AGP Executive Report

Space & Research: NASA’s SpaceX Crew-13 successfully launched to the International Space Station, commanded by former Caltech postdoc Jessica Watkins, with research and tech demos on the agenda. Astronomy: Scientists report a possible “second-generation” planet forming from the burned remains of a dead star, using Hubble and other observations. Colorado Climate & Courts: The U.S. Supreme Court begins its term with Boulder’s climate liability case against major energy firms, a fight over whether local lawsuits can seek damages tied to global warming. Water & Resilience: A new national map shows only 6% of U.S. rivers are in good condition, highlighting where protection and dam-removal efforts could help aquatic life. Health Tech & Policy: New York AG Letitia James sues to restore science-based childhood vaccine schedules after federal rollbacks. Local Tech/Industry: Making Space launched an Ascend Aerospace track to train and place disabled talent in Colorado’s fast-growing aerospace workforce. Biotech in Denver: Assembly Biosciences will present new Phase 1a liver data at AASLD Kidney Week in Denver, including safety and target engagement for ABI-6250.

Election logistics: El Paso and Pueblo County voters are starting to get their 2026 midterm ballots, and officials warn this year’s ballot is unusually long—19 inches—raising the risk of voter fatigue; the state “Blue Book” is already out as a key guide. Colorado water policy: Local water groups won a comment deadline extension tied to Aurora Water’s Wild Horse Reservoir dredge-and-fill permit, as the project would move Western Slope water via Homestake Creek drainage. Space & defense: At the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, the Pentagon’s future-warfare planning highlighted cislunar, underground, and underwater systems, with more autonomy expected. Tech & health: A new crop-protection push is testing biofungicides and other non-chemical tools for disease control, while Colorado also sees ongoing research into AI-assisted health risk and late cancer diagnoses. Sports-tech crossover: Colorado football’s QB shakeup and a viral “playbook found at a hotel bar” claim are driving fresh scrutiny of program discipline and information security.

Colorado Tech & Sports: A Texas Tech fan says they found Colorado’s playbook pages in a hotel bar, while Deion Sanders’ team is reeling after a 29-7 loss marked by four interceptions and a “one glaring problem” at quarterback. Local Development: Longmont’s lower downtown push is moving fast after the area was officially designated blighted, clearing the way for a transit hub and a Front Range Community College expansion. Wildfire Science: New research highlights how hotter, faster wildfires are reshaping forests that historically recovered after fire. Space Tech (UAE): The UAE’s MBR Explorer asteroid probe is in final testing for a 2028 launch, aiming to land on 269 Justitia after an eight-year, 5-billion-kilometer journey. Colorado Education: Strasburg science teacher Merci Ames named Colorado’s 2027 Teacher of the Year. Tech Policy & Health: FDA recall hits Gatorade in 37 states over undeclared colorings; separate research finds teen colorectal cancer is often diagnosed late.

Counter-Drone Tech: The U.S. Army integrated Epirus’ Leonidas microwave counter-drone weapon into a broader command-and-control network during Operation JAILBREAK FALCON FURY, aiming to disrupt unmanned aircraft without kinetic interceptors. Colorado College Football: In Boulder, No. 12 Texas Tech overwhelmed Colorado 29-7, turning three-quarter interceptions into points and leaving the Buffaloes scrambling after a QB switch to Isaac Wilson. Local Sports Spotlight: Colorado State fell 56-26 to Oregon State in a Pac-12 opener as Braden Atkinson threw five TD passes. Front Range Governance: Colorado Springs leaders signed a civility pledge after a tense, violent city council meeting tied to a proposed data center, underscoring how tech-driven projects can inflame local politics. Health Policy Watch: Wisconsin’s hospital tax model shows how state assessments can flow back through Medicaid and federal dollars—an example Colorado policymakers may watch as they weigh healthcare funding mechanics. Denver Culture: The Denver Film Festival returns for its 49th year with nearly 150 titles and major guest honorees.

Health & AI in Colorado: Denver’s VB Health launched a public “Supplement Quality Standard,” a seven-part framework covering research-backed ingredients, clinically relevant dosing, verified sourcing, U.S. manufacturing, and every-batch testing with public Certificates of Analysis. Cancer warning signs: A new study presented at the American Academy of Pediatrics found 80% of young colorectal cancer patients were diagnosed late (Stage 3–4), underscoring the need to take persistent symptoms seriously. Breast cancer risk tools: Everlywell is expanding nationwide access to Clairity Breast, an FDA-cleared AI mammogram risk predictor that estimates five-year breast cancer probability. Workplace AI rules: California signed laws limiting how employers use AI for firing decisions, emotional-state predictions, and workplace surveillance. Colorado tech hardware: Neurable rolled out Neurable One headphones with 12 EEG sensors for tracking focus and mental fatigue. Local governance & data centers: Aurora’s mayor urged stopping a proposed Trident Data Center, calling for a city council vote amid resident opposition. Space & climate: NASA is exploring clouds spawned by wildfires, while scientists report unusually low Antarctic winter sea ice.

Cancer Care Innovation: Colorado Blood Cancer Institute physician says outpatient “step-up” dosing could become the default for multiple myeloma, with inpatient reserved for rapidly progressive or frail patients needing extra CRS caution. STEM & Careers: University of Guam civil engineering grad Kayleena Blas Diaz becomes the first UOG BSCE alumnus to earn a professional engineer license, now working as a structural designer in Guam. Higher Ed & AI: EDUCAUSE leaders in Denver say AI hype is shifting to practical uses like procurement and retention, and universities should plan for quantum-era encryption risks by asking vendors about quantum-resistant algorithms. Climate & Courts: Boulder’s climate accountability lawsuit heads to the Supreme Court, testing how far fossil-fuel liability claims can go. Rural Health: Gunnison Valley Health wins $4.5M via Colorado’s Rural Health Transformation Program to strengthen access and workforce in frontier care. Tech Policy & Security: Experts warn “Q-Day” could arrive by 2030, pushing schools to update data protection strategies now. Local Sustainability: CSU MBA student-led research helps change stadium rules so fans can bring empty 1-liter transparent plastic bottles.

Fuel-Economy Legal Fight: Colorado-linked AG William Tong joined a 26-state coalition suing to block NHTSA’s rollback of CAFE standards, arguing it violates federal law and will cost consumers at a time of high gas prices. Space & Research in Colorado: NASA highlighted an upgraded multilayer insulation design that improves heat protection for spacecraft—and could help on Earth too—while CU Boulder LASP researchers studied ionosphere “plasma bubbles” that can disrupt GPS and communications. Denver Transit Tech: RTD launched a two-year “First Mile Free” pilot with Veo e-scooters/bikes, automatically covering the first mile to boost access to the University of Denver and Knox stations. Health & Science: A study reported appendix removal for inflamed appendicitis is linked with lower later colorectal cancer risk, and multiple biotech groups are lining up new kidney-disease data for ASN Kidney Week in Denver. Consumer Safety Watch: A new cat-food contaminant test found heavy metals across products, with levels varying by protein source and format. Local Infrastructure Spotlight: CDOT described the Eisenhower Tunnel as a “small city” underground, with cameras, ventilation, and a dedicated fire brigade.

Climate & Energy Legal Fight: Colorado and other states/cities sued after the Trump EPA repealed power-plant greenhouse gas limits, arguing the rollback will worsen heat, storms, flooding, and wildfire smoke. AI in Education & Work: A University of Denver effort aims to use NSSE survey results more directly for assessing student outcomes, while EDUCAUSE’s 2027 “Top 10” spotlights how higher ed must manage rapid tech and social change. Colorado Health Tech & Access: Colorado Springs clinicians urged women not to delay mammograms, as local providers push for earlier detection. Workforce Shortage: A new report from an industry coalition says skilled trades demand is outpacing training—Colorado is among states where need exceeds supply. Colorado Research Funding: Fort Collins biotech CaseBioscience joined an ARPA-H team awarded up to $7.3M to develop room-temperature cell storage for advanced therapies. Privacy & Surveillance: El Paso County residents react as Flock cameras are removed, with debate over public safety versus privacy. Tech Policy Watch: Nikon is re-reviewing a microscopy video contest winner after complaints about AI use in post-processing.

AI & Jobs: A new map from SmartAsset shows where AI-exposed work is concentrated, with Washington leading by share and California leading by sheer job count—useful context for Colorado employers planning hiring and training. Energy & Climate Tech: ContourGlobal and Platte River finished phase II of the Black Hollow Sun solar project near Severance, bringing a 324 MWp facility fully online and targeting about 608 GWh a year. Health Tech & Care Delivery: Strive Health added three executives (COO, network/engagement, and growth roles) to scale value-based kidney care partnerships across the U.S. Privacy & Surveillance Debate: A fresh look at Flock-style license-plate cameras reignites the fight over public safety versus privacy, with critics warning AI could expand what police can learn. Waste & Robotics: Louisville’s Amp Robotics secured $70M in debt financing for a Virginia waste-sorting facility using AI cameras and robotics to divert recyclables from landfills. STEM in the Wild: Cornell researchers unveiled WildFin, a labeled underwater video dataset meant to improve computer vision for fish behavior. Local Tech/Business: Flexential is restarting webinar marketing using ON24’s AI tools to automate content and personalize outreach.

Colorado Wolf Policy Shift: Colorado Parks and Wildlife is temporarily suspending its chronic depredation directive, pausing lethal removals of gray wolves that harass or kill livestock while it reassesses wolf survival risks tied to population growth and a possible infectious parasite. Federal Tech & Safety: The National Safety Council is joining an OSHA-led Serious Injury and Fatality Prevention Alliance, partnering with groups including the University of Colorado Boulder’s Construction Safety Research Alliance to help employers spot high-risk hazards earlier. AI in Public Health: A test of the White House’s America.gov health chatbot found answers can get complicated because official sources don’t always align, raising questions about how AI handles medical guidance. Space/Defense Business: York Space Systems faces a securities class action in Colorado federal court, with a lead plaintiff deadline of Oct. 30, 2026, tied to claims about mission software readiness and Pentagon contract risk. Education Tech: The University of Denver is looking to use NSSE survey results more directly inside its assessment system, aiming to break results down by student groups rather than just benchmarking. STEM Outreach: CSU’s STEM 4 Kids program is expanding hands-on science events for youth, trying to make STEM feel less intimidating. Colorado Transportation: CDOT says major progress is being made on the I-25 diverging diamond interchange and added acceleration/deceleration lanes near Colorado Springs’ Powers Blvd and Airport Road.

Space & Defense: NASA and SpaceX are gearing up for Crew-13’s launch to the ISS, continuing the Commercial Crew handoff as the U.S. space cadence ramps back up. Spacepower Industry: True Anomaly will title-sponsor Spacepower Conference 2026, spotlighting autonomous spacecraft and space-based interceptors. Quantum in Colorado: Bifrost Electronics in Arvada named Doug Campbell CEO as it readies its Heimdall Amplifier for quantum computers. Wildfire Resilience Finance: A wildfire-focused forest resilience bonds effort aims to strengthen communities before the next big burn. Wildfire Monitoring Tech: Alabama Forestry Commission is using OroraTech satellite thermal intelligence to improve prescribed-burn oversight and response. Water Tech & Policy: Amazon launched the Colorado River Basin Collaborative to fund water projects, including an AWS-sensor irrigation effort. AI Research Tools: Lumivero rolled out NVivo AI Cloud with its AURA research assistant for defensible qualitative analysis. Clinical Research: MiNK Therapeutics was selected for an ARPA-H-funded room-temperature cell therapy initiative. Health & Safety: A new study weighs whether GLP-1s can help patients reduce insulin use, while artificial-stone silicosis coverage highlights ongoing worker risk.

Colorado Tech & Business: ZenaTech says its AI drone “Drone as a Service” business kept accelerating, reporting $9.3M Q2 revenue (+316% YoY) and $17.7M for the first half (+425% YoY), with DaaS driving about 93% of sales. Healthcare Innovation: Tiny Health secured $33M Series B to expand at-home microbiome testing and AI-driven recommendations, citing research that targeted interventions cut infant eczema risk by 83%. Space/Defense Industry: Terran Orbital named Jamin Brown COO to scale operations and production as demand grows. AI & Security: A new push in healthcare AI argues the real bottleneck isn’t chatbots—it’s whether hospitals can support and secure AI workloads end to end. Local Tech Policy & Privacy: Colorado-area coverage highlights the privacy fight around Flock-style license-plate cameras, with critics warning AI-enabled tracking could expand surveillance. Environment & Science: Scientists at the University of Colorado report Antarctica’s winter sea ice hit its third-lowest peak on record, underscoring ongoing climate pressure. Education & Assessment: The University of Denver looks to use NSSE survey results more directly in its academic assessment system.

Higher Ed Tech & Assessment: The University of Denver is looking to use NSSE survey results as part of a more systematic, group-by-group assessment plan for students. Space & Defense Startup Support: Catalyst Accelerator picked five companies for its first Investment Readiness Boot Camp, aiming to help pre-Series A space tech firms build investor-ready plans. AI Cybersecurity in Colorado: Federal Reserve supervision chief Michelle Bowman says AI is raising cyber risk for banks, urging proactive board-level risk management. Drones in the Denver Metro: Northglenn is drafting one of the region’s first drone-delivery regulations after Walmart proposed a Wing “drone nest.” Transit Electrification: Metra will debut a battery-powered passenger train in Chicago, with testing planned in Pueblo, before wider service later. Biotech Watch: Iovance raised 2026 revenue guidance on surging Amtagvi demand, signaling a catalyst-heavy stretch for investors. Colorado Health & Learning: D51 Foundation awarded new professional-learning grants focused on tech, innovation, and staff development. Public Safety & Policy: A “triple flood threat” is driving flood watches across multiple states, including Colorado.

Semiconductor Water Tech: Colorado’s ASU landed a $2 million federal grant to test water reuse methods for semiconductor manufacturing, aiming to cut fabrication water demand while supporting chip jobs. Rural Health Funding: Gov. Polis announced about $170 million in federal Rural Health Transformation Program grants, with 91 Colorado recipients backing telehealth, EMS, substance-use care, and workforce expansion. Cybersecurity & Business Risk: A new report frames cyberattacks as financial and operational resilience issues, citing federal moves to strengthen defenses and help smaller firms. AI in the Courts: A Colorado Springs conference for the 10th Circuit highlighted how judges and lawyers are using generative AI—and warning about confident but imperfect outputs. Water Conservation in Industry: Coverage looks at why cooling towers are a practical target for water savings, focusing on reducing blowdown without disrupting operations. Solar for Homeowners: Denver hosted a free event on rooftop solar, batteries, and heat pumps, tied to group-buying and incentive programs. College Sports Law: The Senate passed the Protect College Sports Act, setting up a major House fight over federal rules for athlete pay and eligibility.

Colorado Tech & Research: University of Denver is trying to use NSSE survey results as part of a more systematic assessment plan, including breaking results down by student groups to guide campus decisions. AI & Insurance Automation: Vertafore launched its Velocity Document Intelligence Agent to automate research across insurance documents, with answers that include document and page citations. Cybersecurity Shockwave: Kiteworks says federal intelligence warned of an imminent targeted attack, prompting a precautionary shutdown of systems handling sensitive government and healthcare documents. Health Tech & Clinical Progress: Azalea Vision enrolled the first patient in a proof-of-concept smart contact lens study for keratoconus and presbyopia; Palisade Bio will present early Crohn’s and ulcerative colitis data at UEG Week. Space & Defense: Astro Digital is set to go public via a merger; ROC won a $64.3M DOJ contract for digital evidence work. Water & Environment: Convergent Water Technologies’ FocalPoint biofiltration system earned Washington Ecology general-use approval for basic treatment. Policy & Outcomes: CMS and 37 states will judge Medicaid care by whether patients get healthier, not by paperwork checklists.

Colorado Tax Vote: Colorado voters will decide in November whether to replace the state’s flat 4.4% income tax with a graduated six-tier plan under Amendment 87, aimed at boosting funding for Medicaid, schools, and other public services—while opponents warn wealthy residents could flee to avoid higher rates. Health Research: A new review links insomnia with a 26% higher stroke risk and higher hospital admission odds, adding to concerns that poor sleep is a broader brain and mental health warning sign. Energy & Industry: GM is partnering with Denver-based Peak Energy to develop sodium-ion battery cells for domestic stationary storage, while the U.S. Department of Energy renewed an emergency order keeping a Colorado coal plant running longer amid reliability and storage delays. Cybersecurity/AI Ops: At Cisco’s .conf26 in Denver, Splunk rolled out major security and AI agent upgrades, including tighter AWS and NVIDIA collaboration and new observability for AI spending. Materials Tech: Wolfspeed expanded commercial availability of higher-quality 200mm n-type silicon carbide substrates to improve yields for next-gen power devices.