b'SUPPORTING STARTUPS WITH their way to the market. In addition toTRANSFORMING HOW DOCTORS ACCESS TO CAPITAL investing, Buff Gold Ventures connectsDIAGNOSE DISEASE Sally Hatcher, J.D.founders with team members, advisors, ser- Callie Weiant, J.D. Managing Partner at Buff Gold Ventures vices and board members whose expertisePresident of CaliberMRI Buff Gold Ventures Managing Partner Sallycan help them succeed. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) machines Hatcher, J.D., recognized early as an entrepreneurThe term venture capital is bandied aboutcan help spot everything from torn ligaments and board member that Colorados life sciencesby inventors thinking generally, I need to getto tumors. But Callie Weiant, J.D., the President industry needs additional sources of early-stagefunding for my good idea, Hatcher said. Ourof Boulder-based CaliberMRI, will tell you capital. When her work with the University ofcapital investment is actually at a later stage.that images only scratch the surface of the Colorado led to an awareness of the strongFirst, they need to apply for governmentdiagnostic power that MRIs can deliver for pipeline of inventions and novel research, shegrants to de-risk their technology and oftenphysicians and patients. and Co-Founder Mark Lupa launched Buff Goldwork with angel investors. We help themThe CaliberMRI team aims to help revolutionize Ventures to fund promising startups. understand what it takes to get from proto- MRI by moving from human-reviewed images Buff Gold Ventures invests in disruptive technol- type to widespread commercial use. to data readable by artificial intelligence (AI). ogies that solve big problems. The company isIn2022,BuffGoldVenturesmadefiveQuantitative MRI or qMRI could discern dis-not a part of the University of Colorado Boulder,investments, including participating in a $17eases and injuries in ways beyond the reach but it has a partnership with Venture Partners atmillion Seed round for Think Bioscience, whichof todays best-trained radiologists. CU Boulder, the universitys commercializationuses living systems to guide the design andBy detecting minute changes in how water arm, to find and support the best investmentassembly of better medicines. diffuses through different types of tissues, opportunities in its pipeline. This is important for the deep tech ecosystemartificial intelligence algorithms already under The university has so many amazing ideas andand CU ecosystem in Colorado, Hatcher said.development could relay not only whether inventions, Hatcher said. Traditionally, it hasIts hard to start these companies. theres a tumor, but whether its benign or not had a way to get those out of the lab, offSally Hatcher sees the potential of thesecancerous, and also how it may be changing campus, and into widespread use. research-intensive deep technologies. Herin size and nature over time. That could avoid With the help of Buff Gold Ventures, manyteam provides critical funds for promisingcountless breast, prostate, and other biopsies. ideas developed at CU Boulder are makingtechnologies that will save and change lives. Such diagnostic precision would extend to Driving to the Top Five Colorado BioScience Association creates co-opportunity for the states life sciences community.Founded in 2015 by CBSA, Colorado BioScience Institute cultivates and diversifies Colorados lifesciences workforce. The all-female team work to make the state a leading life sciences hub. Elyse Blazevich Francisca (Francis) BermeaPresident & CEO Member Success Specialist Colorado BioScience Association Colorado BioScience AssociationEmily Martini Danielle Cook Vice President of Partnerships Marketing & Communications Specialist Colorado BioScience AssociationColorado BioScience AssociationAmy Berenbaum Goodman Meg JohnVice President and Counsel, Vice PresidentPolicy + AdvocacyColorado BioScience InstituteColorado BioScience AssociationJanie ButlerProgram Manager Colorado BioScience Institute24 BIOSCIENCE COLORADO 2023-2024'