COS Rising 2025 is a 3-day celebration of innovation, entrepreneurship, and community in Colorado Springs. Designed for founders, startups, and tech-driven thinkers, the event features interactive workshops, networking opportunities, and unique experiences that highlight both the challenges and triumphs of building something new.
From tackling real-world problems and sprinting through rapid app development, to embracing lessons learned from failure and exploring the city’s entrepreneurial roots, COS Rising brings together the people and ideas shaping the future.
A collaboration between Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation, El Pomar Institute for Innovation and Commercialization (EPIIC), and Exponential Impact, this event unites organizations dedicated to celebrating innovation and strengthening the startup community.
Day 1 - September 24th, 2025
-
The History of Entrepreneurship in Colorado Springs
11:00AM - 12:30PM
Location: UCCS Downtown
Discover how visionaries like General Palmer, Nikola Tesla, and the Penrose family shaped Colorado Springs’ entrepreneurial roots and built the foundation for today’s culture of innovation and business growth.
-
What's Your Problem? Workshop
2:00PM - 3:30PM
Location: UCCS Downtown
“What’s Your Problem?” is an interactive workshop where entrepreneurs and professionals tackle real challenges in their business or career and begin charting a path toward solutions.
-
Failure Fest and Dinner
5:00PM - 7:00PM
Location: Ent Center for the Arts - Ross Lobby
Failure Fest is a candid, community dinner where entrepreneurs share stories of setbacks, reflect on lessons learned, and discover how failure can become their most powerful tool for growth.
Day 2 - September 25th, 2025
-
Tech Connect: Coffee and Community
9:00AM - 10:00AM
Location: Exponential Impact HQ
Start the day off with a coffee and community gathering where entrepreneurs, founders, and tech enthusiasts come together to connect, collaborate, and spark innovation.
-
Problem to Prototype
10:30AM - 2:30PM
Location: Exponential Impact HQ
Join innovators, problem-solvers, and aspiring entrepreneurs where you’ll work in teams to tackle real community problem statements and create clickable software prototypes, no coding experience required.
-
AI Builders - Colorado Springs Edition
5:30PM - 7:30PM
Location: Exponential Impact HQ
Check out the first-ever Southern Colorado gathering for founders, developers, and innovators to connect, share, and showcase how AI is transforming startups and shaping the future.
Day 3 - September 26th, 2025
-
Startup Hike at Red Rock Canyon
9:30AM - 11:30AM
Location: Red Rock Canyon, Colorado Springs, CO
Join us for a refreshing networking experience where founders and innovators connect, share ideas, and recharge while exploring Colorado’s breathtaking trails.
-
“The Future of Tech” Lunch & Play
12:00PM - 1:30PM
Location: Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation
Experience an AI simulation that turns strategy into smarter outcomes, and see a modular robotics breakthrough built for speed and adaptability.
-
Software Delivery Discussion
2:00PM - 3:00PM
Location: Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation
Join us for a focused session where experts share best practices, compliance insights, and innovative strategies for delivering secure, mission-aligned software solutions to the Department of Defense.
Pitch COMPETITION and Happy Hour!
4:00PM-7:00PM
Location: Catalyst Campus of Technology and Innovation
Mark your calendar for an unforgettable evening! The Pitch Competition and Happy Hour takes over Catalyst Campus for Technology & Innovation on Friday, September 26, from 4:00–7:00 PM.
We’ll start with apps, drinks, and high-impact networking before the main event: a fast-paced pitch showdown where Southern Colorado’s boldest startups step into the spotlight. Founders will pitch their groundbreaking ideas to a panel of judges—and you, the live audience—for a shot at the prize.
$15,000 in funding is on the line—with $10K for first place and $5K for second—to help accelerate their next big move.
This is your chance to witness innovation in action. Expect high stakes, fresh ideas, and the excitement of seeing startups fight for the win.
Who belongs in the room? Entrepreneurs, tech and defense pros, investors, military and government leaders, academics, and community champions ready to fuel the future of Southern Colorado’s innovation economy.
