News & Updates Archive
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 ov. 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
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 Ph.D 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 November 3rd. 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.
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