Boulder Startup Week 2025

🏔️ The next AI Builders event in Colorado is live! We'll be hosting this as part of the official Boulder Startup Week schedule: Tuesday May 13, starting at 5 pm. External RSVP https://lu.ma/wbq4el0t

If you're not familiar, these meetups are a ton of fun and have become a core gathering for people building AI products in Colorado. There's always a mix of engineering, product & founder folks, from big companies (Google, Nvidia, Salesforce, Broadcom, etc.) down to brand new startups.

The agenda is simple: Hang out and see a bunch of demos of working software, and hear from the builders about how things got made/lessons learned.

* Doors at 5
* Content starts at 5:45
* Food & beverages thanks to Silicon Valley Bank!

Given the BSW focus, we'll give special emphasis to startups being built in the Boulder area.

Thanks as always to our sponsors Silicon Valley Bank and Technical Integrity, and to our special co-host for this event, Drive Capital. 🙏 And to our organizing team at Freeplay, Matchstick Ventures and Ombud for making these happen. 🙌

See you there.

Join us for the 2025 NextCycle Colorado Pitch Competition!

Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2025-nextcycle-colorado-pitch-competition-tickets-1302412182899

This inspiring event will feature a lineup of innovative teams presenting their end-market business concepts as they compete for two prizes.
The pitch competition winner will receive a $5,000 cash prize provided by Resource Recycling Systems (RRS). The people’s choice winner will receive a $500 cash prize from the Circular Economy Development Center (CEDC) and registration to the Summit for Recycling Conference, sponsored by Recycle Colorado.
By attending this free event, you'll gain insight into cutting-edge circular economy solutions, meet passionate entrepreneurs, and connect with key players in Colorado’s sustainability ecosystem. Enjoy light bites, a cash bar, and a chance to network with industry leaders, investors, and sustainability advocates.
NextCycle is designed to promote circular economy-based ventures and foster innovation in sustainable design, reuse, repair, compost, recycling or material recovery solutions for end markets in Colorado. NextCycle Colorado is funded by Colorado Circular Communities (C3) Enterprise.
Don’t miss this opportunity to support groundbreaking ideas and discover new investment opportunities!

2025 NextCycle Colorado Teams

• Blazin’ Joe (Golden, CO) - transforming coffee waste into eco-friendly fire logs and starters.
• Cold Spark (Longmont, CO) - using cryomilling technology to recycle EV batteries and electronic waste.
• Driven Plastics (Pueblo, CO) - incorporating recycled plastic into asphalt to create stronger, more sustainable roads.
• High Plains Biochar (Laporte, CO) - converting agricultural and forestry waste into biochar.
• Maple Ridge Rubber Paving (Saskatoon, SK, CAN) - engineering recycled rubber into sustainable paving and resurfacing solutions.
• Refound Goods (Denver, CO) - hosting an online marketplace for secondhand furniture and home goods more accessible.
• The Source Zero (Fort Collins, CO) - expanding zero-waste shopping with a mobile delivery service and commercial warehouse.
• SURPStone (Grand Junction, CO) - repurposing plastic waste into durable, high-quality pavers and landscaping materials.

Judges:

• Juri Freeman - Executive Director, Circular Action Alliance
• Alice Havill - Founding Partner, Fractal Climate
• Andrew Maxey - CEO of Vartega, Inc. (NextCycle Colorado Alumni)
• Jesse Stedman - Founder and CEO of Trash Panda Disc Golf (NextCycle Colorado Alumni)

Emcee:

• Jay Mays - Founder of Pitch Lab

Thank you to Colorado Circular Communities (C3) Enterprise for sponsoring the NextCycle Colorado Pitch Competition!

Thank you to our partners!
Circular Action Alliance
Circular Economy Development Center (CEDC)
Closed Loop Partners
Fractal Climate
Pitch Lab
Recycle Colorado
Resource Recycling Systems (RRS)
Trash Panda
Vartega