CU researchers, startups awarded Advanced Industries Accelerator funds

BOULDER — Eight University of Colorado researchers and four CU-affiliated startups were among recent recipients of a total of $7.5 million in state grant funds from the Advanced Industries Accelerator program.

The CU researchers who each received $150,000 proof-of-concept grants were:

• Mirela Alistar: Developing a nanorobotic DNA synthesis platform that uses real-time error correction to produce the long genetic templates required for advanced gene therapies.
• Christopher Bowman: Developing a photopolymer-based optical materials platform to improve the performance and manufacturing of holographic elements for augmented reality displays.
• Xiaoyun Ding: Developing a microfluidic cell-modification platform to improve the manufacturing efficiency and payload capacity of cell and gene therapies.
• Timothy Hellickson: Developing a satellite-mounted, space-debris detection system to identify and characterize orbital debris that is too small for conventional radar tracking.
• Mija Hubler: Developing a regenerative, biobased tape for the durable repair of cracks in residential, commercial, and municipal concrete infrastructure.
• Laila Marzall: Developing an innovative in-band full-duplex analog hardware architecture to enable spectrum-agile wireless communication systems.
• Jay McMahon: Developing an artificial intelligence–powered strategic wargaming platform for evaluating complex conflict scenarios in the defense and aerospace sectors.
• Stephanie Bryant: Developing a customizable therapeutic platform to restore cartilage and bone in patients with osteoarthritis at any stage of disease progression.
• Zhengxiong Li: Developing a foundation model platform that enables robots equipped with high-degree-of-freedom anthropomorphic hands to master complex manufacturing and assembly tasks.

The companies that received $250,000 early-stage capital and retention grants were:

• Blue Cubed LLC, Lafayette: Developing a laser communications terminal designed for seamless interoperability between satellite networks.
• Codebreaker Tx Inc., Boulder: Developing a genomic data-as-a-service platform that generates high-resolution biological datasets for artificial intelligence-driven research and drug development.
• Modendo Inc., Boulder: Developing an ultrathin, fiber-based optical probing platform designed for the failure analysis and security evaluation of advanced 3D semiconductor architectures.
• Vesicle Therapeutics Inc., Boulder: Developing a targeted genetic therapy to treat head and neck cancer by distinguishing between different versions of the same protein.

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