News & Updates Archive
July 2, 2024
The Sprout Program is excited to announce the new projects and teams selected for this year's funding cycle. Supported by the Provost’s Office and the Office of Technology Licensing (OTL), the Sprout Program aims to advance technologies with commercial potential developed within the Division of Science by faculty, students, postdocs, and staff. Each year, the program allocates up to $100,000 across multiple projects to help foster innovation and facilitate the journey from research to market
April 30, 2024
SparkTank, Brandeis Innovation’s signature startup pitch event was in a new location this year, but the energy, excitement and creativity were the same as always at the annual innovation competition. Marking the culmination of months of work refining their business ideas, developing their business models, and in some cases, developing viable prototypes, SparkTank is a celebration of startup energy on the Brandeis campus, in addition to being a chance for Spark participants to showcase their inventions
April 3, 2024
Within Brandeis University's dynamic environment, Brandeis Innovation serves as a hub for creativity and entrepreneurship, empowering students, faculty, and staff. Alongside offering training, mentorship, and pitch competitions, Brandeis Innovation features the "Profiles in Innovation" podcast, spotlighting community members who embody a culture of innovation and impact
April 2, 2024
Waltham, MA - In an exciting development for the food industry, and potentially for personal care and wellness industries, Brandeis University has officially announced a groundbreaking licensing agreement for JavaPowerⓇ Coffee Bean Flour, an innovative ingredient set to be the next on-trend ingredient in the food and nutrition sector as a natural source for antioxidants. Greenwood Innovation, LLC is now the exclusive licensee for this coffee bean-based ingredient, and the sole provider of JavaPowerⓇ to food & beverage manufacturers, commercial bakeries, food service and other developers of functional food products. This deal reflects the Brandeis University Innovation Center’s continued commitment to fostering innovation and promoting healthier food alternatives on a global scale
February 28, 2024
Brandeis Innovation Director of Licensing and Strategic Alliances Rajnish Kaushik, MBA, PhD represented Brandeis Innovation at the annual AUTM Annual Meeting in San Diego this month. The premiere event for technology commercialization, the AUTM Annual Meeting brings together technology licensing professionals from research universities with industry technology scouts and leaders looking for the latest in technologies emerging from university labs
February 7, 2024
In a world where life-saving medications like insulin are expensive, a Brandeis University alum, Eric Moyal is making waves with his groundbreaking initiative, Project Insulin. Founded on the belief that essential medicines should be accessible to all, Moyal’s nonprofit aims to disrupt the pharmaceutical industry by offering generic insulin at cost
February 6, 2024
Brandeis University's Spark cohort 2024 has just kicked off, welcoming 11 teams with innovative ideas who are ready to dive into an entrepreneurial adventure. These teams are gearing up for their first big step: the program’s kick off where they will start turning their creative concepts into real-world solutions
October 11, 2023
The Brandeis Innovation I-Corps program kicked off the in-person portion of its Fall cohort yesterday with a lively meeting in the Brandeis Innovation Center's training space
September 21, 2023
On Tuesday, September 19, nearly 60 students from across campus gathered at the Mandel Forum for Brandeis Innovation’s annual Entrepreneurship Mixer. Attendees were eager to learn more about the entrepreneurial ecosystem within the university
September 6, 2023
SparkTank first-place winner Tree for the Taking works to craft innovatively sustainable guitars and accessories using waste-wood from invasive trees. Using the invasive species Tree of Heaven, they have worked with the Brandeis MakerLab, as well as participating in the Brandeis Innovation Virtual Incubator, to create a more sustainable, affordable guitar that is good for the planet
May 2, 2023
Becoming more entrepreneurial is a journey filled with creativity, innovation, and the drive to bring impactful ideas to life. Aspiring entrepreneurs must immerse themselves in environments that foster growth, learning, and networking. One such environment is the MassChallenge accelerator in Boston, renowned for its support and resources for startups
May 1, 2023
Brandeis Innovation's ninth annual SparkTank competition broke the mold this year. With a new format and new energy, the event brought together top student innovators, faculty, staff, and industry experts in a showcase of the best student-led ideas at Brandeis
December 31, 2022
The year 2022 brought with it new energy, as teams convened in our dynamic space to learn, collaborate, and create
November 22, 2022
The 8th Annual Innovation Showcase once again gave the Brandeis community, alums and other external attendees an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the exciting innovations coming out of the labs, classrooms and dorm rooms
October 20, 2022
From the classroom to the workplace, our way of living always involves some element of coordination and cooperation to accomplish our goals. How we work with others is an essential factor in determining the success of those collective efforts
October 15, 2022
In late 2021, researchers at MIT developed a material they dubbed OmniFiber, which can be woven into a special fabric that can sense and regulate physical activity, such as breathing or other movements
July 12, 2022
Brandeis Spark, the university’s business incubator and startup accelerator, is proud to announce that two of its teams were accepted into the 2022 MassChallenge cohort
July 6, 2022
The 12th annual Brandeis Sprout awards were announced today. The program provides gap funding from a pool of $100,000 to translational research conducted at Brandeis that has commercial potential. The program continues to have strong representation from biotech and sustainability inventions
May 26, 2022
As far as innovative inventions go, you’ll be hard pressed to find such an interesting, diverse portfolio as Dan Perlman’s. With over a 100 US and international patents (published and pending), Dan’s work spans decades of research and development. Among his vast range of creations are laboratory and consumer products, which include the well-known brand Smart Balance and the Corazonas-branded snack products
May 17, 2022
The 8th cohort of the Brandeis Innovation NSF I-Corps program wrapped up this month with a demo day on April 13, 2022. I-Corps Demo Day marks the culmination of weeks of work exploring the commercial potential of research conducted at Brandeis
May 17, 2022
What inspired you to start The Farmer Foodie?
I minored in Sustainability Studies at Muhlenberg College. I became extremely aware of my actions and choices and their associated environmental impacts, all of which prompted a lifestyle shift
April 30, 2022
The 8th cohort of the Brandeis Innovation NSF I-Corps program wrapped up this month with a demo day on April 13, 2022. I-Corps Demo Day marks the culmination of weeks of work exploring the commercial potential of research conducted at Brandeis, in which interdisciplinary teams of business students and arts and humanities faculty and students conduct customer discovery to identify market needs for innovations born in the labs and offices of Brandeis
February 16, 2022
Congratulations to the winners of the 2022 SparkTank competition. This year's slate of winners represent several firsts for the Spark program
February 1, 2022
Collaboration with Hampton University aims to bring HBCU STEM students into leadership positions in national university startup ecosystems
January 24, 2022
The Brandeis Innovation Virtual Incubator Spark Program, Brandeis' accelerator for non-bench research, announced the finalists for the 2022 program today. The finalists represent a wide range of startup ideas, from biotech to bespoke jewelry
November 23, 2021
The 7th annual Brandeis Innovation Showcase was our first major in-person event since early 2020. It was wonderful to reconnect with our community again in the Shapiro Science Center.
October 1, 2021
What does it take to be a successful entrepreneur or creative innovator? Is it wealth? Industry connections? Or is it something we can all have? According to successful entrepreneur and venture capitalist Seth Rosen, the key common factor among founders who make it is mindset. Seth spoke at the first session of the Fall Back Into Innovation series, part of Brandeis Innovation’s Spark virtual incubator program.
July 1, 2021
The Brandeis University Innovation Center’s Sprout program, one of the university’s longest-running programs to support innovation in the sciences, has just announced the recipients of their 2021 Sprout Grant recipients.
March 30, 2021
Earlier this month, the Brandeis Office of Technology Licensing team attended the annual meeting of AUTM, the world’s leading organization for university technology transfer. In between meetings with prospective licensees of Brandeis’ groundbreaking technologies, the team enjoyed thought-provoking discussions on issues related to technology transfer.
February 18, 2021
One of the great strengths of research at Brandeis is the collaborative, interdisciplinary approach that characterizes work in the University’s world-leading labs.
February 10, 2021
The annual SparkTank competition held on February 7th was a celebration of some of the best startups developed by Brandeis students from across the globe and across disciplines. This year saw a heavy concentration of startups in the fields of healthtech and sustainable consumer goods, showcasing Brandeis’ strengths in the healthcare business sector, as well as Brandesian’s commitment to sustainability.
January 25, 2021
Spark, the Brandeis Virtual Incubator’s program to support promising non-bench research, announced the finalists for its seventh annual cohort this week.
December 22, 2020
It has been an eventful year for Brandeis Innovation. Naturally, we pivoted online, as did the world, due to the COVID crisis, and have been supporting teams through the challenges of the pandemic and economic constraints. However, there were many other reasons why this year stands out as unique for our innovation programs.
November 10, 2020
Brandeis researchers Gregory Petsko, Dagmar Ringe and Shulin Ju have developed a protein for use in gene therapy for the inherited form of Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, or ALS. The invention was licensed to a Brandeis startup, BRI-Alzan which was later acquired by MeiraGTX, a New York-based gene therapeutics company for potential development into a life-saving treatment.
October 9, 2020
As Brandeis welcomes students, faculty and staff to a semester unlike any other, we do so confident that our commitment to repairing the world and caring for one another will illuminate the path through these unprecedented times.
Though campus may appear different, our mission remains the same: to provide every enrolled student with a world-class Brandeis education and enriching experience. Light the Way for Brandeis invites every member of the Brandeis community to contribute to student success and well-being. Your gifts directly enable the enhanced measures we continue to take to ensure that learning thrives amidst the pandemic. Support Brandeis students by donating here.
June 26, 2020
This is the first of several articles featuring startups that came out of the 2019-2020 Spark cohort. Learn more about Embedded Helper, which aims to simplify coding for embedded devices, including robotics applications.
June 5, 2020
As the United States enters its fourth month of response to the COVID-19 crisis, many are pointing to the testing of people potentially infected with the disease as the key to effective mitigation of the public health threat.
March 15, 2020
We are going through a challenging time and it’s clear we are all adapting to a “new normal” with an unknown end date. We are reminded every day of our community’s resilience, creativity, and ingenuity.
February 2, 2020
February 2, 2020--an eventful date in the US. It was SuperBowl Sunday, a day when some of the best teams face off to win recognition on the playing field. It was also Groundhog Day, which might mean learning how long winter lasts, or it might mean a day that keeps repeating, if you’re a movie fan.
December 3, 2019
The fifth annual Brandeis Innovation Showcase was one for the record books in more ways than one. Not only was it a milestone anniversary in the history of the Brandeis Innovation Center, but it also marked a transition for the program.
November 17, 2019
Olga Papaemmanouil is revolutionizing data science and cloud computing. Learn about her groundbreaking work.
October 17, 2019
On Thursday, October 17, Brandesians across the arts and sciences gathered in Epstein to celebrate their interdisciplinary innovations, sharing their latest projects in 3D printing, robotics, social innovation, and more. The event was part of the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council’s NewCo Boston Festival, a daylong series of open houses designed to showcase the many innovative activities taking place in the Boston tech community.
September 12, 2019
A record number of Brandeis students, faculty, and staff turned out for the 4th annual Brandeis Innovation Startup Mixer, taking place September 12 in Rapaporte Treasure Hall in the Goldfarb Library. From Heller graduate students to International Business School undergraduates, from Rabb School of Continuing Studies faculty to Arts and Sciences students, the attendees were all there with common goals: to see what new startups were emerging from the dorms, classrooms, and labs of Brandeis, and to learn about support available to Brandesians with impactful ideas that they want to explore further.
August 15, 2019
When it comes to creative solutions to many of the world’s practical challenges, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Grace Han loves running a lab that looks for novel ways to uncover just the right, often unexpected, technology. It’s a skill that was seen in full force at this year’s Sprout Awards, when teams from Grace’s lab took home two prestigious Sprout grants.
July 24, 2019
When he first came up with the idea of creating a better way to find sustainable, healthy food, Galen Karlan-Mason had no intention of becoming a social entrepreneur. He had just earned his Bachelor’s at Brandeis and was completing his Master’s at Brandeis International Business School. He did, however, intend to transform his interest in sustainability into a career. Where he imagined that career was in real estate, an industry undergoing a green transformation in response to climate change and other global challenges.
July 21, 2019
Two Brandeis startups were recently selected to participate in one of the most prestigious startup accelerators in the world, Masschallenge. The Masschallenge program hosted its annual Showcase event on July 16 at the organization’s dynamic headquarters in Boston’s Seaport District.
July 18, 2019
The 3rd annual HackMyPhD returned to Brandeis this July 18, offering advice, connections, and support to Brandeis University graduate students as they contemplated career paths. The aim of the NSF-funded program, the brainchild of the team at the Office of Technology Licensing and the Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center, is to help graduate students learn about the entrepreneurial path and expand their career horizons. The event was generously funded by the Hassenfeld Family Foundation.
July 14, 2019
Leana Silverberg, BS ‘18/MS ‘19, came to the Office of Technology Licensing’s (OTL) Sprout program her freshman year wanting to work on a startup idea. Now, she's a rising tech innovator at MassChallenge.
June 15, 2019
The Brandeis Office of Technology Licensing won a Golden Stopwatch award for the speed and efficiency with which they approve materials transfer agreements (MTAs). A critical part of technology transfer between universities and private industry, MTAs are contracts for the transfer of research materials between organizations. They allow researchers at different universities to collaborate as well as getting university-developed breakthroughs into the commercial production pipeline. Brandeis OTL won the Golden Stopwatch, sponsored by MTA organization AddGene, for their efficient facilitation of MTAs between Brandeis University researchers and other universities and private industry.
May 22, 2019
Once again, scientists from across Brandeis gathered in the Faculty Club on a bright if breezy Spring morning, hoping to launch the next breakthrough invention. It’s part of a decade-strong program from the Brandeis Office of Technology Licensing, the Sprout program. This year’s Sprout grant winners were the most varied to date in terms of the industries they address.
May 21, 2019
sySTEMic Flow, a startup focused on helping increase opportunities for women of color in STEM, recently showcased at Mass Innovation Nights' event at Greater Grove Hall, winning an Audience Favorite nod.
May 1, 2019
EMet Nanotech, a Brandeis NSF I-Corps team, was the most recent startup born at Brandeis to pitch at a regional startup competition to great acclaim. On April 25, they pitched at Venture Cafe's BIO Connect, the region's premier annual mini-conference for the latest business, technology and regulatory development in drugs and therapeutics to great acclaim.
April 3, 2019
We were recently featured in the industry publication Technology Transfer Tactics as a leader among tech transfer offices.
April 2, 2019
This spring, some of the best scientific innovations developed at Brandeis participated in Sprout, Brandeis Innovation's grant program and virtual incubator/accelerator. At the core of the program is training in innovation skills, and this year’s annual bootcamp proved no exception, as industry leaders taught critical entrepreneurship skills to Brandeis teams.
March 20, 2019
Mass Innovation Nights, Boston's leading forum for launching new startups, returned to Brandeis University for the second year in row on March 14, 2019. Celebrating Pi Day with this innovation showcase is rapidly becoming a tradition for both Mass Innovation Nights and Brandeis.
February 21, 2019
The Brandeis Innovation team visited Austin, Texas, to participate in the AUTM (Association of University Technology Managers) Annual Meeting. The conference welcomed technology transfer professionals and those in related industries such as biotech, law and venture capital, from all around the globe to network and learn from the industry’s experts. It was the first time Brandeis Innovation hosted a booth to showcase the university’s technologies and programs to attendees.
February 4, 2019
SparkTank is an annual tradition at Brandeis. The startup competition, styled after the popular TV show, showcases the best of Brandeis startups. Students compete on an equal footing with faculty and staff, pitching their startups to compete for a pool of $50,000 in funding. For these Brandesian startups, it’s the culmination of months of work, perfecting their presentations, researching the target markets for their inventions, and, of course, creating innovations that have the power to change the world.
December 30, 2018
Check out the highlights of 2018 in our Year in Review video.
November 16, 2018
The 4th Annual Brandeis Innovation Showcase took place Nov. 15, bringing the best of startups and inventions born at Brandeis to a broader audience. Over 150 attendees braved the snow to see poster sessions and pitches by Brandeis University’s newest crop of inventors. Winners of the night included a breakthrough in studying ALS, a social enterprise supporting farmers in Africa, and a company making scientific labs across the United States more sustainable.
October 26, 2018
Brandeis Innovators have been making remarkable breakthroughs across industries from greentech to artificial intelligence, creating startups that promise to create value for global consumers, solve social challenges, and treat critical diseases. The week of Oct.15, Boston’s innovation ecosystem got to see many of these breakthroughs as Brandeis-affiliated companies were featured across the region at three leading startup events.
September 12, 2018
An immunochemistry staining photo of Drosophila Melanogaster brain. A small subset of circadian neurons are labelled with EGFP antibody staining against DN3 split-Gal4>gt;UAS-EGFP (artificially colored as magenta). TRIBE method has been shown effective in sparse circadian neurons (16 neurons out of a 100,000-neuron brain), namely the pigment dispersing factor (PDF) expressing neurons. This picture was generously contributed by Madelen Diaz from the Rosbash lab.
July 18, 2018
HackMyPhD, Brandeis Innovation's signature conference on career-building for STEAM doctoral students, returned for a successful second year. Speakers from industry, the public sector, and nonprofits shared their experiences building satisfying careers both inside and outside academia. In addition, the event served as a showcase for Brandeis' inaugural cohort of I-Corps Fellows. Fellows shared their projects, ranging from greentech to edtech, demonstrating the diversity of Brandeis innovators' contributions. The conference, which aims to help doctoral students plan their post-graduation career trajectories, was well-received, with attendees calling the day "inspirational" and "eye-opening."
June 11, 2018
Associate Provost for Innovation and Executive Director of the Office of Technology Licensing and the Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center Rebecca Menapace was featured on NewTV's Innovation Showcase program. Rebecca discussed the many breakthroughs and programs coming out of Brandeis Innovation Center, as well our initiatives to promote diversity in STEM entrepreneurship.
June 4, 2018
A.I. Capital Management, a Brandeis University startup seeking to build one of the world’s first hedge funds fully managed by artificial intelligence, has been invited to participate in the 2018 MassChallenge Boston accelerator program.
May 29, 2018
The Brandeis Innovation Center announced winners of its 2018 Sprout Awards. The annual awards, which total over $90,000 in grants, support early-stage bench research that has strong commercial or social potential for projects centered on public health and the environment.
May 1, 2018
Brandeis Innovation teams made a big impression on the Boston innovation community this April, showcasing at two major Venture Cafe events. A.W.E.S., a sustainability startup bringing renewable energy to Africa along with economic empowerment to the region's women entrepreneurs, showcased their biofuel technology at Earth Night on April 19. The following week, two Brandeis teams spoke at BIOConnect, a biotech conference. Prof. Isaac Krauss discussed his breakthroughs in developing vaccines for HIV and cancer, while PhD candidate Ingrid Marko demoed her 3D-printed scoliosis device.
April 11, 2018
On April 11, Brandeis University opened its doors to the Boston innovation community as part of NewCo Boston, a region-wide festival of tech innovation, sponsored by the Massachusetts Technology Leadership Council. Our panel addressed how to increase representation and diversity in STEAM.
March 14, 2018
On March 14, Brandeis University hosted Mass Innovation Nights 108 on what was also the ninth anniversary of its inception. The event hosted eleven teams, ranging from gently vibrating mats to calm crying babies to a sensor that can detect anomalies and leaks in water pipes. Every month, Mass Innovation Nights brings together about ten companies at various venues throughout metro Boston. This was the first time Brandeis University hosted the event.
February 4, 2018
On Feb. 4, a record crowd gathered to see Brandeis students, faculty, and staff compete for $50,000 in funding to seed their ventures. SparkTank is one of the only university startup competitions in the US in which students, faculty, and staff compete as equals. In this, it’s a unique reflection of Brandeis’ collaborative spirit. The all-day event saw a spirited pitch fest with a wide range of Brandeis startups in artificial intelligence, sustainable energy, food, consumer apps, and more.
December 4, 2017
On Nov. 30, Brandeis Innovation hosted its 3rd Annual Innovation Showcase, an event in which eighteen different presenters exhibited their projects to peers, as well as possible mentors and investors. This year, over 150 individuals attended the showcase, which aims to celebrate the creative endeavors of entrepreneurial individuals from the university community.
July 31, 2017
HackMyPhD was the first successful program in what is hoped to be a movement to bring entrepreneurial thinking to graduate careers. From the opening remarks of provost, Lisa M. Lynch and visiting scholar, Jessica K. Liebowitz to the closing remarks of associate provost for innovation, Rebecca Menapace — the crowd was attentive and filled with drive.
May 23, 2017
Workaround, one of the 2016-17 innovation teams, won a spot in the 2017 MassChallenge cohort. The largest startup accelerator in the world, MassChallenge accepts only 8% of applicants to their yearly accelerator.
May 2, 2017
Brandeis University today announced it has been awarded a $237,050 five-year grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program. The grant will provide funding for innovative startups and technologies developed by Brandeis students, faculty and staff.
April 30, 2017
Brandeis Innovation has recently announced the winners of its 7th Annual Sprout Program. Designed to encourage academic and entrepreneurial success, Sprout allows candidates to submit their research projects for funding to a panel of judges. This year’s panel chose eight projects from different fields, including genetics, medicine and microscopy.
April 30, 2017
Brandeis Innovation Day was a powerful day of of learning, connecting, and building the innovations that our teams have created. Participants had the opportunity to work closely with industry professionals, making important contacts and learning how to drive early business success.
April 17, 2017
A leading Chinese local government group comes to Boston on Friday, April 26, to identify investment opportunities and connect with local talent. The program's goal is to introduce these ventures and talents to a new entrepreneurial zone that the Chinese government is building to grow the innovation ecosystem in China. WeiWei Jiang, one of our Champions, will be a featured speaker.
November 30, 2016
2016 marked the second annual Innovation Showcase was a celebration of multidisciplinary innovations from across our entire campus. Flip through some photos of the night or watch how the team, Sclervey, is working to impact the treatment of complex corneal diseases.
Could carrots revolutionize the food industry? 2016 Sprout funding recipient, KC Hayes and his team think so. The Brandeis innovators and OTL's executive director Rebecca Menapace recently spoke with WCVB Channel 5 Boston about how carrot pomace can change the fiber game and even impact Type 2 diabetes.
Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center was selected to join Microsoft BizSpark program. The program works with selected incubators to provide infrastructure support, networking, and Microsoft products to qualified startups.
Brandeis Innovation gets national attention! Today Show anchors sampled pancakes made from coffee flour invented right here by a Brandeis researcher. The coffee flour was also featured in the Boston Globe.
How is Brandeis changing the world? Brandeis’ first Innovation Showcase featured poster presentations by the recipients of Brandeis’ Spark and Sprout awards on Nov. 3. Find out more about the the projects displayed for Sprout and Spark.
See interviews featured on Venture Cafe with Alan Hassenfeld; Sue Windham-Bannister; Spark awardees Grady Ward and Dr. Laurence Simon; Sprout awardee Deirdra Evers-McGregor; and our own Rebecca Menapace.
Sponsored by the Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center, a partnership of the Office of Technology Licensing and the Brandeis International Business School.
In 2014, Brandeis received a $2.5 million gift to establish the Hassenfeld Family Innovation Center to build upon the university’s reputation as one of the nation’s leading research institutions by supporting faculty research while catalyzing innovation on campus.
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