GAP Insights: Binghamton student-faculty team wins $50,000 in SUNY startup competition 

Creating startups isn’t usually on the agenda for university faculty, but at Binghamton, that’s changing fast. Assistant Professor Jayson Boubin and PhD student Melika Dastranj just earned $50,000 as REMIX, their drone-enabled hyperspectral camera company, took first place at the SUNY Summer Startup School (S4) Demo Day. Their technology processes massive data in real time—helping farmers detect disease and communities prevent water contamination before problems become visible.

The momentum didn’t happen by chance. Binghamton’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Innovation Partnerships (EIP) has evolved to help researchers connect lab discoveries to real-world markets. Through the EXCEED Pre-Accelerator Program (supported by NSF’s ART grant), REMIX accessed pitch training, mentorship, and a customer discovery framework. This approach boosts patent filings, tech licensing, and industry collaborations, while also updating academic promotion policies to value commercialization.

The REMIX team’s journey—from intensive pitching, market interviews, and a flight test with Air Force collaborations—showcases the power of combining technical expertise, faculty support, and pre-accelerator infrastructure.

Three Best Practice Takeaways

•Proactive Entrepreneurial Outreach for Faculty: Encourage faculty (not just students) to scan their labs for market-ready technologies. Regular outreach from entrepreneurship offices increases commercialization opportunities.

•Structured Pre-Accelerator and Customer Discovery Programs: Equip teams to translate research into ventures with training, funding, and clear translational pathways—from pitch skills to customer interviews and hands-on industry connections.

•Recognition and Rewards for Research Translation: Link commercialization success to academic advancement (e.g., revamped tenure guidelines), catalyzing a culture where innovation and impact go hand-in-hand.

Binghamton’s success story demonstrates that coordinated support—from NSF funding to campus accelerators—can transform experimental research into startups that tackle urgent challenges across sectors.