Smart Futures Lab

Smart Futures Lab encapsulates several areas of focus for the College of Engineering Design and computing. It houses an Incubator and Accelerator for New Majority founders in Smart City technologies that runs yearly (See their website for more info). It has 6000 sq ft of co-working and prototyping space and its own private 5G testbed. This curriculum and facility is also available to CEDC students through the Capstone Entrepreneurship track. Additional content and support is available for Smart City focused projects through the lab in connection to its cohort companies, its mentor network, and the Colorado Smart Cities Alliance. This curriculum will empower students to realize the ideas they are developing in their capstone into new products and business opportunities. Here are some of the topics that are covered over the course of a capstone year.

Entrepreneurial Mindset

Project Scoping 

Opportunity statement development

Stakeholder Identification

Research Methods

Affinity Mapping and Validation

Ideation Methods

Comparative Analysis

Prototyping and Experimentation

Business Model Generation Roadmap

Go to Market Strategy

Pitch and Presentation Skills

Each student team will be mentored on their specific business and provided with contacts and mentors to inform their approach and prepare them for investor pitches and communicating their business to others.

For more information on the Smart Futures Lab Program and its curriculum, please contact Dan Griner (Daniel.griner@ucdenver.edu), Director of the Smart Futures Lab or Lary Speakman Capstone Coordinator.