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What to Expect
Drive to Five: Colorado Life Sciences Innovation Tour is a dynamic two-day, by-invitation bus tour showcasing Colorado’s vibrant and rapidly growing life sciences ecosystem. This immersive experience brings together legislators, investors, site selectors, and community leaders for curated visits to leading life sciences companies, innovation hubs, and research institutions across Aurora, Denver, Boulder, and Northern Colorado.
Each day features a networking breakfast, engaging site tours, and a community happy hour, all designed to highlight the talent, innovation, and infrastructure driving Colorado’s emergence as a top-tier life sciences hub.
Attire
We recommend business casual attire, with consideration for the forecasted weather. You’ll be visiting both outdoor spaces and air-conditioned facilities, so layers are encouraged. Please wear closed-toed shoes comfortable for walking! We’ll be loading and unloading buses frequently and walking around large campuses.
What to Bring
Government-issued ID – Some stops may require security check-in.
Notebook or device – For jotting down insights or connections.
Phone charger or battery pack – To stay connected and capture key moments.
Weather essentials – Sunglasses, sunscreen, umbrella, or light jacket depending on the forecast.
Business cards – For networking during community events.
Parking, Locations, and Check In
Day 1 Parking: Paid parking is available in the parking garage accessible via the Revere Court entrance (Fitzsimons Innovation Community, Building 3 - 2115 N. Scranton St., Bioscience 3, Aurora, CO 80045). The best alternative is the North Lot. Please refer to the map for details.
Day 2 Parking: Parking is available in the designated lots at 5505 Central Ave., as shown on the map, or along Central Ave.
Restrooms
Buses donot include restrooms, but restrooms will be available at each stop.
Accommodations
Aurora Preferred Hotel
The Benson Hotel
Boulder Preferred Hotels
St Julien Hotel and Spa
Residence Inn Boulder
Hyatt Place Boulder - Pearl Street
Agenda
Day One – Wednesday, July 23
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 – 8:15 AM | Arrivals, Breakfast, Check-in, Community Event Begins | Fitzsimons Innovation Community |
| 8:15 – 9:15 AM | Remarks by Kelly Jean Brough, President & CEO – Fitzsimons Innovation Community + Tours | Fitzsimons Innovation Community |
| 9:15 – 9:30 AM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 9:30 – 10:00 AM | Bus Drive | To Colorado Health & Tech Centers |
| 10:00 – 10:10 AM | Arrivals, Transition | |
| 10:10 – 10:25 AM | Remarks by Afshin Safavi, Founder & CEO; Danny Martinez, Senior VP – Colorado Health & Tech Centers | Colorado Health & Tech Centers |
| 10:25 – 10:35 AM | Transition + Load Bus | |
| 10:35 – 11:20 AM | Bus Drive | To Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies |
| 11:20 – 11:30 AM | Arrivals, Transition | |
| 11:30 AM – 1:00 PM | Remarks by Cindy Ng, SVP, Global Commercial + Tour | Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies |
| 1:00 – 1:10 PM | Transition, Grab Lunch, Load Bus | |
| 1:10 – 2:00 PM | Bus Drive | To Medtronic |
| 2:00 – 2:10 PM | Arrivals, Transition | |
| 2:10 – 2:55 PM | Remarks by Bob Reddy, VP, Global Marketing, Medical Education & Training – Medtronic Enabling Technologies + Tour | Medtronic |
| 2:55 – 3:05 PM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 3:05 – 3:20 PM | Bus Drive | To Umoja Biopharma |
| 3:20 – 3:30 PM | Arrivals, Transition | |
| 3:30 – 4:15 PM | Remarks by Sally Dyer, Senior Vice President – Umoja Biopharma; Andrew Scharenberg, M.D., Co-Founder & CEO – Umoja Biopharma; Ryan Crisman, Ph.D., Co-Founder & CTO – Umoja Biopharma + Tour | Umoja Biopharma |
| 4:15 – 4:25 PM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 4:25 – 4:55 PM | Bus Drive | To Foresight Diagnostics |
| 4:55 – 5:05 PM | Arrivals, Transition | |
| 5:05 – 5:35 PM | Remarks by Jake Chabon, Ph.D., CEO & CSO | Foresight Diagnostics |
| 5:35 – 6:00 PM | Join Community Event: Happy Hour | |
| 6:00 – 6:15 PM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 6:15 – 7:15 PM | Bus Drive | Return to Fitzsimons Innovation Community |
| 7:15 – 7:30 PM | Unload Bus | Fitzsimons Innovation Community |
Day Two – Thursday, July 24
| Time | Activity | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 7:30 – 8:15 AM | Arrivals, Breakfast | BioMed Realty |
| 8:15 – 8:30 AM | Introduction by Jennifer Chavez, Director of Leasing | BioMed Realty |
| 8:30 – 9:00 AM | Remarks by Governor Jared Polis; Julie Stiff, SVP, Site Head – KBI Biopharma; Scott Sternberg, Executive Director – Cubit Quantum Initiative | BioMed Realty |
| 9:15 – 9:25 AM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 9:25 – 9:35 AM | Walk/Drive | To Enveda |
| 9:35 – 9:45 AM | Arrivals, Transition | |
| 9:45 – 10:45 AM | Remarks by Viswa Colluru, Ph.D., Founder & CEO + Tour | Enveda |
| 10:45 – 10:55 AM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 10:55 – 11:35 AM | Bus Drive | To Agilent Technologies |
| 11:35 – 11:55 AM | Tour (on bus) | Agilent Technologies |
| 11:55 – 12:05 PM | Empty Bus | Agilent Technologies |
| 12:05 – 12:40 PM | Lunch, Remarks by Blake Unterreiner, Vice President & General Manager - Agilent Technologies; Joe Guiles, Ph.D., Head of Development | Agilent Technologies |
| 12:40 – 1:00 PM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 1:00 – 1:50 PM | Bus Drive | To Innosphere Ventures |
| 1:55 – 2:00 PM | Arrivals, Transition | Innosphere Ventures |
| 2:00 – 3:00 PM | Remarks by Tim Jones, COO; Reilly Williams, CEO – Entirely Well; Camila Uzcategui, Ph.D., CEO & Co-Founder – Manifest Technologies; Kirk McGilvray, Ph.D., CEO – Vital Foams | Innosphere Ventures |
| 3:00 – 3:10 PM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 3:10 – 3:35 PM | Bus Drive | To CSU Translational Medicine Institute |
| 3:35 – 3:45 PM | Arrivals, Transition | |
| 3:45 – 4:35 PM | Remarks by Meg Suter, Ph.D., AVP for Research; Translational Medicine Institute Leaders + Tours | CSU Translational Medicine Institute |
| 4:35 – 6:05 PM | Community Event: Happy Hour | CSU Translational Medicine Institute |
| 6:05 – 6:20 PM | Transition, Load Bus | |
| 6:20 – 7:20 PM | Bus Drive | Return to BioMed Realty |
| 7:20 – 7:30 PM | Unload Bus | BioMed Realty |
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: What time and location does the bus depart and return each day?
A: The buses will depart from the starting location at 9:00 a.m. each morning and return by 7:15 p.m. each evening. We’ll share the exact address of the starting point in your logistics email.
Q: What time should I arrive to board the bus?
A: We recommend arriving by at least 8:00AM to allow time for registration and to attend the community event. The bus will leave right on schedule, so a timely arrival helps keep everything running smoothly!
Q: Are community events included with my bus registration?
A: Yes! All of the community events along the route are included in your bus registration—no extra steps needed.
Q: Can I participate in the tour without riding the bus?
A: You must be on the bus to participate on stops outside of community events. While the full experience is designed around the bus tour, you’re absolutely welcome to join us at any of the community events if you’re unable to ride the bus for one or both days.
Q: Is it possible to leave the tour early?
A: Yes, if you need to head out early, that’s totally fine. Just keep in mind that you’ll be responsible for arranging your own transportation from that point on.
Q: Can someone else use my bus ticket for part of the day?
A: Bus tickets are non-transferable, so we can’t accommodate swaps mid-tour. That said, if someone else is interested in joining, we’d love to help them register—just reach out to Lisa Wilder, our Partnership and Program Coordinator.
Q: Will there be downtime for regular business calls, meetings, etc.?
A: The bus tour is a packed day focused on showcasing Colorado’s life sciences ecosystem. While you might be able to squeeze a call in, we won’t have dedicated breaks for business calls or meetings, so please plan accordingly.
