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Leading the way
Colorado climbs to the forefront of innovation
From outdoor equipment to aerospace engineering to breweries, you don’t have to look far to see that Colorado is making bold steps. Last year, Colorado ranked 8th on Bloomberg’s Top 20 Most Innovative States. This year, the 2014 Kauffman Foundation Entrepreneurial Index put Colorado at No. 5. – not bad for a state that doesn’t even make it into the top 20 of the country’s most populated states.
But what is it about Colorado that’s making waves?
Kelly Underell, deputy director for the Colorado Innovation Network (COIN), points to several factors, including federal research labs, small business ownerships and education. But it’s also something about the people who decide to call this place “home.”
“In addition to these assets,” notes Underell, “Colorado is a confluence of creative culture and a great quality of life that supports entrepreneurship.”
To help support this type of homegrown entrepreneurship across the state, Gov. John Hickenlooper launched COIN, a privately funded startup that operates within the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade. The project is unique – a startup within government that functions through multiple channels with the goal of making Colorado the most innovative state in the country.
Working together
One of the ways in which COIN hopes to put Colorado at the forefront of innovation is by facilitating partnerships.
“Our goal is to build a network of global innovation leaders across higher education, industry, government, research labs and startups, to build relationships and inspire action,” says Underell. “We also work to connect our network to the great resources that support Colorado’s innovation ecosystem.”
This movement toward partnership is already gaining traction with schools and entrepreneurs across the state.
Take Galvanize, for example. This Denver-based company, founded in 2012, helps to foster connections between entrepreneurs, businesses, students and mentors through its centers for collaboration and learning.
“We provide tech entrepreneurs access to a community of other entrepreneurs, the inside track on technical talent, a flexible place to start and build their business, as well as access to capital sources,” says Chris Onan, co-founder and CFO/COO of Galvanize.
Galvanize runs gSchool, an immersive educational program that offers students the opportunity to learn about web development and design through programs and workshops. These courses aren’t set up like your typical college course. gSchool is meant to more closely reflect the real-world job market, with full-day courses that are heavy on projects and collaboration. The school works closely with other ventures and encourages connections between other developers and entrepreneurs. The result? The school boasts a 98 percent hiring rate and will reimburse a student’s tuition if they don’t find a job that pays at least $60,000/year within six months of graduating.
Those graduates are adding to Colorado’s strong labor force, something the state boasts to potential investors.
“Colorado has a highly educated workforce in terms of college degrees, especially those in STEM,” notes COIN’s Kelly Underell. “The number one incentive we can provide to companies in Colorado is talent – and ours is top notch.”
But it’s not just tech-focused startups that are leading these educational shifts to promote innovation. Colorado’s public schools are also pushing younger students to create, design and become the next generation of inventors and innovators.
The future of innovation
It’s the fourth day of classes at Northglenn High School in Adams County, Colo., and a group of freshman students are sketching inanimate objects – staplers, chairs, clocks – in their notebooks. On the surface, it might seem like a basic art class, but these students are honing their drawing skills to become better engineers. They’re part of instructor Kathryn Kelly’s “Introduction to Engineering Design,” one of the school’s many STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) programs designed to actively involve students in competitive industries.
Student Julian Ornelas and his fellow classmates are working on “concept sketching,” an important step in the design process that requires students to focus on dimensions, proportions and shading. Strengthening their drawing skills allows the students to better understand the process of design during the creation process.
“We’re doing this to get the feel of sketching so that eventually we can sketch out our own ideas,” says Ornelas.
Realistic sketching is just one key part of the course. Throughout the school year, students like Erin Roth will explore everything from 3D CAD modeling to statistical analysis to engineering ethics. These processes are essential to helping students learn to create and design in the modern world. This type of education also helps prepare them to lead the next generation of innovation in Colorado. Roth, who is interested in a career in patent law, is aware of the potential.
“I’d like to help create something to help society,” she says, “but I’m not quite sure what yet.”