NSF ASCEND Engine in Colorado and Wyoming Celebrates Completion of Inaugural Digital Twins Accelerator Program with Showcase Event
NSF ASCEND Engine in Colorado and Wyoming Celebrates Completion of Inaugural Digital Twins Accelerator Program with Showcase Event
Denver, CO – The ASCEND Engine hosted an inspiring showcase event at Colorado State University’s Spur Campus, celebrating the achievements of its inaugural Digital Twins Accelerator cohort. Six pioneering startups presented their cutting-edge solutions to investors, corporate partners, and community leaders, marking the successful conclusion of the 2025 program.
Launched in early 2025, the Digital Twins Accelerator advanced the development of high-impact technologies by supporting startups focused on modeling and mitigating environmental risks to homes, communities, and infrastructure. By providing access to industry-leading scientific modeling and simulation tools, the accelerator enabled faster validation and deployment of digital twin solutions—shortening the time to commercialization and increasing real-world impact. These outcomes directly contribute to the ASCEND Engine’s innovation ecosystem, a broader effort to integrate the region’s tech stack that includes national excellence in remote sensing, computational infrastructure, and advanced decision support. Digital twin technologies have proven essential for increasing interoperability across capabilities, revealing new opportunities for collaborative research and accelerating the translation of environmental innovations into practice.
Over the course of the program, companies also received tailored technical and business advice, opportunities to pilot their solutions, and connections to potential corporate partners and investors.
Dan Moyers, Accelerator Program Director at the ASCEND Engine, reflected on the milestone:
“The showcase demonstrated just how far this cohort has come in a short time. From pilot projects to new partnerships and early investor traction, the growth of these companies is a testament to their vision and resilience. Together, they’ve shown how digital twins can move from concept to impactful solutions in agriculture, wildfire protection, and beyond. We are proud to have supported their journey and to see them positioned for the next stage of growth.”
The program created measurable impact across the six participating companies:
- 300+ connections made
- 30+ technical and business learning sessions delivered by experts
- 200+ hours of 1-1 technical and business advisory
- 4 solution MVP’s created
- 2 products dramatically expanded
- 2 pilots established
The inaugural cohort included:
Teren, Inc.
Teren delivers customized environmental intelligence at scale around the risk factors that matter most to customer’s infrastructure and assets.
Lakewood, Colorado | Tobias Kraft, CEO | teren4d.com | LinkedIn |
BioSensor Solutions
BioSensor Solutions is dedicated to transforming agriculture and mitigating environmental degradation by developing cost-effective, high-performance sensor systems. These innovative solutions empower farmers and land managers to adopt more sustainable agricultural practices and maximize soil health while maintaining productivity and profitability.
Boulder, Colorado | David Beitz | biosensorsolutions.com | LinkedIn
FireWall Wildfire Protection, LLC
FireWall improves wildfire defense by combining advanced digital technology with traditional wildfire defense, protecting homes efficiently and safely without risking people’s lives.
Tie Siding, WY | Will Hunt, CEO | Firewallwildfire.com |
Power Theory Inc.
Power Theory envisions a future in which every building seamlessly integrates digital intelligence to operate at peak efficiency, withstand environmental extremes, and empower communities to thrive in a sustainable, resilient world.
Laramie, WY | Luke Macy, CEO | powertheoryinc.com | LinkedIn |
SensorComm Technologies Inc.
SensorComm’s integrated systems detect, capture, measure and quantify real-time data into actionable intelligence for system-level operational efficiencies and early-warning alert systems that contribute to cleaner air, lower healthcare costs and improved quality of life.
Albuquerque, NM | Kamil Agi, CEO | sensorcommtech.com | LinkedIn |
Smart Navigation
Smart Navigation develops and deploys innovative, technology-driven solutions that enhance the preparedness, response, and resilience of communities facing natural hazards. By integrating digital twin technology with autonomous systems, we provide real-time intelligence, predictive insights, and adaptive tools to first responders.
Bentonville, AR | Ayush Thakur, CEO | https://www.smartnav.ai/
About the NSF ASCEND Engine:
Led by Innosphere and funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF), with support from the State of Colorado and the State of Wyoming, the NSF ASCEND Engine is a collaborative initiative focused on driving innovation in climate resiliency across the Colorado-Wyoming region. The NSF ASCEND Engine brings together a diverse network of partners to develop and commercialize technologies that address critical community resiliency challenges, foster economic growth and enhance community well-being.
Visit www.co-wyengine.org for more information.
