Organization · Accelerator
Smart Futures Lab
Smart Futures Lab is a federally funded accelerator and incubator program based in Denver, Colorado, supporting early-stage tech startups focused on smart city solutions. It aims to empower diverse founders and address urban challenges.
Overview
What Smart Futures Lab does
What Smart Futures Lab is
Smart Futures Lab is a federally funded accelerator and incubator program based in Denver, Colorado, supporting early-stage tech startups focused on smart city solutions. It aims to empower diverse founders and address urban challenges.
How it participates in the startup ecosystem
The current public profile supports funder and program host and event host capabilities. Each capability below is shown separately so organization identity and role-specific information do not get conflated.
Operational profile
Organization status and context
Organization status describes the entity itself. Funding and program availability appear within the relevant capability profile.
- Operational status
- Active
- Organization type
- Accelerator
- Founded
- Founded in 2022
- Approximate age
- About 4 years
- Structured capabilities
- Funder · Program host · Event host
- Last reviewed
- March 27, 2026
What Accelerator means
An accelerator is a structured, short-term program designed to speed up a startup's progress toward product-market fit, traction, fundraising, or scale.
Open the glossary entryOfficial channels
Find Smart Futures Lab elsewhere
Open the official website or a supported primary organization account.
Capability profile
Smart Futures Lab as a funder
Investment thesis
Smart Futures Lab supports and empowers aspiring entrepreneurs in the tech space, focusing on smart city innovation solutions.
Focus narrative
Smart Futures Lab invests in tech entrepreneurs who are addressing real-world problems through smart city solutions. The organization offers incubator and accelerator programs that provide specialized curriculum, lab access, and resources to help founders develop their businesses. The focus areas include infrastructure, transportation, energy, public safety, and sustainability, with an emphasis on supporting New Majority founders, including women, individuals with disabilities, and BIPOC communities.
Value beyond capital
Smart Futures Lab provides specialized curriculum, lab access, and resources to help founders develop their businesses, particularly in the smart city sector.
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Accelerator · Pre-seed · Seed
- Sectors
- Smart CityEnergy
- Regions
- North AmericaUnited States
Availability
- Currently deploying
- Yes
Portfolio and track record
- Recorded portfolio count
- 4
Portfolio context
Notable portfolio companies include: Grid Matrix: A cloud-based software platform that enhances existing roadway sensors to provide real-time data on traffic and safety. inCitu: An augmented reality app that transforms real estate and planning data into accessible experiences, launched in multiple cities including New York and San Francisco. Caliola: A woman-owned business providing secure communication solutions for government contracts. Lazarillo: A company that won the C² Challenge for its innovative solutions for smart cities.
Capability profile
Smart Futures Lab as a program host
Program thesis
Smart Futures Lab supports and empowers aspiring entrepreneurs in the tech space, particularly those focused on developing smart city innovation solutions.
Focus narrative
Smart Futures Lab invests in tech entrepreneurs who are addressing real-world problems through smart city solutions. The organization offers incubator and accelerator programs that provide specialized curriculum, lab access, and resources to help founders develop their businesses. The focus areas include infrastructure, transportation, energy, public safety, and sustainability, with an emphasis on supporting New Majority founders, including women, individuals with disabilities, and BIPOC communities.
Value and support
Smart Futures Lab offers specialized curriculum, lab access, and resources to help founders develop their businesses in the smart city sector.
Format and cadence
- Typical duration
- 26 weeks
Availability
- Application state
- Not published
Focus and fit
- Stages
- Accelerator · Pre-seed · Seed
- Sectors
- Smart CitiesEnergy
- Regions
- North AmericaUnited States
Alumni and track record
Alumni context
Notable portfolio companies include: Grid Matrix: A cloud-based software platform that enhances existing roadway sensors to provide real-time data on traffic and safety. inCitu: An augmented reality app that transforms real estate and planning data into accessible experiences, launched in multiple cities including New York and San Francisco. Caliola: A woman-owned business providing secure communication solutions for government contracts. Lazarillo: A company that won the C² Challenge for its innovative solutions for smart cities.
Capability profile
Smart Futures Lab as an event host
Event focus
Smart Futures Lab invests in tech entrepreneurs who are addressing real-world problems through smart city solutions. The organization offers incubator and accelerator programs that provide specialized curriculum, lab access, and resources to help founders develop their businesses. The focus areas include infrastructure, transportation, energy, public safety, and sustainability, with an emphasis on supporting New Majority founders, including women, individuals with disabilities, and BIPOC communities.
Format narrative
Smart Futures Lab offers two main programs: an Incubator Program for early-stage founders and an Accelerator Program for more mature tech companies. Both programs are designed to help participants develop and scale their smart city solutions.
Participant value
Smart Futures Lab provides aspiring entrepreneurs with the resources, mentorship, and community support necessary to develop innovative solutions for smart cities, all at no cost and without requiring equity.
Format and cadence
- Event types
- demo-day and pitch-night
- Modality
- in-person
- Startups can present
- Yes
Availability
- Registration state
- Accepting
- Next recorded event
- August 22, 2024
- Next event location
- CU Denver
Audience and fit
- Selection criteria
- open
- Stages
- Pre-seed · Seed
- Audience
- Founders · Investors
- Sectors
- Smart CityEnergy
- Regions
- United States
Common questions
What to know about Smart Futures Lab
Upseed classifies Smart Futures Lab under the Accelerator organization type. Its current public profile includes funder, program host, and event host capabilities.
Source and update disclosure
Know what this page is based on
Source basis
Public organization and program material, official websites, and structured Upseed records.
Last reviewed
March 27, 2026
Known limits
Capability profiles appear only when a structured public profile also contains decision-useful role evidence. Terms and availability can change.
Upseed is an independent guide. It is not affiliated with or endorsed by the organization described on this page.