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Newsletter — Issue 4 — April 28, 2026
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This newsletter has been published by Engage Colorado
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Seth Levine: Investors won't look at Colorado anymore (but we'll change that!)
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"I have received dozens of calls from… investors saying to me, 'don't show me any company in Colorado. I'm not even going to look there anymore. You guys are closed for business because of the AI Act.'"
– Seth Levine, Partner of Foundry Group, on The Bear Roars Podcast
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Both Seth and I believe the Colorado community can come together, change this perception, and reopen Colorado for business.
Few people have done more to build Colorado's tech ecosystem than Seth — co-founder of Foundry Group, the Boulder-based VC firm with nearly $4 billion under management, and a founding board member of StartupColorado. Seth is also the co-author of Capital Evolution, his recent book on the future of capitalism and how to broaden access to economic opportunity.
When Seth, a leader who has spent 25 years bringing capital into Colorado, has something to say, every elected official in this state should and do listen. He joined me on The Bear Roars for his third appearance.
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This Bear Roars podcast covered new ground. Seth and I bantered about the current state of Colorado politics. Seth and I share a love for Colorado and a belief in the importance of a vibrant tech ecosystem to all Coloradans. We are committed to support and collaborate with our political leaders to course correct and reestablish Colorado as the best destination for tech innovation in the world.
I invite you to listen to the podcast and unite with Seth and me to bring the Colorado community together for all of us to thrive.
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Latest Action
Open Letter to Attorney General Phil Weiser
The podcast with Seth, which was recorded last Thursday, sparked me to come up with specific recommendations. The first one was the topic of the Engage Colorado newsletter I published yesterday to Attorney General Phil Weiser laying out three specific actions he can take to demonstrate his "all in" commitment to Colorado's innovation economy. In it, I urged Phil to pursue a consent decree in X.AI v. Weiser that would effectively repeal the Colorado AI Act. The call extends to Governor Polis, Senator Bennet, Senator Hickenlooper, and Mayor Johnston, each of whom has their own platform and their own role to play. This letter is posted on the brand new Engage Colorado website.
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Community Response
Colorado Continues to Speak Up
In the weeks since the Open Letter was released, leaders across Colorado's innovation economy have continued to add their perspectives — through reposts, comments, emails, and direct outreach. Below are additional voices worth amplifying:
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Ryan Almaleh
Trusted Partner in Industrial Real Estate
"... Everyone who lives in Colorado knows how much awesomeness we have here, but at what cost. Those costs are beginning to make people weigh if they are worth staying in Colorado.…"
VIEW POST →
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Norman Jones
Managing Director at Bastiat Partners
"Colorado needs to become business-friendly and stop this CA-like slide that is completely reversible with sensible leadership…"
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Marc Ganzi
Chief Executive Officer at DigitalBridge
"Colorado is an incredible place and home to so many good companies like Zayo Group and Vantage Data Centers… that are at the forefront of AI Infrastructure and the associated eco system. It is critical we create the right tax and regulatory regime to see these companies remain in the state for years to come! Colorado's advantage is the quality of life index and it allows us to retain amazing talent…"
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Alejo López
eCOMMERCE DATA & Campaign Performance
"...As a new entrepreneur in Colorado, I've sometimes questioned my decision to move here. While I love the vibe and the people, it's clear we've been falling behind. This initiative is exactly what we need…"
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Ryan Schuchard
Boulder City Council Member
"... I love the idea of creating better conditions for long-term growth and competitiveness of technology in Colorado… there are both important risks for AI as well as opportunities to make the residents of our state prosper, and the best way to make the most of it is to actively shape policy that will create incentives for good investments here…"
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Anonymous
"... If we do not want to see Colorado have an exodus of businesses and high net worth taxpayers leave this State they will have to follow your lead. Current government agencies and leadership are dooming us to the same policies that destroyed California…"
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Brian Lillie
President and Chief Revenue Officer at ZutaCore
"… Colorado has all the ingredients to be a leading innovation hub, but confidence, policy clarity, and partnership matter. I'm encouraged to see business, civic, and political leaders coming together around a constructive path forward…"
VIEW POST →
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Coming Soon
Next: The Honest Assessment Will Soon Go Public
Action Item 3 of the Open Letter called for a thorough and honest assessment of the structural, regulatory, legislative, and rhetorical factors contributing to Colorado being categorized as an environment losing ground to competing states.
Over the past two weeks, I have shared an initial draft with each of the named recipients of the Open Letter, with members of their staff, and with a number of coalition members. I have incorporated their feedback. The Honest Assessment will be made public late this week.
The document is straightforward and data-driven. It looks at where Colorado stands today on the structural, regulatory, legislative, and rhetorical fronts — and at the trajectory if we don't change course. It is not designed to embarrass anyone or to assign blame. It is designed to reset the conversation — to move past the rhetoric that everyone agrees there is a problem, and onto the substance of what specifically needs to change.
When it goes live, I'll ask readers to do three things: push back where you disagree, share it widely, and engage your elected officials directly with what's in it.
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A Glass Mostly Full
Colorado has the opportunity to fix what is broken. If we rally around one another, we can reclaim Colorado's rightful position as the best geography for tech investing in the world.
I believe this. So does Seth. I hope you do too. This is why Engage Colorado exists!
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