From major funding rounds to national accolades and record-breaking contracts, Colorado companies, institutions and organizations are making headlines and contributing to our state’s strong economy. In 2025, we saw homegrown companies achieve coveted "unicorn" status, our aerospace and defense industries shatter records for federal funding, and rural communities emerge as new centers for technology and workforce development. We're excited to showcase the incredible momentum happening statewide.
- Boulder biotech startup Enveda achieved unicorn status. The company surpassed a $1 Billion valuation after a $150 million funding round. Founded in 2019, Enveda’s growth is fueled by their innovative use of AI to discover naturally occurring molecules for new medications. Learn more in the Denver Business Journal.
- The University of Colorado Boulder achieved the #1 national ranking for launching startups based on university research, as recognized by the Association of University Technology Managers. 🏆 With 35 new companies created from university research, CU Boulder is a powerhouse of innovation, generating an incredible $8 billion in national economic impact and $5.2 billion in Colorado. ColoradoBiz covered the story.
- Peak Energy launched the first grid-scale sodium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS). The company’s BESS will be deployed in a shared pilot with nine utilities and independent power producers. Peak Energy received a Strategic Fund Job Growth Incentive to expand in Broomfield, Colorado, supporting job growth and energy goals in the state.
- Grand Junction’s Skyhook Solar was recognized as a 2025 Colorado Company to Watch. A mobile solar generator manufacturer, the company’s work helps provide clean energy to power electric vehicles, micromobility, internet access, lighting and emergency services. In 2024, Skyhook Solar was accepted into the Rural Jump-Start Program, moving its headquarters to Grand Junction and creating new jobs for the area.
- Florence, Colorado's Emergent Campus was featured in Forbes! This innovative project, housed in the century-old Florence High School, is redefining how rural communities can become centers of innovation and workforce development. Since 2019, Emergent Campus has been responsible for nearly 100 new tech-based jobs and over $13 million in annual economic impact in Fremont County. It's a fantastic example of adapting historic infrastructure for tomorrow's economy and preparing Coloradans for meaningful work. Learn more at Forbes.
- Mindful Mamas, a recipient of OEDIT’s Advanced Industries Accelerator grant and Advanced Industries Tax Credit, has been acquired by Otsuka Precision Health. Mindful Mamas is a Colorado-based maternal mental wellness startup co-founded by Terra LaRock. The startup came out of LaRock’s experience as a psychologist for children, families and schools, as well as her personal experience after giving birth. With this change, LaRock has become the head of marketing at Otsuka Precision Health, and co-founder Jillian Stout now serves as head of product. Endpoints News covered the story.
- Boulder’s Frasca Food and Wine has been named the best restaurant in the U.S. by the James Beard Foundation. Big news for foodies of Colorado and beyond, and covered by Bloomberg! Specializing in the cuisine of Friuli, Italy, the 21-year-old restaurant earned this recognition for their exceptional dishes and world-famous wine list.
- Voyager Technologies, a Denver-based company aiming to replace the International Space Station with its commercial space station Starlab, filed for an Initial Public Offering (IPO). This move signifies a major milestone, not just for Voyager but for Denver's growing influence in the global space industry. The initiative promises substantial economic development for Colorado including new jobs, attracting significant investment capital, technological innovation, and much more. Learn more at Denver Business Journal.
- ExoPower made headlines for its plans to power commercial robots. The Grand Junction company is developing technology that allows robots to wirelessly charge as they move. ExoPower was awarded an Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant through the Advanced Industries Accelerator Program in 2024, and the Grand Junction Economic Partnership supported ExoPower’s application to the Rural Jump-Start zone, which the Economic Development Commission approved in January.
- Colorado aerospace companies raked in record-breaking federal contracts—for two years in a row. The Denver Post covered the news in January, looking back at 2024. And this year, Colorado did it again, bringing in a combined $46+ billion in federal funding for aerospace and defense. This milestone funding included over $31 billion in federal contracts, another $12.5 billion economic impact from our military bases, and $3.4 billion to our federal labs.
- At the 2025 Outside Festival and Summit, Kyle Siegel, founder of Raide, won the Outside Ignite competition. This pitch competition supports startup companies in the outdoor industry. Raide, a Carbondale-based startup that creates gear and apparel for skiers and runners, also recently received $250,000 from the Greater Colorado Venture Fund II and over $116,000 from the Colorado Venture Capital Authority State Small Business Credit Initiative, which supports businesses with less than ten employees. Read more in the Denver Post.
- Colorado ONE Fund announced its investment in CisLunar Industries, a company specializing in hardware that powers satellites. CisLunar aims to supply units to commercial and military satellites. The Colorado Venture Capital Authority (VCA) partners with the Colorado ONE Fund to expand access to capital across the state. The CisLunar Industries investment builds on the fund’s mission to strengthen defenses and create jobs in aerospace, defense, homeland security and other related industries. The Gazette covered the story.
- Durango-based company Farm to Summit found a new use for cosmetically imperfect produce to create dehydrated meals for outdoor enthusiasts. In May, Farm to Summit was awarded an Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant to support their growth. The company also received an investment from the Greater Colorado Venture Fund, which invests in early-stage startups in rural Colorado. This fund partners with the Venture Capital Authority (VCA). Learn more in The Colorado Sun.
- Quantum COmmons opened in Arvada. CBS News heralded the facility as a signal that Colorado is at the forefront of quantum research. This partnership between Elevate Quantum and the Colorado School of Mines campus will feature a 10,000-square-foot fabrication lab and offer various job opportunities, including technician roles. The facility is joined by a quantum incubator in east Boulder, a partnership between CU Boulder, Colorado State University, the Colorado School of Mines and Elevate Quantum. Both facilities are expected to be supported by OEDIT’s Colorado Quantum Fund for Shared Facilities.
- Fiore & Sons finished its first year as an employee-owned company. As a leader in civil construction, Fiore & Sons has been a family-owned company for decades. In March of this year, the company announced its transition to employee ownership, effective Dec. 31, 2025, in recognition of the hard work and dedication of its staff. Over 400 employees are now employee-owners, and the company will be working with OEDIT’s Employee Ownership Office to support the implementation of this new structure.
- The Stanley Event Center broke ground in Estes Park. This is the first phase of a three year project to preserve, expand, and improve the historic Stanley Hotel campus into a year-round hub for film, art, and community. The campus will include an innovative horror film museum space curated by Blumhouse, a widely acclaimed producer of horror films. Scheduled to open in late 2028, the Stanley Event Center marks a major milestone in the evolution of one of Colorado’s most iconic landmarks—and significant progress in a Regional Tourism Act project.