A few years ago, Boulder’s life sciences sector was heralded as the city’s “next big thing.” Backed by CU Boulder’s BioFrontiers Institute, a pipeline of spinouts, and major real estate investments like BioMed Realty’s acquisition of Flatiron Park, the region looked poised to rival traditional biotech hubs. In fact, Colorado’s life sciences industry raised roughly $2.15 billion in 2024, with Boulder home to more than 300 life sciences companies employing over 8,000 professionals.
Fast-forward to 2025, and deal activity appears more subdued. Only a handful of lease deals have been reported year-to-date in Boulder, a notable slowdown compared to the flurry of deals just a few years ago. Still, notable transactions include Boulder-based Ambrosia Biosciences’ $25 million Series A and BioLoomics’ $8.7 million seed round, showing that capital is still flowing into high-potential ventures. On the infrastructure side, projects like HATCHlabs at Wilderness Place continue to expand Boulder’s supply of purpose-built wet lab space, underscoring long-term confidence in the sector. BioMed’s Flatiron Park is also expected to see additional absorption, with strong activity anticipated to take significant square footage in a deal projected to finalize later this year.
At the same time, attention has shifted toward Boulder’s emerging quantum ecosystem, that yields similar synergies with the life science sector. Since 2020, Colorado quantum companies have raised nearly $600 million, with Boulder’s Infleqtion securing a $100 million Series C this past summer. State and federal funding, plus CU Boulder’s CUbit Quantum Initiative, have further cemented Colorado as a national hub for quantum technologies.
Rather than signaling decline, Boulder’s current life sciences landscape may reflect a natural cycle: a market catching its breath after a period of rapid growth. With robust infrastructure, a highly skilled workforce, and overlapping opportunities at the intersection of biotech and quantum, Boulder remains positioned for innovation. The coming years may see fewer, but more targeted and impactful, life science deals — especially as capital and research flow into cross-disciplinary fields like quantum-enabled drug discovery.
