UCF Researchers Awarded SEED Funding to Investigate Nano and Digital Technologies

ive UCF researchers have been awarded more than $450,000 in SEED funding thanks to a new collaboration between the UCF Office of Research and the international nano and digital technology research and development company imec. Researchers from the College of Engineering and Computer Science, College of Optics and Photonics, College of Sciences, and College of Medicine are expected to commence […]

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 […]

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 […]

 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 […]

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 […]

ISU Startup Factory announces its tenth cohort

The Iowa State University Startup Factory announced this month its tenth cohort of entrepreneurs entering the Iowa State-based program. The following are the names of the nine participating startups in the tenth cohort. FRUGI BIOTECHNOLOGY Founded by Jared Dopp, Frugi Biotechnology is a paper-based diagnostic that uses synthetic biology to detect pathogens. MACROLEI TECHNOLOGIES Founded by Nacu […]

Wyss Institute initiates industry partnership to facilitate brain-targeted drug delivery

Today, the Wyss Institute for Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University announces that it is collaborating with multiple industry partners to discover more effective approaches to deliver drugs across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) for the treatment of brain diseases. The main goals of the initiative will be to identify transport target proteins in the BBB […]