By Mai Kasemsawade

Five teams run by university researchers and undergraduates have been selected to present their groundbreaking innovations during the Engage 2022 conference on November 3rd. All companies have participated in a Propelus I-Corps program administered by the NSF I-Corps Northeast Hub. 

They will present their innovations and answer questions from the expert feedback panel. After the presentations the audience will vote for the startup with the greatest potential for societal impact and market success. The feedback panel will also vote for their top choice from among the founding teams.

The founders are currently conducting research at colleges and universities in the region and in fields ranging from cosmetics and biomedical engineering to material science. Here is a quick overview of the projects which will be presented:

Allive is run by Tenderano Muzorewa, a cardiovascular disease researcher and recent graduate of the School of Biomedical Engineering at Drexel University. Allive is a digital health solution created in partnership with a clinical laboratory scientist to improve diagnostic accuracy and increase cardiovascular health equity.

Elemeat was founded in October 2020 by Rowan University undergraduate Skye Chang. This biotech company develops specialized technology to aid alternative protein companies with process scale-up. Their current work revolves around a novel, versatile bench-top bioreactor with a strong emphasis on user-friendliness.

Sóliome, co-founded in 2021 by Princeton postdoctoral researcher Micah Nelp, postdoctoral researcher Anthony Young from the University of Utah and Princeton graduate student Denise Koller, uses genetic encoding technology to produce a new active ingredient for eco-friendly and safe sunscreens. Sóliome won first place in Princeton’s 16th Annual Innovation Forum and at the 2021 Startup Competition that was part of the Princeton Reunions Tiger Entrepreneurs Conference. The founding team was recently also awarded the 2022 Tiger Entrepreneur Award.

Smart Biopsy is led by Ph.D. candidate Sharad Acharya and undergraduate researcher Trevi Galemmo from Temple University’s Department of Mechanical Engineering. Inspired by the structure of insects’ stingers, Smart Biopsy creates smart steerable biopsy needles with actuators that enable active steering towards a target region during insertion into tissues.

Zena Therapeutics Inc. was co-founded by Rutgers University postdoctoral researchers Ariane Vasilatis and Eileen Carry. The mission of Zena Therapeutics is the development of safe and effective GABAA receptor modulators, for the treatment of anxiety, alcohol, and substance use disorders, to reduce polysubstance overdose fatalities. The co-founders are awarded recipients of the National Institute of Drug Abuse (NIDA) substance use disorder (SUD) Startup Challenge 2022 and are 2022 fellows of the Yale University’s Innovation to Impact program. They draw from their expertise in medicinal and natural-products chemistry and are motivated by a deep conviction for the urgent need for their innovation.

The presentations will take place at Princeton University’s annual Engage conference, which establishes connections among university researchers, government and industry partners, accelerators, entrepreneurs, and stakeholders who are turning research into impact. This year’s Engage 2022 is organized by Princeton Innovation, and will be held online on November 3rd.

The feedback panel features experts from various fields: Talmesha Richards (Project Manager, The National GEM Consortium), Mark Poag (General Partner, Fitz Gate Ventures) and Shintaro Kaido (Vice Provost for Innovation and Executive Director, Drexel Applied Innovation, Drexel University).

Come see these dynamic teams present and vote for the startup that you think can make the most positive impact for society and market success!

Engage 2022: Free, online, open to all

Who should attend

• College and university faculty, graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, staff
• Entrepreneurship centers and tech transfer offices
• Innovation partners such as government agencies, accelerators, etc.
• Investors focused on university research spinouts
• Corporate partners interested in applied research collaborations
• Entrepreneurs working in the university innovation space

Why attend?

• Be inspired to pursue your own academic innovation and entrepreneurship
• Educate yourself on how research is translated into innovations that can benefit society
• Network and make valuable connections with academic researchers and key stakeholders within the academic innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem