Entrepreneurship
CU Engineering has named the inaugural recipients of its Innovation and Entrepreneurship Fellows program, which supports faculty, postdoctoral researchers and graduate students in bringing research to market. The fellows, selected for their work in fields like robotics, biomedical devices and advanced materials, receive funding, mentorship and entrepreneurial support to accelerate commercialization.
Six years ago, Professor Mark Rentschler helped launch startup company Aspero Medical to develop a medical device used during endoscopy procedures. Today, with the help of a $4.5 million grant through the Anschutz Acceleration Initiative, Rentschler and his team are bringing two new medical devices to the market that have the potential to transform surgeries in the gastrointestinal region even further.
The Proof-of-Concept and Early Stage Capital and Retention Grants were awarded by COEDIT’s Global Business Development Division. The grants are intended to “drive innovation, accelerate commercialization, encourage public-private partnerships, and increase access to early-stage capital across the state from Dolores to Grand Junction to Fort Collins."