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pitch, practice, fundamentals, startups

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Fundamentals for Startups: Panel- So You Want to Join an Accelerator…

CoMotion Labs Members Lecture: ​Thinking about joining a startup accelerator? Wondering if it’s the right move for your company—or how to even get in? Join us for a candid and informative panel discussion featuring leaders from some of the region’s top accelerator programs. Panelists will share their perspectives on what accelerators look for in applicants, how to evaluate whether an accelerator aligns with your goals, and common misconceptions and mistakes founders make. Whether you’re actively applying or just exploring your options, this session will help you understand the landscape, ask the right questions, and make informed decisions about your startup’s next steps.  Speaker: ​Emer Dooley, Site Lead, Creative Destruction Lab Seattle ​Olly Downs, Chief Technology & AI Officer, Curinos ​Momo Nakamura, Partnerships Manager, Plug and Play Seattle, About Fundamentals for Startups: Fundamentals for Startups is a weekly one-hour lecture series featuring notable experts who share startup-related information, experience, and… Event interval: Ongoing event. Campus room: Condon Hall, 2nd floor (take elevator). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Friday, October 17, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Startup Hall - 1100 NE Campus Parkway, 2nd floor (take elevator).

Start Something with Rich Barton

Start Something is a dynamic conversation series that brings together trailblazers from Seattle’s innovation ecosystem to share their entrepreneurial journeys and lessons learned with a vibrant community of UW students, founders, and innovators—as well as members of the broader startup community. ​We’re thrilled to welcome Rich Barton, legendary entrepreneur and founder of Expedia and Zillow, for our next installment. Rich’s bold vision and disruptive approach have reshaped entire industries, and his story promises to be both fascinating and deeply inspiring for anyone interested in innovation, risk-taking, and building something that lasts. ​Join us for an engaging conversation as Rich reflects on his journey—from launching Expedia within Microsoft to founding Zillow and serving as its CEO—and shares insights on navigating uncertainty, scaling ideas, and staying curious. Advanced registration required. Please register here or at the link below. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Tuesday, October 21, 2025, 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM. For more info visit luma.com.

Boeing Training

Click here to learn more about participating in our Innovation Training programs. This event is by invite-only. Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Condon Hall (CDH). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Information Sessions. Wednesday, October 22, 2025.

Fundamentals for Startups: Who Owns What? Navigating Startup Equity and Cap Tables

CoMotion Labs Members Lecture: ​Join us for an essential deep-dive into cap tables - one of the most critical yet misunderstood aspects of startup finance. This session will equip you with the knowledge to confidently navigate equity structures from company formation through multiple funding rounds. We’ll cover cap table basics like structure, terminology and key metrics, how to set up your initial equity distribution to avoid common mistakes, and real-world dilution scenarios that show founder ownership evolution through multiple fundraising rounds. Whether you're splitting equity with co-founders or preparing for your first investor meeting, this session provides the foundation you need to make informed decisions about your company's most valuable asset - its ownership structure. Speaker: Brooke Borseth is an Associate at FUSE, focusing on early-stage investments in vertical software and applied AI. Brooke joined FUSE after spending four years with Moneta Ventures, an early-stage venture firm based in California. She holds a… Event interval: Ongoing event. Campus room: Condon Hall, 2nd floor (take elevator). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Friday, October 24, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Startup Hall - 1100 NE Campus Parkway, 2nd floor (take elevator).

Investor Speed Dating

This event is by invitation only. Invitations are non-transferable. Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Condon Hall (CDH). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Information Sessions. Meetings. Wednesday, October 29, 2025, 9:00 AM – 1:30 PM.

I-Corps Workshop 4 Fall

This NSF funded program teaches participants how to perform customer discovery, focusing on customer segments and value proposition. The program consists of four weekly, virtual sessions. In addition to attending all workshops, participants are expected to conduct a minimum of 20 customer discovery interviews. Click here to learn more about participating in our Innovation Training programs. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Thursday, October 30, 2025, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM. Virtual.

IGF: Pitch Practice 1

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Thursday, October 30, 2025, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM.

IGF: Pitch Practice 1

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Thursday, October 30, 2025, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AM.

Partnering with CoMotion to Turn Ideas into Impact

In one hour, get the playbook to move your University of Washington idea from lab to market. You'll learn how to: Protect inventions, software, digital materials, and databases , Choose a path such as licensing, starting a company, end-user licensing, or open source , Access funding, training, mentors, and other resources , Generate revenue and plan next steps , Get started with CoMotion, You’ll leave with a concise checklist, key contacts, and the know-how to begin your UW commercialization journey.Key Details, Hosts: UW Tacoma Office of Community Partnerships & Office of Research , When: Thursday, October 30, 2025, 12:30–1:30 PM , Where: Hybrid (in-person + online). The room and webinar link will be sent to registrants before the event. , Recording: Session will be recorded and shared with registrants. , Registration: https://forms.gle/rxqywRgTzxUmcS8x5. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Information Sessions. Workshops. Thursday, October 30, 2025, 12:30 PM – 1:30 PM. Hybrid (in-person + online). The room and webinar link will be sent to registrants before the event. For more info visit forms.gle.

Fundamentals for Startups: Panel- AI: What Could Go Wrong?

CoMotion Labs Members Lecture: ​Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries, unlocking new possibilities—and raising serious questions. In this panel discussion led by the team at Wilson Sonsini, we’ll explore the risks, legal challenges, and ethical dilemmas that startups and technologists must consider when building and deploying AI. Join legal experts alongside startup founders and AI industry leaders, for a candid discussion on emerging legal framework and regulatory risks; IP and data privacy concerns; and bias, fairness, and unintended consequences. Whether you’re developing AI tools or integrating them into your business, this session will help you understand the potential pitfalls and what founders really need to know before launching AI-powered products. Speaker: Information coming soon! About Fundamentals for Startups: Fundamentals for Startups is a weekly one-hour lecture series featuring notable experts who share startup-related information, experience, and insights with our entrepreneurial community. From… Event interval: Ongoing event. Campus room: Condon Hall, 2nd floor (take elevator). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Lectures/Seminars. Friday, October 31, 2025, 12:00 PM – 1:00 PM. Startup Hall - 1100 NE Campus Parkway, 2nd floor (take elevator).

IGF: Pitch Practice 2 (AM)

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

IGF: Pitch Practice 2 (PM)

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Tuesday, November 4, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

IGF: Pitch Practice 3 (AM)

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Thursday, November 13, 2025, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

IGF: Pitch Practice 3 (PM)

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Thursday, November 13, 2025, 1:00 PM – 3:00 PM.

IGF: Pitch Practice 4 (AM)

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 9:00 AM – 11:00 AM.

Idea to Plan- Fall

This program introduces participants to CoMotion's innovation services, commercialization pathways, and the beginnings of customer discovery. The program is a one-day, in-person workshop. Click here to learn more about participating in our Innovation Training programs. Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Condon Hall (CDH). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Wednesday, November 19, 2025, 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM.

IGF: Art and Science of Visual Design Workshop

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Thursday, November 20, 2025, 1:30 PM – 3:00 PM.

IGF Final Pitches: Day 1

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Condon Hall (CDH). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Wednesday, December 3, 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

IGF Final Pitches: Day 2

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Campus location: Condon Hall (CDH). Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Workshops. Thursday, December 4, 2025, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM.

Innovation Gap Fund Celebration

The CoMotion Innovation Gap Fund provides more than $1 million per year in grants of up to $75K per project team to move University of Washington innovations to the next stage of commercial development and investment. The program supports proof-of-concept and go-to-market strategy activities to advance promising innovations that have the potential to enable new products and services. Successful projects have used funds to research customer demand, research and validate markets, create prototypes, and initiate beta testing. Basic research is not supported. Event interval: Single day event. Accessibility Contact: dso@uw.edu. Event Types: Information Sessions. Meetings. Thursday, December 11, 2025, 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM. TBD.