Boulder Startups to Watch in 2027: Verified Companies in AI Drug Discovery, Quantum, Energy Software and Cybersecurity
Boulder is a small city with an outsized startup reputation. It is where Techstars ran its first accelerator, it sits next to the University of Colorado Boulder and federal labs such as NIST, and much of Colorado's quantum industry grew out of research done there. The 2026 version of this article listed ten companies, but two are based in Denver, one is headquartered in California, three sites show no Boulder address, one no longer loads, and its headline statistic about quantum investment had no source. For this 2027 edition we checked every company again in November 2026 on its own website: that it still operates, that it gives a Boulder-area address or dateline, what it actually sells and what it announced itself. Two old names passed and stay, and six verified Boulder companies are new.
Quick answer: the Boulder startups to watch in 2027 are Enveda (AI drug discovery from nature, a $311 million round in September 2026), Infleqtion (quantum computers and sensors, formerly ColdQuanta, now listed on the NYSE), Think Bioscience (drugs for hard targets, $55 million Series A in January 2026), Mesa Quantum (chip-scale quantum sensors), Uplight (energy software for utilities), Gloo (a technology platform for churches and non-profits), RADICL (managed cybersecurity for defense suppliers) and Five Flute (design reviews for hardware teams). Founders get support from Techstars Boulder, Venture Partners at CU Boulder, the New Venture Challenge, the Boulder SBDC and Colorado's Advanced Industries grants.
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Why Boulder Matters for Founders in 2027
Two clusters stand out in the companies below. The first is quantum: Infleqtion and Mesa Quantum build on atomic physics that Boulder's university and NIST labs have worked on for decades, and the Elevate Quantum tech hub now offers shared lab space for quantum companies in the region. The second is biotech: Enveda and Think Bioscience both raised large rounds in 2026, and Think Bioscience is a CU Boulder spin-out. Around them sit software companies that sell to very specific buyers, from utilities (Uplight) to defense suppliers (RADICL) and hardware engineers (Five Flute). For a first-time founder, the usual way in is a CU Boulder programme, Techstars or the city's free small business advising.
To compare Boulder with other places, read our guide to the best startup cities in North America, and see the nearby scenes in Cheyenne and Kansas City.
Boulder Startups to Watch in 2027 Compared
Sources: each company's official website, its contact, about or privacy pages and its own press releases, checked 6 November 2026.
The Boulder Startups to Watch in 2027
1. Enveda: medicines discovered in nature's chemistry
Enveda is a clinical-stage biotech company that uses its AI platform, PRISM, to identify biologically active molecules found in nature and turn them into medicines. In September 2026 it announced, with a Boulder dateline, a $311 million Series E led by Catalio Capital Management, with new investors including Durable Capital Partners, ICONIQ and Lightspeed. The round followed positive early clinical results in 2026 for ENV-294 in atopic dermatitis and ENV-308 for metabolic health, and its press page says a $150 million Series D in December 2025 made it a unicorn. Its headquarters is at 5700 Flatiron Parkway in Boulder, with a second office in Hyderabad, India.
Lesson for founders: Enveda pairs a data platform with its own drug pipeline, so investors can judge it on clinical results, not only on technology. Show the output of your platform, not just the platform.
2. Infleqtion: quantum computers and sensors from Boulder County
Infleqtion builds neutral-atom quantum computers, quantum software and quantum sensors, including the Tiqker atomic clock and atom-based radio frequency sensing, for governments, businesses and research institutions. The old article listed it as ColdQuanta; that domain now leads to Infleqtion. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange as INFQ, its press releases carry a Louisville, Colorado dateline (a town in Boulder County), and its homepage says Eaton selected it for a multi-year research programme applying quantum computing to power grid analysis.
Lesson for founders: Infleqtion sells sensors and clocks that work today alongside quantum computers that are still maturing. Near-term products can fund a long-term bet.
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3. Think Bioscience: new pockets, new drugs
Think Bioscience develops small-molecule drugs for targets long considered "undruggable", using synthetic biology to find new ways molecules can bind to them. On 20 January 2026 it announced, in its own release datelined Boulder, a $55 million oversubscribed Series A led by Regeneron Ventures, Innovation Endeavors and Janus Henderson Investors, with CU Innovations and Buff Gold Ventures among the returning investors. Its news page also lists a $1 million NSF SBIR Phase II grant and describes it as a CU Boulder spin-out. Its address is 1745 38th Street in Boulder.
Lesson for founders: Think Bioscience used non-dilutive grants and university-linked investors before raising from big funds. Grants can carry deep science to the point where venture investors can see the opportunity.
4. Mesa Quantum: navigation and timing when GPS fails
Mesa Quantum develops mass-manufacturable, chip-scale quantum sensors: atomic clocks, magnetometers and gyroscopes for positioning, navigation and timing when GPS is jammed, spoofed or out of reach. On 24 September 2026 it announced from Boulder an oversubscribed $11.8 million round led by Playground Global, bringing its total venture funding to nearly $16 million, plus more than $5 million in non-dilutive awards from US government agencies including SpaceWERX. It has built an R&D facility in Boulder, and in November 2024 it received a $500,000 grant from Colorado's Advanced Industries programme.
Lesson for founders: Mesa Quantum frames its technology around a problem buyers already fear, losing GPS. Sell the risk you remove, not the physics you use.
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5. Uplight: software that helps utilities balance the grid
Uplight is a clean energy technology company that helps energy providers get customers and their connected devices, such as thermostats, solar panels and electric cars, to generate, shift and save energy. Its platform covers energy efficiency and electrification programmes, rates and demand management, and its homepage shows utilities such as Alliant Energy, PG&E, CPS Energy, Puget Sound Energy, PSEG and CLP. It also announces that Octopus Energy has completed an investment in Uplight. Its office is at 2490 Junction Place in Boulder.
Lesson for founders: Uplight sells to a small number of very large customers, utilities, and reaches millions of households through them. A business-to-business channel can be the fastest route to consumers.
6. Gloo: technology for churches and non-profits
Gloo builds a technology platform for faith, ministry and non-profit leaders, with tools for engagement, AI and data. Its about page says it was founded in 2013, is headquartered in Boulder, trades on Nasdaq as GLOO and has served more than 140,000 faith, ministry and non-profit leaders. It is no longer an early-stage startup, but it shows how far a Boulder company built for an overlooked market can grow.
Lesson for founders: Gloo serves organisations that mainstream software companies rarely design for. A niche with strong communities and weak tools can support a large company.
7. RADICL: a security team for defense suppliers
RADICL provides managed cybersecurity and compliance as one service for small and mid-sized companies in the defense industrial base and other regulated sectors, including help with the CMMC and NIST 800-171 rules that US defense contractors must meet. Its virtual security operations centre combines AI-driven workflows with human analysts. Its news page carries Boulder, Colorado datelines and reports $9 million in funding led by Paladin Capital Group in November 2023.
Lesson for founders: RADICL sells compliance that customers must have to keep their contracts. Products tied to a legal or contractual deadline sell faster than nice-to-have tools.
8. Five Flute: design reviews for hardware teams
Five Flute is a 2D and 3D design review platform for teams developing complex electromechanical products: engineers mark up drawings and models, track issues and agree on changes in one place. Teams can get started for free from its homepage. Its privacy policy describes Five Flute Inc. as a Delaware corporation headquartered in Boulder, Colorado. The old article described it as a tool for building physical prototypes; its own site describes design and drawing reviews.
Lesson for founders: Five Flute picked one step in hardware development, the design review, and built the best tool for it. A narrow workflow done well is easier to sell than a broad platform.
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Where Boulder Startups Get Support
- Techstars Boulder: founded in 2007, it is the original Techstars accelerator. Its 2026 programme started on 8 September 2026 after applications closed on 10 June 2026, with Demo Day set for 7 December 2026; the page does not list the investment terms, so check them with Techstars.
- Venture Partners at CU Boulder: the university's commercialisation office, which counts more than 220 startups spun out of university technology and a record 36 launched in 2024. It runs the Ascent Deep Tech Accelerator (January to June 2027, applications due 7 December) and NSF I-Corps programmes.
- Lab Venture Challenge: grants of up to $125,000 for top innovations from the University of Colorado campuses, funded by Colorado's Advanced Industries programme. The 2026 round has closed; the page suggests reviewing it to prepare for 2027.
- New Venture Challenge: CU Boulder's year-round startup programme for students and staff, with teams pitching for a share of more than $200,000 at the NVC Finals.
- Boulder SBDC: hosted by the City of Boulder, the Colorado Small Business Development Center for Boulder County offers workshops and no-cost one-to-one advising in English and Spanish.
- Colorado Advanced Industries grants: the state's OEDIT offers a Proof of Concept Grant of up to $150,000 for research institutions (next application opens 4 January 2027), an Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant of up to $250,000 for Colorado tech companies, and an Export Grant of up to $15,000.
- Elevate Quantum: the regional quantum tech hub, with a shared Commercialization Lab, photonic chip fabrication and technician training for quantum companies.
Women founders can also look at the grants for female entrepreneurs in North America and the deep tech grants in North America in our guides.
What Changed Since the 2026 List
Eight of the ten names from the old list are gone from this edition, because we could not confirm them as Boulder companies that still operate:
- Atom Computing: its website gives its headquarters in Berkeley, California; Boulder is one of its offices, with Austin.
- Wunder: still offers solar, storage and EV charging for real estate owners, but its site gives no Boulder address and shows no dated news after June 2024.
- Pact: the organic clothing brand still sells online, but its site gives no address we could check.
- BiggerPockets and PAIRIN: both are based in Denver, according to their own websites.
- Xima Software: its site gives no Colorado address.
- Würk: its website no longer loads.
- Ventura Growth: we could not find an official website for it.
- Renamed: ColdQuanta is now Infleqtion and stays on the list. Five Flute stays, with a corrected description.
- Statistics removed: the old claim of "over $3.5 trillion invested in quantum computing" and the unnamed "fastest-rising tech hubs" ranking had no source.
Which Boulder Startup Should You Learn From?
- You build deep tech from university research: study Think Bioscience and Mesa Quantum, and how grants carried them to venture rounds.
- You build in biotech with AI: study Enveda and how it backs its platform with clinical results.
- You build quantum hardware: study Infleqtion and Mesa Quantum, and how they sell sensing and timing products now.
- You sell to utilities or regulated industries: study Uplight and RADICL.
- You build software for a niche: study Five Flute and Gloo.
How Founders Use Boulder's Startup Scene
Look at who backs these companies: Enveda raised from Catalio, ICONIQ and Lightspeed, Think Bioscience from Regeneron Ventures and Innovation Endeavors, and Mesa Quantum from Playground Global. If you are raising, compare them with the funds in our guides to early-stage VCs in North America and angel investor groups in North America, and look at programmes next to the AI accelerators in North America and the startup competitions in North America.
For this list's main sectors, meet buyers and investors at the quantum startup events, biotech startup events and cybersecurity startup events. Comparing cities? Other scenes in our series are San Francisco startups to watch and, to the south, Albuquerque startups to watch.
Before you copy any of these business models, test them with real customers, and start marketing early: list your startup in the F/MS marketing directories, publish your startup press release, and write about your product with the F/MS AI SEO Tool or the AI SEO Blog so customers, investors and AI assistants can find you.
FAQ About Boulder Startups to Watch in 2027
Which Boulder startups should I watch in 2027?
Our verified list: Enveda, Infleqtion, Think Bioscience, Mesa Quantum, Uplight, Gloo, RADICL and Five Flute. Each still operates and gives a Boulder-area address or dateline on its own website or in its own press release, checked in November 2026.
Which Boulder startup raised the most money recently?
Enveda. It announced a $311 million Series E in September 2026, led by Catalio Capital Management. Think Bioscience raised a $55 million Series A in January 2026.
Which quantum startups are in Boulder?
Infleqtion (formerly ColdQuanta), based in Louisville in Boulder County, builds quantum computers and sensors, and Mesa Quantum builds chip-scale atomic clocks and quantum sensors in Boulder.
What happened to ColdQuanta?
ColdQuanta is now called Infleqtion. Its old domain leads to the Infleqtion website, and the company trades on the New York Stock Exchange as INFQ.
Is Atom Computing a Boulder startup?
Its website gives its headquarters in Berkeley, California, with offices in Boulder and Austin, so it left this list.
Is Techstars Boulder still running?
Yes. Its 2026 programme started on 8 September 2026, and the page calls it the original Techstars accelerator, founded in 2007.
Where can startups get support in Boulder?
Techstars Boulder, Venture Partners at CU Boulder, the Lab Venture Challenge, the New Venture Challenge, the Boulder SBDC, Colorado's Advanced Industries grants and the Elevate Quantum tech hub.
Does Colorado give grants to startups?
Yes. OEDIT's Advanced Industries Early-Stage Capital and Retention Grant now lists up to $250,000 per project for Colorado tech companies, and the Proof of Concept Grant up to $150,000 for research institutions. Mesa Quantum announced a $500,000 Advanced Industries grant in November 2024.
What can founders learn from Boulder startups?
Use grants to carry deep science to a fundable stage, sell products that remove a risk buyers already fear, and pick one workflow or niche and serve it better than anyone else.
Where can I get a backlink by writing about my startup?
You can publish a guest post in one of the Fe/male Switch startup blogs, which rank in Google and in AI tools. Get a quality backlink.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
