companies access to the Collaboratory's partners through a single point of contact

* Conducting both shared precompetitive and sponsored proprietary research

* Teaming up with other public and private research efforts, including atmospheric scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

* Creating educational programs that support wind industry research, outreach, professional, and technical training.

Research Areas
Based upon input from leading wind energy companies, the Center for Research and Education in Wind has identified five areas of research emphasis: turbine modeling, electrical systems, control systems, turbine testing and certification, and atmospheric science.

Additional Research Capabilities
CREW's engineers and scientists also offer expertise in blade materials; energy storage and dispatchability; hybrid systems; interaction between wind farms and local ecosystems; and offshore wind farms. Other capabilities include policy and outreach tasks, such as defining International Electrotechnical Commission standards and developing wind energy classes at CREW-affiliated universities. To offer additional capabilities in forecasting, modeling, and related disciplines, the CREW has formed research partnerships with NCAR and NOAA, giving CREW corporate members access to the world-class scientists at these two institutions, as well as the four Collaboratory institutions.

Putting the Entrepreneurial Ecosystem in Perspective

April 16, CU-Boulder

Commentators, policymakers, and businesses often talk about an "entrepreneurial ecosystem." The conception, however, remains undefined. This conference, hosted by CU-Boulder's Silicon Flatirons Center, will take a critical look at the idea of an entrepreneurial ecosystem, examining how it facilitates innovation.

Career Development and Technology Transfer

April 17, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora

In this free lunch-hour talk hosted by the UC Denver Alternatives in Science Club (AIS), TTO licensing manager David Poticha will discuss technology transfer and its potential as a science career outside academia, as well as answering questions about technology entrepreneurship. For more info please contact Christina Mailloux.

CU-Boulder New Venture Challenge Finals

April 17, CU-Boulder

Please join us for the last event of CU-Boulder Entrepreneurship Week: the finals for the CU New Venture Challenge. Four finalists will present their business/new venture plans to a panel of judges. The event is open to the public. The winners of the final CU NVC challenge will be announced at the reception following the event.

CBSA Annual All Member Meeting

April 21, Colorado National Golf Club, Erie

The Annual All Member Meeting will give you the chance to learn more about Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA) business including committee activities, and to vote on the new officers and directors of the association.

Entrepreneurs Unplugged

April 22, CU- Boulder

Ongoing networking event hosted by CU's Silicon Flatirons Center, providing faculty, students and community members with technical backgrounds the opportunity to learn about entrepreneurship through the experiences of a successful local entrepreneur.

CBSA BioBreakfast: Two Colorado Companies Making a Splash

April 29, Anschutz Medical Campus, Aurora

Innovation and novel approach to creating the next best instrument or therapy is a common thread amongst Colorado's bioscience community. At this breakfast hosted by the Colorado BioScience Association (CBSA), you will learn about two companies working in the state and taking innovation to the next level. Speakers: Joe Bagan, CEO of Sharklet Technologies, and David Delong, CEO of BioAMPS.

BioBootcamp 2009

April 30 - May 1, Holland & Hart LLP, Denver

Designed to help you jump start your new life science idea or company, this experience will provide you with not only a comprehensive overview of how to get your venture started, but will provide you with exposure to experienced bioentrepreneurs and a nationally acclaimed faculty. Application required.

Boulder/Denver New Technology Meetup Group
May 5, CU- Boulder
This ongoing event provides a forum for technologists and entrepreneurs to showcase the new (especially web-based) technology developing in Boulder/Denver tech community. Five companies have five minutes each to demonstrate their new technology, followed by five minutes for Q&A from the audience.

Boulder Economic Summit

May 11, CU-Boulder

The Boulder Economic Council presents the second annual Boulder Economic Summit; this year's event will focus on the economics and opportunities associated with sustainability.

Biorefining and Biofuels Short Course

May 11-13, Fort Collins

CU's Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels (C2B2) is offering a professional short course in the area of renewable and sustainable biorefining and biofuels designed for the educational growth, training and professional development of industry and research professionals.

21st Annual Colorado Capital Conference

May 12, Westin Hotel, Westminster

The synergies between new business startups, venture capital and workforce talent have created an oasis of opportunity - and the best place to be part of the action is at the Rockies Venture Club 21st Annual Colorado Capital Conference (for investors, inventors, entrepreneurs and the service professionals that support them).

Colorado Green Tech Meetup

May 14, CU-Boulder

An ongoing event to support eco-entrepreneurs and others people involved and/or interested in green tech: energy generation, transportation, construction, and efficiency technologies. Businesses and researchers present new technologies, and attendees may announce business news, job openings, fundings, etc.

The Pros of Planting Startups in Smaller Cities
In high-growth and more conventional businesses, many entrepreneurs find that bigger isn't always better when it comes to selecting a place to start a company. In fact, places like Boulder, Colo., (population 91,000) and Fairfax, Va., (23,000) are just as favorable for startups as San Francisco (733,000) and New York (8.2 million), according to research conducted for BusinessWeek.

Inside the 'Black Box' of Peer Review
Michèle Lamont decided to explore excellence by studying one of the primary mechanisms used by higher education to - in theory - reward excellence: scholarly peer review. How Professors Think: Inside the Curious World of Academic Judgment aims to expose what goes on behind the closed doors where funds are allocated and careers can be made.

Total Federal and Industrial R&D Expenditures at Universities and Colleges
The National Science Foundation has made available the FY 2007 version of its Academic Research and Development Expenditures statistical tables, containing detailed information on research expenditures at individual academic institutions. With about $872M in federal Academic R&D funding in 2007 (a 25% increase since 2003), Colorado receives over 75% of its total academic research funding from the federal government (see chart). The NSF also provided insight into the portion of funding that originates from private companies - with about $40M in industry-funded academic R&D in 2007, Colorado is ranked 23^rd (see chart).