Dan Powers is the Executive Director of CO-LABS, a non-profit consortium of more than 30 federally-funded research laboratories & joint university institutes, and a broad ecosystem of technology-oriented companies and economic development organizations in Colorado. The spectrum of brilliant scientists and technologists in the CO-LABS network are a huge national asset he works to engage in crucial projects to benefit humanity. Since joining CO-LABS in 2016 he’s brought together thousands of people with an interest in scientific discovery and technology commercialization via lab tours, awards events, workshops, conference calls and other gatherings. He now champions how taxpayer-funded scientific research is the taproot of innovation necessary to address America’s national challenges and maintain global leadership. He is always looking to create situations where people get to say “wow, I never thought of that before”. 

A University of Colorado-Boulder alum in Environmental Science, he has 25 years’ experience in policy assessment and public engagement for both government agencies and economic development organizations.