Wells Fargo Innovation Incubator selects five early-stage sustainable indoor agriculture companies
Global food demand is anticipated to grow by 60 percent within the next 30 years. To meet the demand sustainably, theWells Fargo Innovation Incubator(IN2), a technology incubator and platform funded by the Wells Fargo Foundation and co-administered by the U.S. Department of Energy’sNational Renewable Energy Laboratory(NREL), today announced that it has selected five new startups […]
State match funding programs supports start-up high-tech innovation
Since 2017, Tennessee has wisely supported economic growth and high-tech innovation by providing state matching funds to start-up companies receiving federal SBIR (Small Business Innovation Research) and STTR (Small Business Technology Transfer) awards. These state matching funds are vital to help start-ups overcome hurdles they so often experience during their earliest stages and foster the […]
MSU Conquer Accelerator’s newest group focuses on financial technology businesses
Six businesses focused on financial technology are part of Conquer Accelerator’s sixth cohort that runs through Aug. 6. The businesses will receive $20,000 and mentorship over the course of 10 weeks. The selected companies are CrossBraining, Frizzmo, Nickels, Rebound AI, Safety Sit and Tandem. “The goal is to help a company go from product solution fit to product market fit,” said Tom Stewart, Conquer Accelerator […]
18 VCU researchers receive project funding from the university’s Presidential Research Quest Fund
Eighteen Virginia Commonwealth University researchers have won support from the Presidential Research Quest Fund this year. Their work seeks to enhance the human experience by responding to societal challenges such as the changing workforce, addiction and sustainable sources of energy. A total of $512,000 will fund research efforts on both the Monroe Park and MCV […]
Miami University-based investment fund adds to portfolio
A Miami University student-led investment fund has added a pair of new startups to its portfolio targeting diversity, equity and inclusion. The Social Impact Fund, one of the only undergraduate-led funds of its kind in the nation, announced investments this week in Cincinnati’s Queen City Certified, which offers employer certification and cohort-model programming for workplace […]
Brown to fund four biomedical technologies with potential for patient benefit, commercial viability
Four teams of Brown University researchers have been awarded up to $100,000 each to accelerate the translation of their scientific discoveries into commercial products that could benefit patients facing urgent medical challenges. Projects range from treating a rare childhood genetic disease to finding a new way to combat a deadly cancer. In its third annual […]
Duke U medtech startup Xilis raises $70M; Google Ventures, Duke Angels
Xilis, a startup founded by two professors at Duke University focusing on technology to boost precision health and oncology, has landed $70 million in new funding with Google Ventures among the backers. The two-year-old company had previously raised close to $5 million. “Our vision is to transform cancer care in diagnostics and reshape drug development […]
Chicago startup Rheaply raises $2.2M from Microsoft climate fund, MIT
Rheaply, a Chicago startup that specializes in recycling and sourcing unused items, has raised new funding from Microsoft and MIT. The startup, led by CEO Garry Cooper, landed $2.2 million from Microsoft’s Climate Innovation Fund and MIT Solve’s investment arm, Solve Innovation Future. Founded in 2015, Rheaply has set out to strengthen the “circular economy,” a term […]
Where 13 health systems are investing their innovation dollars this year
Below is a list of investments that health systems made in digital health startups and internal innovation efforts in 2021. Ascension Ventures, the healthcare venture arm of St. Louis-based Ascension, closed a $285 million strategic venture capital fund, bringing the firm’s total assets to more than $1 billion. The new fund is backed by 13 health system […]
7 lessons on building an inclusive accelerator via Science Center’s Launch Lane
Here are some lessons learned that, despite the COVID-19 pandemic, contributed to their success in building an accelerator that is as effective in scaling startups as it is equitable and inclusive. 1. Anonymous review infuses equity in the selection process. As part of the selection process, applicants submitted a two-page document about their venture, and […]