Colorado awards $8.5M in advanced-industries grants

DENVER — The Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade has awarded $8.5 million to 38 Colorado researchers and startups.

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,” according to a press release.

“Innovations in advanced industries have enormous potential to change the world we live in, yet the market typically underinvests in early-stage technologies. At the same time, partnerships between the private…