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Celebrating Innovation and Entrepreneurship at WPI: Highlights from the i3 Lab Demo Day 2025

jgylychmuhammedo — Wed, 01 Oct 2025 12:00:00 +0000

馃殌 Demo Day 2025 at WPI鈥檚 i3 Lab was a success! On September 24th, the Innovation Studio was transformed into a hub of creativity, entrepreneurship, and inspiration as student founders pitched their ideas for a share of $60,000+ in prizes.
We are thrilled to celebrate the hard work, courage, and ingenuity of every team that took the stage 鈥?and to recognize this year鈥檚 winners:

WPI President Grace Wang

馃敡饾檮饾櫍饾櫂饾櫔饾櫁饾櫀饾櫓饾櫈饾櫎饾櫍饾樉饾櫀饾櫓饾櫄饾櫆饾櫎饾櫑饾櫘
馃 饾棡饾棶饾椆饾棽饾椈饾椂饾棶饾椈饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: QuickEst Estimations Inc. 鈥?Russell Hertel 鈥?7 (RBE), Luis Alzamora 鈥?6 (RBE)
馃 饾棤饾椂饾椄饾棽饾棓饾棷饾椏饾棶饾椇饾榾 '饾煶饾煶饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: BrailleBox 鈥?Jelaleddin Gylychmuhammedov 鈥?7 (RBE), Octavio Bittar 鈥?7 (ECE), Minh Ha 鈥?7 (CS)
馃 饾棔饾槀饾榾饾椂饾椈饾棽饾榾饾榾饾棪饾棸饾椀饾椉饾椉饾椆饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: HydroFlex 鈥?Jack Shanks 鈥?6 (ME)
馃弲饾棯饾椂饾椏饾棽饾棜饾椏饾椉饾槀饾椊饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: EpiSafe - Aaryan Panchal '28 (RBE), Ezra Yohay '25 (Phys), Khushal Sharma '27 (ECE), Ethan Takvorian '28 (RBE), Joshua Kashambala

馃殌饾檮饾櫍饾櫍饾櫎饾櫕饾櫀饾櫓饾櫈饾櫎饾櫍饾樉饾櫀饾櫓饾櫄饾櫆饾櫎饾櫑饾櫘:
饾棪饾榿饾椏饾棶饾棿饾棽饾棞饾椈饾椈饾椉饾槂饾棶饾榿饾椂饾椉饾椈饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: FellowBridge - Dan Nguyen 鈥?6 (CS), Ana Merlo '25 (MS BA), Antonela Tamagini '25 (MS CS)
饾椂饾煰饾棢饾棶饾棷饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: Cybele Technology - Maxwell Markey (PhD Chem)

馃挕饾檮饾櫃饾櫄饾櫀饾櫓饾櫈饾櫎饾櫍饾樉饾櫀饾櫓饾櫄饾櫆饾櫎饾櫑饾櫘:
饾棖饾椉饾椏饾椈饾棽饾椏饾榾饾榿饾椉饾椈饾棽饾棔饾棶饾椈饾椄饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: Christy Lam 鈥?6 (CS)
饾棗饾槀饾棶饾椈饾棽饾棗. 饾棧饾棽饾棶饾椏饾榾饾棶饾椆饾椆饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻饾榾馃敟:
FireMap - Tair Kareneyev '27 (RBE & CS)
Firewise - Dimitris Graikos '25 (MS BA)

饾棧饾棽饾椉饾椊饾椆饾棽'饾榾饾棖饾椀饾椉饾椂饾棸饾棽饾棓饾槃饾棶饾椏饾棻: Venturly - Khushali Shah '26 (MS Fintech), Labhesh Mahajan '26 (MS CS), Rohan Solipuram '26 (MS Fintech), Mihir Kate '25 (CompE)

Provost Andrew Sears

We were honored to have Provost Andrew Sears and Interim Dean of Business School Kwamie Dunbar open the day with a powerful message about the importance of student innovation, and President Grace Wang conclude the event and open the evening session, inspiring our community to keep pushing the boundaries of what鈥檚 possible.

Interim Dean Kwamie Dunbar

We were also privileged to host Anthony Galgano, Owner & President of True Robotics, Inc., as our keynote speaker. His story of perseverance and growth deeply resonated with the audience, and he was recognized with the Vignaly Commercialization Fund "Spirit of Joe Award" by the WPI OTIE.
This event would not have been possible without the dedication of our judges: Christine Murner, Evan Cox, Geoff Strage, Greg Dalle-Molle, Joe Klimek, Lisa A. K., Paul Kalenian, Paul Rummel, Peter Cifichiello, Roman Fayerberg, Sandhya Balasubramanian, Tara Ostromecky, and Zachary Dutton 鈥?thank you for lending your expertise.

We also extend our deepest gratitude to our donors and supporters: Auxilium Worcester, Aram and Alba Kalenian Award, Henry and Alberta Strage Award, New England Innovations, Wire Group, Cornerstone Bank, Joe Klimek 鈥?4, Bowditch & Dewey, LLP, WPI Business School, Michael Abrams 鈥?7, Duane D. Pearsall, and WPI OTIE.
Finally, thank you to the entire WPI community and guests 鈥?who joined us to celebrate entrepreneurship and innovation. Your energy made this Demo Day truly special.

WPI Student Aditi Bhattamishra Receives National Academy of Inventors Prize for Prosthetic Ankle Invention

leckelbecker — Tue, 05 Aug 2025 12:00:00 +0000

Aditi Bhattamishra 鈥?8 has received the Genspiration University Inventors Prize from the National Academy of Inventors (NAI) for her invention of a prosthetic ankle.

Aditi Bhattamishra

Bhattamishra, who is pursuing a double major in robotics engineering and mechanical engineering, was honored in June during NAI鈥檚 annual conference. The Genspiration Prize recognizes excellence in innovation, and the winner in the university category receives $5,000 to fund further development of an innovation.

鈥淚 was very honored to receive the university-level Genspiration prize,鈥?says Bhattamishra, who is from Orange, Conn. 鈥淭o me, it signifies the faith people have in my abilities and my ideas and that others are as excited about my work as I am.鈥?lt;/p>

Bhattamishra began developing her invention as a high school freshman. She worked on it for two years, consulting with Elliott Rouse, an associate professor in mechanical engineering and robotics at the University of Michigan, whose published research informed her understanding of the problem that needed to be addressed. Her prosthetic ankle uses a novel actuator, which is a device that converts energy to mechanical motion, to provide smart, precise, and power-efficient joint control. Bhattamishra continues working on the device while attending WPI and is seeking to patent her technology.

鈥淚 want to tackle problems of accessibility by targeting the high costs and less-than-ideal power efficiency of most modern powered prosthetics,鈥?she says. 鈥淚 became interested in this subject during middle school, while watching Voltron, an animated science fiction television series. The series made me think about the huge gap between the technology we have and what we need.鈥?lt;/p>

NAI is an organization of more than 4,600 members and is affiliated with U.S. and international universities, governmental agencies, and nonprofit research institutes.

Tech Transfer: Use of Sophia Intellectual Property Management Platform Grows

leckelbecker — Mon, 23 Jun 2025 12:00:00 +0000

The Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OTIE) continues to work with WPI faculty, staff, and students to expand use of Sophia, an intellectual property (IP) management platform.

Sophia opened to WPI users in January 2025. Inventors should use the digital platform to file invention disclosures with OTIE, request help with non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and material transfer agreements (MTAs), and manage commercial collaborations.

Key features of the platform:

Streamlined submissions process for invention disclosures, NDAs, MTAs
Comprehensive management of IP, collaborations, agreements
Direct access to IP records, agreements, and OTIE information through WPI's secure single sign-on system
Enhanced support from OTIE staff

Training videos are available to help new users get started. Sign in to Sophia here. For more information, contact OTIE at OTIE@wpi.edu.

Empowering Innovation: Progress on Wellspring Implementation

tadams1 — Sun, 24 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OTIE) is excited to provide an update on the implementation of Wellspring, WPI's cutting-edge intellectual property (IP) management system. This comprehensive platform will revolutionize how the WPI community accesses and manages IP-related information, creating a more transparent, streamlined, and efficient process for all stakeholders.

Transformational Benefits for the WPI Community

When fully implemented, Wellspring will provide unparalleled access to critical IP-related information, including invention disclosures, patent applications, agreements, and more. The system will enable faculty, staff, and researchers to effortlessly access, manage, and track their IP activity, improving visibility and collaboration across campus.

Key benefits include:

Centralized Access and Requests:
Wellspring will serve as a single platform for submitting and managing requests to OTIE, such as non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), material transfer agreements (MTAs), and other critical documents. The streamlined workflows will reduce processing times and provide real-time updates on the status of requests.
Enhanced Financial Data Management:
- The system will incorporate detailed historical financial data, such as patent costs and licensing agreement transactions, enabling more effective tracking and reporting.
- A groundbreaking feature will allow WPI to electronically upload detailed invoice information from law firms, providing granular cost tracking at the matter level.
Harmonized Organizational Data:
Drawing with InfoED and Workday will harmonize organizational hierarchies, ensuring consistency across platforms. This alignment will simplify reporting, searching, and administrative processes, making data management more intuitive and efficient.

On Track for Success

The implementation of Wellspring remains on schedule, with a Go-Live target set for the beginning of C-Term. Key achievements include:

Configuring templates and workflows to streamline document processing.
Reviewing and refining data through an ongoing Data Audit.
Activating a single sign-on (SSO) site with initial data transfer.

Looking Ahead

As we move closer to the Go-Live date, training sessions will be provided starting in December to prepare the WPI community for this transformative system. Training materials will be prepared and made available for online and self-training. Wellspring will enhance how WPI manages intellectual property, paving the way for greater innovation and collaboration while strengthening our ability to track and manage costs.

We look forward to sharing more updates soon as this exciting project progresses. For questions or further information, please contact Lynda Kelly, Associate Director for Operations.

Announcement: WPI I-CORPS Fall 2024 Cohort

tadams1 — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 12:00:00 +0000

We are thrilled to announce the launch of the WPI I-CORPS Fall 2024 Cohort! This fall, the program brings together an impressive group of teams tackling today鈥檚 critical challenges across sustainability, advanced technology, and market-driven innovation.

Key Themes in the Fall 2024 Cohort:

Sustainability & Clean Energy: Numerous projects address urgent environmental issues with cutting-edge clean energy solutions. Highlights include the Direct Carbon Fuel Cell, Magnesium-Air Battery, and innovative approaches to Magnesium Production and Recycling. These projects are aligned with global efforts to reduce carbon emissions and shift to sustainable energy sources.
AI & Automation: The cohort demonstrates a strong focus on AI and automation to enhance healthcare and streamline operations. Notable projects include the AI-Driven Facial Skin Cancer Screening Device and SAMIS AI, each aiming to improve health outcomes and operational efficiency through artificial intelligence.
Advanced Materials & Manufacturing: Innovation in materials science is front and center with projects like Safeblock and HydroFlex, which explore new methods in battery lifecycle management and precision polishing for manufacturing.

Cohort Highlights:

Market Validation & Customer Discovery: Many teams, such as Safeblock and the AI-Driven Facial Skin Cancer Screening Device, are working on customer discovery to ensure their solutions address real-world needs. This aligns with our mission to validate market potential and foster commercially viable solutions.
Funding & Support: The cohort represents diverse stages of development, with projects like Magnesium-Air Battery already securing funding from Mass Clean Energy Center, while others, such as SAMIS AI, explore non-dilutive funding opportunities.
Collaboration & Mentorship: Many of these teams have established their technical and entrepreneurial leads but express a strong need for mentorship. Our program is ready to provide guidance and connect them with experienced mentors to support their growth and innovation journey.

In Their Words:

Safeblock: "The system aims to enhance safety, transparency, and collaboration among stakeholders."
AI-Driven Facial Skin Cancer Screening Device: "This device aims to address limitations in current screening methods, making early detection more accessible."
Direct Carbon Fuel Cell: "Our technology offers a cleaner and more readily available energy source."
Magnesium-Air Battery: "This development aligns with the International Maritime Organization's 2050 goals for reduced emissions in the shipping industry."
SAMIS AI: "Our platform aims to reduce labor, time, and financial costs while enhancing safety in aircraft maintenance."

Observations & Program Goals: The Fall 2024 cohort exemplifies impactful, industry-spanning innovation. With a focus on sustainability, AI, and advanced technology, these projects are poised to make a substantial impact. As the program unfolds, our focus on mentorship, collaboration, and market validation will support these teams in turning their ideas into real-world solutions that shape a brighter future.

The WPI I-CORPS team is excited to work with these innovators to bring their projects to life and drive positive change in their respective industries.

NSF I-Corps鈩?Site Program: New Cohort Starting Week of October 21st

tadams1 — Tue, 01 Oct 2024 12:00:00 +0000

The WPI I-Corps鈩?Site Program 鈥?Application Deadline Extended to November 1st!

Good news! The deadline to apply for the next cohort of WPI's NSF I-Corps鈩?Site Program has been extended to November 1st. Don鈥檛 miss this opportunity to explore the commercial potential of your idea with the support of experienced mentors and funding up to $3,000 for customer discovery (travel and conference fees) and up to $500 for prototyping.

Student teams are highly encouraged to apply. Faculty can involve graduate students or post-docs to form teams around their innovations, delegating the entrepreneurial activities while maintaining a technical advisory role. Participants will conduct 30 customer interviews over 10 weeks to refine their value proposition and gain critical market insights.

This is your chance to test, pivot, and validate your business or research ideas in real-world settings. Apply now and take advantage of this extended opportunity! apply today!

For more information about the National I-Corps鈩?Program, visit NSF I-Corps鈩?lt;/a>.

Wellspring IP Management System: Implementation Update

tadams1 — Thu, 26 Sep 2024 12:00:00 +0000

We are excited to provide the WPI community with an update on the progress of our Wellspring IP Management System implementation. The project is moving forward smoothly, and we remain on track to meet our planned goals. Below are key highlights from the ongoing implementation process.

Current Progress:

On Schedule: We are pleased to report that the project remains on schedule, and we are still targeting a Go-Live date at the beginning of C-Term.
Data Audit Review: We continue to review the initial Data Audit, ensuring that all critical information is correct and up-to-date. We are actively returning answers to Wellspring to ensure a seamless transition of data.
Harmonizing with InfoED: To create consistency in reporting and searching across platforms, we are working closely with InfoED to harmonize the departmental hierarchy. This will streamline workflows and make data more accessible for everyone at WPI.
Template and Workflow Identification: All relevant templates have been identified, and the basic workflows associated with them are now mapped out. These workflows will ensure smooth processing of invention disclosures, MTAs, license agreements, NDAs, and other IP-related documents.
Test Site Activated: The test site for Wellspring is now live, allowing us to begin testing and fine-tuning the system before full implementation. This is a critical milestone in ensuring the platform is fully optimized for our community.
Training Coming Soon: We expect to begin training for all relevant users by the end of the year, ensuring that everyone is well-prepared to use the system when it goes live.

Looking Ahead

With these milestones achieved, we are confident in our ability to meet the early C-Term Go-Live target. In the coming months, we will continue to refine the system, conduct training, and prepare for a successful launch.

We thank the WPI community for your continued patience and support as we work to bring this powerful new system online. Wellspring will soon transform how we manage intellectual property, making processes more efficient and accessible for all.

For any questions or further information, please reach out to Lynda Kelly at lkelly@wpi.edu.

Best Regards,

Terry L. Adams

Director

Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship

/offices/technology-innovation-entrepreneurship

Introducing Wellspring: WPI's New Comprehensive IP Management System

maclancey — Tue, 20 Aug 2024 12:00:00 +0000

We are thrilled to announce a significant advancement in WPI鈥檚 commitment to innovation and entrepreneurship: the implementation of a new intellectual property (IP) management system from Wellspring. As a new client of Wellspring, WPI is poised to revolutionize the way we manage and protect our intellectual property throughout its life cycle. This system is scheduled to go live at the beginning of C-Term and promises to streamline and enhance our Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship management processes, benefiting the entire WPI community.

What is Wellspring?

Wellspring is a comprehensive, single-platform, end-to-end IP management system. When fully implemented, it will make information more accessible, streamline requests for items like invention disclosures, material transfer agreements (MTAs), license agreements, IP Plans for grant submissions, and non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), and provide defined workflows and visibility of the status of any request.

Key Features and Benefits

Enhanced Accessibility: Inventors will be automatically granted access using their WPI credentials. They will be able to submit requests, check the status of those requests, and view all available information related to any IP matter connected with them.
Streamlined Processes: The system will make the financial management of our licensing agreements easier and more transparent. It will also enable WPI to automatically docket communications from our outside counsel, reducing the need to copy and transfer emails from Outlook.
Automated Reporting: Wellspring will automate reporting and information sharing, ensuring that all relevant stakeholders are kept informed and up to date.
Financial Management: The system will electronically capture transaction-level financial information from our external patent counsels, providing a clear and organized view of all financial activities related to our IP assets. In addition, Wellspring will track technology licenses to make handling the flow of royalty payments much easier.
Marketing Platform: Wellspring includes a built-in marketing platform that can reach over 10,000 technology scouts who may be interested in licensing our technologies. This feature will significantly enhance our ability to promote and license WPI innovations.

Project Leadership

The implementation of Wellspring will be managed by Lynda Kelly, Associate Director for Operations in the Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship. Lynda鈥檚 expertise and dedication to operational excellence will ensure a smooth and effective rollout of this powerful new system.

Looking Ahead

As we embark on this exciting journey, we invite the entire WPI community to stay informed and engaged. Wellspring represents a significant investment in our future, one that will enhance our ability to innovate, protect our intellectual property, and bring our technologies to market.

Stay tuned for more updates as we move forward with the implementation of Wellspring. We look forward to sharing more details and demonstrating how this system will benefit our community.

For any questions or additional information, please contact Lynda Kelly at lkelly@wpi.edu or visit our office.

Together, let's take WPI鈥檚 innovation to the next level!

Best Regards,

Terry L. Adams

Director

Office of Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship

/offices/technology-innovation-entrepreneurship

Clean Tech Companies with WPI Ties Recognized in TIME Magazine and at the State House

cbwamback — Wed, 10 Jul 2024 12:00:00 +0000

Worcester Polytechnic Institute鈥檚 prowess on advancing sustainability and innovation in the Clean Tech/Climate Tech sector was on display at a recent event at the Massachusetts State House. Five companies with ties to WPI were honored by Governor Maura Healey, Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll, and other state leaders for being named to TIME magazine鈥檚 list of America鈥檚 Top Green Tech Companies of 2024.

WPI Professor Yan Wang, second from right, is honored at the Massachusetts State House.House.

The 250 sustainability-focused companies were ranked based on their positive environmental impact, financial strength, and innovation. Ascend Elements, co-founded by Yan Wang, the William B. Smith Professor of Mechanical Engineering, came in at No. 10 on the list. AM Batteries, also co-founded by Wang, was listed at No. 179.

Three other companies founded by people with WPI connections were named to TIME's list:

Heirloom Carbon, No. 43 - Noah McQueen, a former doctoral student, is co-founder and head of innovation.
Verdox, No. 60 - Sahag Voskian '11 is co-founder and chief science officer.
Aclarity, No. 96 - Julie Mullen '12 is founder and chief executive officer.

Teamwork Coaching Available at WPI Seaport - Tuesday, April 18th

creidy — Wed, 12 Apr 2023 12:00:00 +0000

Are you a small startup or project team that needs every drop of creative capacity to move your venture forward?
Has your team recently secured funding but is anxious to not lose its winning culture as you grow?
Are you part of a mature organization whose once productive habits might now be holding you back?

Marc Trudeau, WPI 鈥?1 Physics, and Founder/Teamwork Coach at www.LikeBreathin.com will be at WPI Seaport the 3rd Tuesday of each month, 11:00AM- 4:30PM, for impromptu collaborative conversations about creating and maintaining high-performing teams.

He welcomes anyone in our community to stop by and co-work in a safe collaborative space, explore questions and challenges, and support each other in working most effectively in groups, large or small.

Marc is available for 1-on-1 consultations and can easily facilitate group discussions if enough people are interested. He intends to offer workshops in relevant topics as the year progresses.

Please feel free to drop in to meet with Marc on April 18th or for those on a tight schedule, email him in advance to setup a time at marctrudeau@alum.wpi.edu

March Madness at WPI Seaport

creidy — Fri, 03 Mar 2023 12:00:00 +0000

WPI Seaport

March madness isn't just for basketball! The next few weeks at WPI Seaport are filling up with community activities ranging from fintech to games to startups.

Check-out the lineup for March 2023!

March 17th: Mass FinTech Hub Quarterly Meeting

Professors Rob Sarnie and Marcel Blais from the WPI Business School are keeping up to speed on the future of Fintech in MA by participating in the Mass FinTech Hub working group along with executives from Putnam, Fidelity, John Hancock, Fintech Sandbox, Mass Mutual, Universities, Mass Challenge, Mass Tech and many more! *please note, this is invitation only*

March 23rd: MassDigi Made in MA at PAX East 2023 Party!

MassDigi and WPI IMGD are kicking off PAX East with the annual Made in MA party where WPI, UConn and Clark students will showcase their games along with several games' studios.

Join a fun night of games with friends from across MA by registering here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/made-in-ma-at-pax-east-2023-party-tickets-523046234367

March 29th: WPI Chemical Engineering Graduate Organization Alumni Panel & Networking Event

The WPI Chemical Engineering Graduate Organization (CEGO) is hosting an event in collaboration with WPI Chemical Engineering Alumni and The Office of Life-Time Engagement to support current chemical engineering students in their future career paths. *please note, this is an invitation only event*

March 30th: WPI Startup and Fast Growth Showcase

The WPI 鈥?th Annual Startup and Fast Growth Showcase鈥?is back!

At this exciting event, 6-10 startups and fast growth companies will have the opportunity to provide a pitch presentation on their organization and will be given an hour to conduct speed interviews with WPI students followed by an open networking session with all attendees.

Event details and registration through Handshake https://app.joinhandshake.com/login

Join march madness at WPI Seaport by registering for any of the open events or join the line-up by booking a space and planning your own event!

To learn more about WPI Seaport, please visit our website or contact us at wpiseaport@wpi.edu

Students Advance in Value Creation Student Business Pitch Competition

jaquinnszcesuil — Mon, 21 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

On Wednesday, February 16, audience members were wowed by four undergraduate student teams鈥?value propositions as part of recent Student Venture Pitch Competition ahead of entering e-Fest, a national undergraduate entrepreneurship competition where teams can win $10K or more in cash prizes.

Teams participated in 90 minutes of workshop training facilitated by Curt Carlson, founder of WPI鈥檚 Curtis and Dudley Carlson Value Creation Initiative, and Curtis Abel, executive director of WPI鈥檚 Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center, and then had one hour of further iteration. With this work, the students鈥?presentations improved immensely. Each of the four teams were awarded $1,000 and were assigned a mentor for the next step in the process.

To submit pitches to e-Fest, the teams will now work with each other and their mentors to perfect a seven-minute video and a concise slide deck presentation to submit for consideration for the competition in Minnesota.

WPI鈥檚 Business School and Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center sponsored the pitch competition.

Award-winning teams

Team: Bearhug

Members: Noelle Morgan and Tyson Wiseman

Bearhug is a pair of internet-linked stuffed animals that let users send physical affection, like hugs, to loved ones over a distance.

Team: Endless Aero

Members: Nico Machado, Ilyas Salhi, Jeremy Trilling

Endless Aero is developing lighter-than-air cargo vehicles to empower rapid and sustainable transport.

Team: Nutroo.AI

Members: Yuriy Kamenivskyy and Georgy Zhukov.

Nutroo.AI is an AI-powered healthy meal plan generator, that takes into account the user's dietary preferences, physique goals, and time restrictions. Designed for nutrition-conscious college students.

Team: Pallyt

Members: David Hinckley and Nathaniel Klingensmith

Pallyt is making finding construction supplies simple by connecting customers with local suppliers.

SEED Gamification

admin — Wed, 16 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

In Partnership with The Innovation Studio and MassDigi

SEED Gamification is a virtual program presented by Innovation Studio in partnership with WPI and MassDigi. The program is designed to help non-gaming startup founders to apply gamification concepts and dynamics to their business model.

Fifteen participants will be selected to join our SEED Gamification program with at least 5 spots reserved for WPI students, faculty staff or alumni. Applicants will be judged based on the clarity of their idea, business feasibility, development progress to date, and alignment with sector needs and innovations.

The 2022 SEED Gamification Cohort will learn:

Behavioral Design.
User Experience (UX).
The Gaming Techniques Used in Marketing.
Participatory Design.
Creating an emotional connection through storytelling.
How to improve your pitch with game-like storytelling.

SEED Gamification is now accepting applications! Anyone with a business idea can participate, including entrepreneurs that already have a business model.

Dare to make your startup fun!

Application Link: https://bit.ly/SEEDGamApp

Program Website Link: https://innovationstudio.org/seed/

Vote for WPI Professor Yan Wang, one of the 2022 Better World Award Finalists

adill — Mon, 07 Feb 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Members of the WPI community are encouraged to vote for Yan Wang, William Smith Foundation Dean's professor of mechanical engineering, in the Better World Awards, for his work in Lithium-ion battery recycling. He and his team are one of three finalists in this competition from 65 submissions spanning seven countries.

Since 2012, Professor Wang has partnered with WPI鈥檚 Office of Technology Commercialization for his work in battery recycling and upcycling. Recycling batteries lessens the environmental impact of manufacturing, aids in the United States鈥?energy independence, and saves valuable resources. These 鈥渦pcycled鈥?batteries are also shown to produce 83% more power than an original Lithium-ion battery.

Through WPI鈥檚 licensing and investment from the university鈥檚 Commercialization Fund, Wang and his post doc, Eric Gratz, formed Battery Resourcers, with a team processing 50kg of batteries per day. Today, the company, now called Ascend Elements, has raised more than $90 million, with WPI licensing six different patents with the company (three pending and three issued). The company will open North America鈥檚 largest battery recycling facility in Georgia this coming August, with plans to open more plants in the US, UK, and Europe.

Cast your vote. Results will be announced on February 23 at the Association of University Technology Manager鈥檚 meeting.

Read more about Professor Wang's work here.

Student Venture Pitch Competition

lbaghsarian — Fri, 28 Jan 2022 12:00:00 +0000

Strengthen Your Start-up鈥檚 Pitch with Value Creation and Earn a Possible Path to e-Fest

WPI鈥檚 Business School and Innovation & Entrepreneurship Center are inviting undergraduate teams who have student-created and student-managed ventures, including new ventures, to strengthen their startup pitches. Let us know about your team鈥檚 venture and you could win $1,500 and one of three spots to advance to e-Fest, a national undergraduate entrepreneurship competition where teams can win $10K or more in cash prizes.

From the initial applications, 10 teams will be trained to develop a 7- minute pitch on the value of their business as part of a pitch challenge led by our expert leaders of WPI鈥檚 Value Creation Initiative. Those teams will compete for three top spots to advance to e-Fest. With funding support from WPI and contest sponsor the University of St. Thomas, winning student teams will win prize money to prepare pitches and register for the competition.

How does this all work?

Phase 1: Let us know you鈥檙e interested

Teams that meet the initial qualifications (particularly student-created and student-managed) are invited to let us know why they are ready for the next step. Complete and send this application on or before Wednesday, February 9.

Application due: Friday, February 4

Teams will be selected by Wedbesday, February 9

Phase 2: 10 Teams Advance to Value Creation Workshops

We will choose 10 teams from the submitted applications who will continue on to a WPI value creation pitch competition workshop series where they will learn how to develop a 7-minute value proposition pitch for their business in preparation for the national e-Fest competition. At the final session, the teams will present their final pitch to the VCI executive team who will choose the three winning teams. Those teams will continue on to Phase 3.

Workshops and Final Presentation dates:

Wednesday, February 9 at 5:30-7:30pm ET

Friday, February 11, 5:30-6:30pm ET

Final Presentation, Wednesday, February 16, 5:30-6:30pm ET

Read all the regulations for e-Fest.

Phase 3: Three Teams Advance to e-Fest Pitch Submissions

Three winning teams from the value creation workshop sessions will gain additional mentoring to finalize and submit a seven-minute video pitch and a PowerPoint slide deck detailing their business for submission to the e-Fest competition.

Final pitch due to e-Fest: March 13, 2022, 11:59 pm (PST)

Save the Date: Innovation for Imapct

admin — Thu, 14 Oct 2021 12:00:00 +0000

Innovation for Impact is a series of events that has WPI engaging with academia, industry, and government partners to foster a conversation on ways to collectively create value and advance economic impact.

The first two events will take place November 16 and November 18, both from 6:00-7:30 PM. Please join these events to learn about the booming Innovation going on at WPI, its Impact on the region, and most importantly, a dialog with you on how we continue to scale this effort. Local incubators, WPI incubators, student-led start-ups, and faculty-led start-ups, all of which have driven a surge in economic impact, will be part of the discussions. Brief presentations for each area will allow time to foster a dialogue on what works, what doesn鈥檛 work, and how to improve and expand the value.

Click on the dates linked above to view agendas and register for each event.

Curt Carlson to Lead Hub Cares Kick-off Event April 27

jaquinnszcesuil — Tue, 27 Apr 2021 12:00:00 +0000

The Hub Cures bi-weekly speaking series through Mass Ventures kicks off on Tuesday, April 27, from 5 to 6 p.m. with Curt Carlson, WPI Trustee and executive-in-residence with the Curtis and Dudley Carlson Value Creation Initiative at WPI and former president of SRI International. Carlson will discuss and answer questions about the Practice of Innovation, and how 鈥淭he way we work is our most important innovation."

Join us for an engaging conversation, moderated by Todd Keiller, director of Technology Commercialization at WPI.

Watch the recording of this event:

2016 Inductee Ceremony, WPI鈥檚 Chapter of the National Academy of Inventors

egallagher — Mon, 29 Aug 2016 12:00:00 +0000

Celebrating any WPI faculty member who has received a patent, any student who has applied for a patent, and alumni that have had patents. In addition to the patents, we will be honoring those patents that have been licensed, as well as those patents that have had a product as a result.

Featuring Karen Burg, a Board member of the NAI as keynote speaker.

Karen J.L. Burg, Ph.D., is Professor and the Harbor Lights Endowed Chair in the Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery at the University of Georgia. Prior to joining UGA, she served as vice president for research and a professor of chemical engineering at Kansas State University from 2014 to 2016. Honors include a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, inaugural Swiss AO Research Prize, recognition as a Massachusetts Institute of Technology's TR100 Young Innovator, an American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering fellow, an American Council on Education fellow, a U.S. Department of Defense Era of Hope Scholar, and an American Association for the Advancement of Science-Lemelson Invention Ambassador. She has seven patents issued, thirteen dis20closures and/or provisional patent applications recorded, with one patent serving as the basis for a diagnostics startup company. She has given over 200 invited presentations and authored over 140 peer reviewed publications on the subject of engineered tissues. A Burg invention was one of ten technologies featured in the inaugural Avon Foundation for Women, National Institutes of Health, Center for Advancing Innovation Breast Cancer Start-Up Challenge. She serves on the 2016 Board of Directors and is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors.