C3 Innovation
About C3 Innovation
C3 Innovation is a hub of multidisciplinary collaboration that connects students, faculty, and the community to push the boundaries of discovery and practice. The outcomes of these collaborative efforts span community projects, learning modules, events, and traditional research.
Located at the Kraemer Family Library in the heart of the UCCS campus, we empower participants to solve real-world challenges and drive growth in sectors like AI/cybersecurity, space, healthcare, the arts, and beyond.
Curiosity, Creativity, and Community.
At UCCS, innovation is at the core of everything we do, driving us to think outside the box every day. Across all programs, academic disciplines, and new collaborations, we embrace an innovative approach to succeed, create, and transform.
This commitment inspired the creation of C3 Innovation, which stands for Curiosity, Creativity, and Community—the essential elements for solving problems and delivering impactful solutions. Through hands-on projects and meaningful collaborations, we believe anything is possible.
Featured Programs and Projects
Faculty Fellowship
“The C3 Faculty Fellows are showing what it means for UCCS to act as an innovation-driven public university,” said Seth M. Porter, Ph.D, Dean of the Kraemer Family Library and Chief Innovation Officer in C3. “This first cohort is working on projects as varied as mapping assets with Southeast Colorado Springs to spark grassroots entrepreneurship, designing energy-efficient quantum AI models and helping students build resilience through life-design tools.”
Community & Industry Collaboration
The first C3 Innovation App Design Workshop delivered an inspiring look into the potential of community-based creativity. The special event, brought to life by Ben Kwitek, Ph.D., (Director of Innovation, Inventor-in-Residence and co-founder of C3 Innovation), aimed to solve a pressing challenge: how can UCCS and the Colorado Springs community better connect to develop ideas, submit proposals and collaborate on projects?
Growing Partnerships
“Innovators do not wait for permission – they invent and create the future they want to see,” said Kwitek. “Invention and entrepreneurship have shaped my life. As a professor of innovation, I see firsthand how traditional degrees and established careers are outmoded. Students want to customize their education and build a bespoke life for themselves. Innovation is the gateway to these goals.”
Student Fellowship
We are currently developing a Student Fellowship Program, expected to launch in Fall 2026. This program will provide mentorship, community, and applied experiences in research, innovation, and project management. Applications will open in February 2026, and all students from all majors are encouraged to apply.
Events and Speaker Spotlights
Sparking innovation requires a flow of ideas, perspectives, and conversations into the community. We invite speakers and host events for the C3 participants and broader community.
In the Fall 2025, four events were hosted to spark creativity and innovation at UCCS.
NewsFeed
C3 Innovation Fund
Gifts to C3 Innovation help support initiatives for the C3 Innovation.
Contact and Learn More
If you'd like to learn more about the C3 Innovation and the exciting work happening, reach out to Ben Kwitek at bkwitek@uccs.edu or Seth Porter at sporter9@uccs.edu.