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Mines celebrates entrepreneurship with opening of Beck Venture Center

April 8, 2024

A crowd of people stand outside the main entrance to the Beck Venture Center

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By Agata Bogucka

The Beck Venture Center, which celebrated its grand opening April 4, is a key part of the new Entrepreneurship and Innovation Ecosystem at Colorado School of Mines.

Rep. Brittany Pettersen speaks at a podium
U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen speaks during the ribbon cutting ceremony. Pettersen represents Colorado's Seventh Congressional District, which includes Golden and the Colorado School of Mines campus.
President Johnson and Mike Beck cut a giant blue ribbon with a group of people looking on
Mines President Paul C. Johnson and Mike Beck cut the ribbon on the Beck Venture Center. Looking on, from left, are Mines Board of Trustees member Michael Coors, Board of Trustees President Jesus Salazar, Charlie McNeil '71, Howard Janzen ‘76 ‘77, Kelly Beck, Mines Foundation CEO Brian Winkelbauer, and U.S. Rep. Brittany Pettersen.
Zack Bennett talks to a group of people inside the Beck Venture Center
Zack Bennett, founding director of the Beck Venture Center, leads a tour of the facility during the grand opening celebration. The facility offers 31,000 square feet of coworking, networking, event and classroom space for Mines-connected entrepreneurs, investors, mentors, companies and students to learn, collaborate and launch.
A startup founder talks about his company to two guests
Daniel Johnson, CEO and cofounder of Austere Environmental and a PhD candidate in Space Resources, talks about his startup during the Third Annual Mines Entrepreneurship Showcase hosted by Mines' Entrepreneur & Innovation Alumni Interest Group. (Photo by Mimi Clot de Broissia)
Mike Beck speaks at a podium in front of a blue screen
Mike Beck addresses the audience in the building's Janzen Family Pitch Deck during the Mines Entrepreneurship Showcase. Beck and his wife, Kelly, are the parents of two Mines alums and provided the lead gift for the construction of the Beck Venture Center. (Photo by Mimi Clot de Broissia)
Exterior view of Beck Venture Center at night with windows illuminated
The Beck Venture Center provides the support that Mines-affiliated startups need to launch, including a world-class network of mentors and advisors, “look books” and demo days to showcase startups to investors, support from a curated network of service providers, and regular educational and networking programs. (Photo by Mimi Clot de Broissia)

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Colorado School of Mines is a public R1 research university focused on applied science and engineering, producing the talent, knowledge and innovations to serve industry and benefit society – all to create a more prosperous future.