Colorado State University’s Demo Day, which celebrates the entrepreneurial spirit of the university and region, is scheduled for Tuesday, April 23, from 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. in the Lory Student Center Grand Ballroom.
The annual event, showcasing the entrepreneurial community of CSU and Northern Colorado, will feature a poster and company showcase, keynote speaker and networking with experts. Plus, more than $40,000 in awards will be given to top innovators.
Students, faculty and staff, as well as alumni business professionals and entrepreneurs have the opportunity to engage with researchers and local emerging companies in and around the community.
Registration is free and encouraged at the Demo Day registration site. Demo Day is presented by CSU Ventures, the technology transfer arm of the university.
CSU Demo Day
Date: Tuesday, April 23
Time: 11:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Location: Lory Student Center Grand Ballroom
Website and registration: https://www.csudemoday.org
Keynote speaker
This year’s keynote speaker leads a pioneering biotechnology company using glycomics to discover and develop drugs that enhance and mimic the innate immune system.
Shenda Baker, president and chief operating officer of the biotechnology company Synedgen Inc., will start her talk at 11:30 a.m.
Baker also serves as chief executive officer of the spinoff company Synspira, which develops glycopolymer-based therapeutics for pulmonary disorders. She previously was a professor of chemistry at Harvey Mudd College from 1991-2014, with a focus on polymer nanostructures and self-assembly.
She served on the board of directors of the Materials Research Society and has served on advisory boards with the National Institutes of Health, National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy.
She is a member of the American Chemical Society and the Materials Research Society and currently serves on the advisory council of the National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research, part of the National Institutes of Health.
Poster and company showcase
Graduate and post-doctoral students will present their cutting-edge work in the Poster Showcase from 12:45-4:00 pm, starting at 12:45 p.m. with the Green Session, followed by the Gold Session starting at 2:30 p.m.
Sarah K. Hibbs-Shipp, director of outreach and communications at CSU Ventures, said this year’s Demo Day is going to be a very encompassing event.
“All eight colleges at CSU are participating with abstracts – 105 in total, from 31 departments; the most we have ever had,” she said. “We also have 29 CSU-affiliated startups showcasing their companies.”
Startups include companies specializing in aerosol devices, biotechnologies, chemistry, food and beverage, sensors, social networking, therapeutics, veterinary medicine and more. A list of companies can be found on the CSU Demo Company Showcase page.
Networking and awards
Demo day concludes at 4 p.m. with networking and awards, recognizing the top innovators from the poster showcase and the emerging companies in Northern Colorado.
More than $40,000 will be awarded across 14 award categories.
For more information or to participate in the event, visit csudemoday.org or call 970.491.7100.
