How to start a company in Colorado
To start a company in Colorado, learn the basics, test the idea with real customers, then register the company with the Colorado Secretary of State. Classes, meetups, business support offices, lawyers, accountants and banks help at each step. This guide lists 123 of them from Startup Resources, as of .
Learn the basics
Classes and programs that teach founders how to start a company.
Entrepreneurial Law Clinic (the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder)
A clinic at the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder. Law students give pro bono transactional legal help. It serves local businesses that lack access to legal resources.
In Startup Resources: Entrepreneurial Law Clinic (the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder)
A company-building program with a Colorado cohort. It takes aspiring, first-time and solo founders from idea to Funding Day. It uses AI tools, weekly feedback and a global network.
McNeil Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
The Colorado School of Mines entrepreneurship and innovation network in Golden. It includes the McNeil Center, the Innovation Hub, makerspaces and tech transfer, for students, faculty and staff.
In Startup Resources: McNeil Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation
Rocky Mountain MicroFinance Institute
A Denver nonprofit lender that helps entrepreneurs. It works in the metro area and across Colorado. Its classes, workshops, mentorship and accessible capital help them test, launch or grow a business.
Venture Attractor's equity-free pre-accelerator in Colorado Springs. Early-stage startups work with a mentor and a cohort. Each startup leaves with an investor-grade pitch deck.
A Durango group that helps companies scale in Southwest Colorado. The companies are high-growth and create jobs. It offers an accelerator, mentoring and access to funding.
A SCORE chapter for Southern Colorado and the Western Slope. It offers free business mentoring and free or low-cost workshops. It serves entrepreneurs from Colorado Springs and Pueblo to Grand Junction.
A SCORE chapter for Metro Denver, Northern Colorado and southeast Wyoming. It offers free, confidential business mentoring. It also has free or low-cost workshops. Both are for entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Secretary of State’s Business Intelligence Center
A Colorado Secretary of State program. It turns public data into business insights. It also shares datasets on the state's open data platform. The platform is the Colorado Information Marketplace.
In Startup Resources: Secretary of State’s Business Intelligence Center
A center at the University of Colorado Law School in Boulder. It runs events, publications and student programs. Its work covers law, policy and entrepreneurship in the digital age.
An AI platform for universities, ecosystems and other entrepreneurship programs. It turns a one-line business idea into a business plan. It also makes a lean canvas and market analysis.
A Silicon Flatirons summer program for undergraduates interning at Front Range startups. It has weekly sessions from Colorado founders and executives. It also has a team venture and a pitch contest.
Tech AF Founder Academy & Community (Online for Female Founders)
An online community and academy for women and nonbinary tech founders. It has curated content and daily member talk. It also offers networking and accountability around monthly themes.
In Startup Resources: Tech AF Founder Academy & Community (Online for Female Founders)
Test the idea and find a team
Meetups and hackathons where founders test an idea and find cofounders.
Meetups and communities
Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network
A Colorado network. It is now BEN Colorado (Bridge Entrepreneurs Network). It picks advisors for founders who want growth. Its Signature Program, Denver ScaleUp Network, Inclusive Impact Catalyst and Rural Reach do so.
Blerd: Black Nerds in Colorado
Meetup where Black nerds in Colorado get advice, start projects and advance their careers.
An informal Boulder group for the startup and tech community. Its morning coffee meetups alternate between Rayback Collective and online. Each opens with intros, announcements and a moderated discussion.
An online startup community. Founders search for a cofounder by interests, skills and location. Members also get advice from expert advisors and prepare a pitch for funding.
Colorado Game Developers Association + AR/VR Group
A game developer and AR/VR group. It serves the Denver, Boulder, Fort Collins and Colorado Springs areas. It meets about monthly. It welcomes developers, artists, musicians and writers.
In Startup Resources: Colorado Game Developers Association + AR/VR Group
Colorado Springs Entrepreneurs Group
A Colorado Springs group for people who want to grow their businesses. Its members are entrepreneurs, small business owners and business service leaders.
Organization that helps founders build a team.
Colorado Technology Association
A statewide nonprofit association for Colorado's tech industry. It offers member events, professional development and talent pipeline partnerships. It also runs the Tech Summit and APEX Awards, plus a WIT Conference.
A volunteer-run nonprofit hackerspace in Denver. It has a classroom and prototyping tools, including 3D printers, laser cutters, CNC machines and welders. It also holds Tuesday open houses and public classes.
A Denver group for AI developers with tech talks, study jams and code labs. Topics include generative AI, LLMs, machine learning and data science. Its recent sessions are held online.
Entrepreneurs' Organization Colorado
Colorado chapter of the Entrepreneurs' Organization, a global peer-to-peer network. It has forums, events and learning programs for established business owners. EO's Accelerator program is for early-stage entrepreneurs.
The Denver chapter of Founders Network. It is an invitation-based peer mentoring community. It connects founders with a global support network. It also offers mentoring tracks and member discounts.
The Boulder and Denver chapter of Girl Develop It. It helps women and nonbinary adults learn software development. It offers classes, projects and events. Its classes are currently virtual.
A tech community based in Colorado. Its events mix tech talks, live demos, founder and startup pitches, panels and networking. Events include Boulder New Tech nights and sessions in Denver and Colorado Springs.
A Colorado Springs startup community. It holds pitch nights on the third Thursday of each month. Teams pitch for community feedback and connections, from early idea to venture-ready.
A group for rural Colorado founders and ecosystem builders. It offers accelerator programs, a pitch series and a funding database. It also runs West Slope Startup Week in Durango and Rural Startup Days.
Startups2Students / S2S (CU Boulder)
A CU Boulder program. It connects students with high-growth Colorado startups through events. The events are typically in September, January and April. Startups pitch their jobs and internships there.
An online portal for the CU Boulder entrepreneurship community. It has events, competitions and applications, jobs, a forum and mentors. Members can add a venture or project.
The nonprofit Denver chapter of TiE, a global entrepreneur network. It serves founders in every industry and stage. It offers mentoring, networking, education, funding and incubation programs.
YCombinator Co-Founder Matching (Set Settings > Local to Denver and Boulder)
A free online co-founder matching platform from Y Combinator's Startup School. It is for founders at any stage, with or without an idea. It has no commitment and takes no equity.
In Startup Resources: YCombinator Co-Founder Matching (Set Settings > Local to Denver and Boulder)
Events, pitch nights and hackathons
Colorado State University Venture Validator
A free virtual cohort at Colorado State University. New founders test their idea there. Customer interviews and competitor research are the tools.
In Startup Resources: Colorado State University Venture Validator
An Ethereum festival in Denver. It has talks, workshops, a hackathon and side events. It is for builders and founders.
A volunteer-run Fort Collins makerspace. Members use woodworking, welding and electronics tools. The public can take classes.
A hackathon or maker community in Denver.
Free student hackathon in Boulder with meals, workshops and prize tracks, open to first-time hackers.
Hyvv Incubator | MicroVC | CoWork
A private online community for founders. It has channels by startup stage and a content library.
An engineering makerspace at the University of Colorado Boulder, with fabrication tools, workshops and tours.
A nonprofit makerspace in Colorado Springs. Members of all skill levels use equipment and take classes.
A free hackathon for women, non-binary and other underrepresented college students. It is for students in engineering and tech.
A makerspace in Longmont. It has shared tools, equipment and classes for members and the community.
Get help from business support offices
Chambers of commerce, economic development offices and statewide business programs.
The Boulder chamber of commerce. It offers networking events, workforce development and economic vitality work. Its member groups include Bolder Young Professionals and the Business Growth Network.
A City of Boulder department. It is for innovation and technology. It runs the city's open data catalog. It also runs the community broadband and fiber network projects.
Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation
A Colorado Springs campus. It links startups, small businesses, workforce training and venture capital. It links them to the aerospace and defense industry. It is home to the Catalyst Accelerator.
In Startup Resources: Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation
A statewide chamber of commerce. It has industry alliances and workforce initiatives. It has jobs market reports. It also has research such as the Colorado Salary Explorer.
A nonprofit CDFI lender for underserved Colorado entrepreneurs. Its clients do not meet the usual rules for financing. It has SBA loans, microloans and startup loans, plus business navigation.
Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Colorado's economic development office helps small businesses across the state. It also helps firms to expand. It speaks up for creative industries, outdoor recreation and tourism.
In Startup Resources: Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade
Colorado Office of Information Technology
Colorado's state technology office. It runs state IT services such as the myColorado app. It offers IT skills training for state employees.
In Startup Resources: Colorado Office of Information Technology
Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC
A Colorado Springs chamber of commerce and economic development corporation. It helps businesses start, expand or relocate. Its resources for small business include the regional Small Business Development Center.
Denver Economic Development & Opportunity
A City of Denver hub for small business support. It offers one-on-one advising, city programs and funding. It also has start-a-business workshops. It gives workforce help to jobseekers and employers.
In Startup Resources: Denver Economic Development & Opportunity
Denver Metro Chamber of Commerce
A Denver metro chamber of commerce. It has networking groups for its members. Its leadership programs are for emerging and senior executives. It also holds events on regional economic issues.
A group that represents Denver's center city. It works with businesses and community partners on downtown's economy, public spaces and events. It also publishes a report on downtown data.
Fort Collins Area Chamber Of Commerce
A Fort Collins business association serving Northern Colorado. It holds in-person and virtual events and promotes shopping local. Its sector partnerships match education and training to industry needs.
Fort Collins Innovation Economy
A City of Fort Collins business hub. It offers guidance, connections and data for starting, growing or relocating a business. It also helps with permits, licensing and sales tax.
Longmont Economic Development Partnership
A Longmont economic development partnership. It leads a joint strategy to strengthen the city's economic health. It shares updates on local jobs, events and housing.
In Startup Resources: Longmont Economic Development Partnership
Louisville Chamber of Commerce
The Louisville chamber of commerce. It connects, advocates for and promotes local businesses through membership, sponsored programs and events.
SBIR Advisors (Non-Dilutive, Small Business Research Innovation Program)
A firm that helps technology companies find SBIR and STTR funding. It helps them write proposals. It also helps them build relationships with Department of War customers to win defense contracts.
In Startup Resources: SBIR Advisors (Non-Dilutive, Small Business Research Innovation Program)
Find a lawyer, an accountant and a bank
Firms that help founders form the company, keep the books and open accounts.
Lawyers in Denver
A law firm in Denver with an Emerging Companies practice. It also handles corporate, intellectual property and tax work.
A Denver business law firm. It helps startups and founders with company formation, co-founder agreements, contracts and trademarks.
Law firm in Denver.
A law firm. It advises start-ups, entrepreneurs and growth-stage businesses. It covers formation and founder equity. It also covers financing rounds and contracts.
Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, LLP
A law firm. It has corporate and securities practices. It has real estate and natural resources practices. It has intellectual property and technology transactions practices.
A Denver business law firm. It helps Colorado companies and founders with formation, capital raising, contracts and acquisitions.
A law firm. Its Emerging Companies group advises startups and founders. It covers corporate and securities work. It covers technology transactions too.
A full-service Denver law firm for Rocky Mountain businesses. It has practices in data privacy, real estate and wealth planning.
A law firm. It has corporate, finance, tax, intellectual property and employment services. It has an Emerging Companies practice.
A law firm office in Denver. It works on mergers and acquisitions. It also works on securities and financing. It works on intellectual property and employment matters too.
A Denver patent law firm. It helps founders and inventors with patent strategy and applications. It also gives prototyping help and coaching on product innovation.
A Denver law firm that drafts and reviews technology contracts. The contracts include software licensing and SaaS agreements.
A Denver business law firm. It advises startups and other companies. It covers corporate matters and technology law.
Law firm in Denver.
A Denver law firm. It advises founders and high-growth companies. It covers formation, fundraising, IP and governance. It also offers fractional general counsel.
Silicon Legal Strategy, A Professional Corporation
A law firm with a Denver office. It advises startups, founders and investors on venture financing, M&A and commercial deals.
In Startup Resources: Silicon Legal Strategy, A Professional Corporation
A law firm and creative agency in Denver. It takes founders' brands from first idea through IP protection and enforcement.
A Denver business and real estate law firm. It helps startups and small businesses with formation, contracts, equity deals and IP.
Lawyers in Boulder
A Boulder patent agency. It files patents for early-stage climate and sustainability startups. It uses flat fees.
A Boulder law firm. It advises founders on business, intellectual property, securities and M&A.
A Boulder-area intellectual property firm. It handles patents. It also handles trademarks and trade secrets. Its clients are innovators in software, hardware and AI.
A Boulder law firm. It offers startup founders flat-fee legal help. That covers company formation, contracts and fundraising documents.
Law firm in Boulder.
A Boulder law firm. It advises startups and growth-stage companies. It covers equity plans, venture financing, software licensing and contracts.
Lawyers in other Colorado towns
A Fort Collins law firm. It helps founders with business formation, contracts, trademarks and buy/sell agreements, plus estate planning.
Law firm in Fort Collins.
A Fort Collins law firm. It helps startups and business owners with formation, contracts, trademarks, copyrights and estate planning.
A Golden firm for intellectual property. It handles patents, trademarks, copyrights and technology licensing. Its clients are innovators, including startups and venture-backed companies.
A Colorado Springs law firm. It serves startups and established businesses on formation, contracts, employment, IP and real estate.
Lawyers statewide and online
A law firm with offices in Boulder and Denver. It handles corporate transactions, finance, real estate and tax matters.
A law firm in Boulder and Denver. It helps startups and founders with formation, venture financing, technology deals and exits.
A Colorado law firm. It deals with intellectual property. That means patents, trademarks, copyrights and trade secrets.
A law firm. It offers corporate and intellectual property services. It also has Cooley Go for founders starting and building a business.
A law firm with a venture capital and emerging company practice. It also offers corporate, intellectual property and regulatory services.
A law firm with a Denver office. It has labor and employment, trade secrets and restrictive covenant practices.
A law firm in Boulder and Denver. It advises entrepreneurs and startups on venture capital, securities, contracts and IP.
A Fort Collins patent attorney. The office handles patents, trademarks, copyrights and licensing for entrepreneurs, inventors and established companies.
Law firm.
A business law firm with a Denver office. It advises startups and founders on formation, funding, employment, IP and M&A.
Accountants
An accounting firm. It offers outsourced accounting, payroll and HR support to startups and small businesses.
A Colorado Springs CPA firm. It offers tax planning, small business accounting, payroll and help starting a business.
A remote bookkeeping company. It offers payroll and cash flow consulting for businesses. It has an office in Colorado.
A services firm. It offers audit and assurance, tax, consulting and cyber services. It works with groups in many industries.
A firm that helps businesses. It sells assurance, tax, consulting and strategy services. Its work includes entrepreneurship services.
A Fort Collins CPA. It offers accounting and tax services to small businesses. It focuses on startups and new founders.
A services firm. It offers audit and assurance, tax and advisory services. It serves groups in industries such as healthcare, banking, energy and manufacturing.
An accounting firm. It works with venture-backed startups. It offers fractional CFO, payroll and fund administration services.
A Colorado Springs CPA firm. It offers tax preparation, bookkeeping and payroll. It also offers new businesses help with entity selection and filings.
A Fort Collins CPA firm. It offers accounting, tax, bookkeeping and entity-choice advice to small businesses and people.
ProSight - Fullstack Finance + Accounting
Accounting firm in Denver.
In Startup Resources: ProSight - Fullstack Finance + Accounting
Accounting, audit and tax firm in Denver.
A CPA firm in Fort Collins. It offers accounting, bookkeeping, tax planning and advisory services. Its business clients include restaurants and medical practices.
A Denver-area CPA firm. It offers business tax, accounting, audit and bookkeeping. Its clients are businesses and people.
Banks
Bank offering small businesses checking, credit cards, lines of credit, SBA loans and payment tools.
A bank. It offers business checking, treasury management, credit cards and loans. It also offers personal banking. It serves people and businesses in Colorado.
A finance platform. It offers corporate cards, expense management, bill pay and business accounts. It serves startups through enterprises.
A bank. It offers business checking, merchant services, small business loans and business credit cards.
A national bank or business banking service in Denver.
Online business checking with invoicing, payments and cards. It is for freelancers and consultants. Independent businesses can use it too.
A national bank or business banking service in Denver.
A credit union serving metro Denver. It offers personal and business banking. That includes business checking, loans and lines of credit.
A national bank. It offers small businesses checking and savings accounts, lines of credit, loans, credit cards and payment services.
A local bank, credit union or lender. It is in Boulder, Colorado Springs and Denver.
A national bank. It offers small businesses checking, savings, lines of credit, SBA loans, credit cards and merchant services.
More guides for founders
Start and fund a company
Meet other founders
Every list here comes from Startup Resources, which the community keeps current. If a Colorado resource for founders is missing, tell us. A person reviews every suggestion before it goes in.