between-intakes State Grant

Colorado Advanced Industries Accelerator (AIA) Grant Program

Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade (OEDIT)

Up to $150K or $250K

See if you qualify — free Visit official program ↗

Researched for this program: 7 rejection traps · 8 required documentsWhat decides this award ↓

The short version

CO advanced industries startup grants

Colorado's competitive grant program for early-stage advanced-industries companies — aerospace, bioscience, infrastructure engineering, energy/natural resources, electronics, information technology, and defense/homeland security. Two grant types: Proof of Concept ($150,000 max, pre-revenue, no equity dilution) and Early Stage Capital/Retention ($250,000 max, requires matching capital). Funded by the Colorado Advanced Industries Fund, with approximately $5.5M available per fiscal year.

Funding type: Grant
Level: State
Amount range: $50,000 – $250,000
Realistic amount: Proof of Concept awards typically $50,000–$150,000. Early Stage Capital awards are typically the full $250,000 when matc…
Deadline: Annual — typically one application cycle per fiscal year opening in late fall/winter. FY2025 cycle closed; FY2026 dates TBA.
Status: between-intakes
States: CO
Payment model: milestone

Who qualifies

Must be a for-profit company incorporated and headquartered in Colorado
Must be in one of seven advanced industries: aerospace, bioscience, electronics, energy and natural resources, infrastructure engineering, information technology, or defense/homeland security
Proof of Concept grant: must be pre-revenue OR have less than $3M in annual revenue; technology must not yet be commercially proven
Early Stage Capital grant: must have raised or committed outside matching capital equal to or greater than the requested grant amount (1:1 match); must have secured first customers or letters of intent
Minimum 1 full-time Colorado employee (owner counts)
Must not have received a prior AIA grant in the same tier within the last 3 years
Cannot be a subsidiary of a company with more than 500 employees

Hard requirements

Must be incorporated
Minimum 1 employees

What it covers

Eligible expenses

Personnel costs (salaries, benefits for Colorado-based employees working on the project)
Contractor and consultant fees for technical work
Equipment and supplies directly tied to the funded project
Prototype development, testing, and certification costs
Intellectual property protection (patents, trademarks)
Market research and customer discovery activities
Travel for business development (limited, must be justified)

Ineligible expenses

Lobbying or political activities
Marketing, advertising, or sales materials unrelated to product development
Real estate purchases or facility construction
Refinancing or paying existing debt
Work performed outside Colorado (generally)
F&A (facilities and administrative) overhead above allowable rates

How to apply

1

Determine grant tier and confirm eligibility

Decide between Proof of Concept ($150K, no match) or Early Stage Capital ($350K, 1:1 match required). Review OEDIT's eligibility checklist and verify industry classification against the seven advanced industries.

~6 hrs
2

Prepare application materials

Gather: business description and technology overview, problem/solution narrative, market size and competitive landscape, team bios (emphasize Colorado residency), financial projections, and matching capital documentation (for Early Stage tier). Write a clear commercialization plan.

~6 hrs
3

Submit online application during open window

Complete the OEDIT AIA application portal during the annual open window (typically 6–8 weeks in fall). Applications require: company profile, project narrative, budget justification, team bios, and supporting financials.

~6 hrs
4

Panel review and scoring

OEDIT convenes an expert review panel of industry practitioners and investors to score applications on technical merit, commercial viability, team strength, and Colorado economic impact. Top-scoring applicants may be invited to present or answer questions.

~6 hrs
5

Award notification and grant agreement execution

Awards announced in spring. Recipients execute a grant agreement specifying milestones, reporting obligations, and IP protection requirements. First disbursement follows agreement execution.

~6 hrs

Insider tip

Proof of Concept tier is far less competitive than Early Stage — aim there first. Strong Colorado economic-impact framing (local jobs, wages) scores higher than technical brilliance alone. Panel reviewers are industry practitioners, not bureaucrats.

Deadline & timing

OEDIT typically releases the annual AIA application in fall (October–November) with a 6–8 week window. Awards are announced in spring. Subscribe to OEDIT's advanced industries newsletter for advance notice. Applications are submitted through the OEDIT online portal.

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