Hub news and announcements







Sharing successes
Oceeto, a company dedicated to creating innovative solutions for today’s parents and caregivers, has continued their success since participating in the regional I-Corps Propelus program in 2023. In October, they granted a utility patent from the United States Patent and Trademark Office, for their product, the Care’digan – a fashionable and practical garment that helps caregivers take care of children. In November, Oceeto was awarded a $50,000 grant as one of only ten recipients in the Delaware Division of Small Businesses' Fall 2024 “EDGE” Competition. With the utility patent and the grant award, Oceeto will finalize production for the Care’digan and launch its go-to-market strategy.
Fermeate, a team that participated in the Propelus program at Princeton in the spring of 2024, has launched. The team developed photomolecular fermentation technology that has the potential to change the economics of microbial fermentation. This process of using light to control cellular functions is helping to create a more efficient and effective biomanufacturing process.
MudderAI, a team that is working to use AI to help with disaster preparedness and response, participated in the Propelus program at Yale University in the spring of 2024. Since participating, the team has successfully completed the Tampa Bay Innovation Center accelerator program, where they connected with investors and strategic partners. They are continuing to enhance their research and capabilities to deliver impactful, real-time data solutions for disaster management with the Yale Center for Business and Environment (CBEY). Their innovative work has been spotlighted in the Tampa Bay Times, St. Pete Catalyst and Yale Planetary Solutions Initiative.
Clairity in Sound has been awarded the Yale Rothberg Build Fund and the Yale Startup Audience Choice Award. The team is working on technology using machine learning to boost speech clarity for hearing aid and cochlear implant users in noisy environments. The idea is inspired by co-founder Dr. Samip Kafle, who uses a hearing aid in one ear and a hearing aid in the other. Team members went through the Propelus program at Yale University in August of 2024.
Team Members: Muthukumaran Venkatachalapathy, Ryan Bose
Materium Technologies has been accepted into the Resurgence cleantech accelerator, sponsored by the Polsky Center at the University of Chicago, The company is developing innovative materials for clean energy solutions using advanced machine learning models. The team participated in the regional Propelus program at NJIT in the spring of 2024.
Shutterbug Exchange (SBX), a company committed to innovative solar solutions, has been awarded the $75,000 CSIT Clean Tech Seed Grant, Round 3. Their project, named the "Solar Revitalizer" is giving old solar panels a new life using AI and 3D printing, boosting solar panel efficiency while reducing waste.
Carbonbridge, a project that makes renewable microbial methanol, has been selected for the prestigious ARPA-e award as part of the GREENWELLS program. The DOE project funds 14 projects to develop technologies for harnessing renewable energy sources, and Carbonbridge was the only bio-based method selected to make liquid fuel.
GradTLC, a startup that offers coaching, consulting, and online blended courses to foster community, flourishing, and scholarly success for graduate students, is officially an LLC and has launched their website. The group completed the Propelus I-Corps program at Princeton University. Visit their new website at https://www.gradtlc.org.
Team Members: Laura Murray, Kate Thorpe
HEXAspec, a startup whose mission is to enhance the future of computing by substantially improving the thermal conductivity of chips, won a $10k Rice Innovation fellowship and won $2.5k from the Rice Business Challenge Pitch Competition as a qualifier. HEXAspec went through the National I-Corps program.
Team Members: Tianshu Zhai, Chen Yang Lin
Materium Technologies, a company who is developing innovative materials for clean energy solutions using advanced machine learning models, has been awarded a Clean Tech Seed Grant from New Jersey's Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology (CSIT). The grant will support their ongoing work on the thermal management of solar cells.
Team Members: Scott Daniel, Sheldon Fereira
Press Coverage
Princeton University-led Consortium Forms Northeast Innovation Hub
New Jersey Business Magazine
Princeton, other regional schools to form I-Corps, innovation research hub for Northeast
ROI-NJ/Tom Bergeron
NJIT, Rowan thrilled to be part of I-Corps hub collaboration
ROI-NJ/Tom Bergeron
NJIT joins business research hub with $15M in funding
NJBIZ/Linda Lindner
5 local universities part of $15M National Science Foundation research entrepreneurship hub
Philadelphia Business Journal/Kennedy Rose
New Regional Princeton-led Innovation Hub to Accelerate Tech, Enhance Diversity in Entrepreneurship
American Entrepreneurship Today
Princeton University to lead new regional entrepreneurship innovation hub
Planet Princeton/Krystal Knapp