FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
INDIANAPOLIS, BLOOMINGTON, Ind., and WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Members of the Venture Club of Indiana and the general public will meet leaders of five high-tech startups based on university research during a luncheon Thursday, Feb. 4.
The Technology Transfer Luncheon will take place 11:15 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Columbia Club, 121 Monument Circle, Indianapolis. Networking begins at 11:30 a.m., and the lunch program starts at noon. The luncheon is $45; registration is available online.
The startups, which are seeking capital and talent, are:
- AccuPS, which provides high-definition 3-D man-machine interaction solutions. CEO Byunghoo Jung will represent the company.
- Anagin LLC, which develops novel therapeutics to treat Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. CEO Eric Messner will represent the company.
- Mimir LLC, which optimizes computer science education and technical recruiting. Founder Prahasith Veluvolu will represent the company.
- SpeechVive Inc., which can improve a patient’s speech clarity. CEO Steve Mogensen will represent the company.
- Spero Energy Inc., which develops cost-competitive processes to convert non-food biomass into high-value chemicals and renewable fuels. Founder and president Mahdi Abu-Omar will represent the company.
The innovation presented by Anagin originated from the Indiana University School of Medicine in Indianapolis and IU’s Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences in Bloomington. It was licensed through Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. For more information on licensing an Indiana University innovation, email iurtc@indiana.edu.
The innovations presented from AccuPS, Mimir, SpeechVive and Spero Energy originated from Purdue University research and are licensed through the Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, email innovation@prf.org.
Ben Pidgeon, president of the Venture Club of Indiana and relationship manager at Stock Yards Bank & Trust Co., said startup personnel will benefit by attending the luncheon.
“They will have the opportunity to practice their value proposition, receive feedback on the idea and create additional awareness about their new technology,” he said. “Finally, they will make meaningful connections within the Indianapolis entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Following the luncheon, the Venture Club of Indiana will host experts from Indiana University Research and Technology Corp. and Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization, who will discuss the role of technology commercialization at Indiana University’s and Purdue University’s campus systems. Joe Trebley, a consultant to IURTC, and Brooke Beier, assistant director of business development at PRF, will also share information about technologies available to license or option.
Trebley pointed out that Indiana University is designated as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University, which recognizes its commitment across all campuses to being a leading institution in fostering regional economic development.
“Innovators across all academic disciplines throughout the Indiana University campus system are creating impactful new processes and procedures that will improve people’s lives, including alleviating pain and suffering,” he said. “Showcasing these technologies February 4 at the Venture Club of Indiana could impact bringing them to market.”
As assistant director of business development for the Purdue Research Foundation, Beier helps manage and commercialize innovations discovered at Purdue University.
“As Indiana’s land-grant university, Purdue is committed to developing and moving innovations to the public where they can help our global society while creating jobs in Indiana and building our state’s economy,” she said. “The Venture Club of Indiana and its members provide a critical resource for this important endeavor.”
The afternoon workshop is $15 plus tax; registration is available online.
About Indiana University Research and Technology Corp.
IURTC is a not-for-profit organization that helps IU faculty and researchers realize the commercial potential of their discoveries. Since 1997, IURTC’s university clients have accounted for more than 2,000 inventions, nearly 1,900 U.S. patent applications and more than 75 startup companies. IURTC is part of the Innovate Indiana initiative, which engages strategic partners to leverage and advance IU’s intellectual resources and expertise, enhance Indiana’s economic growth, and contribute to the overall quality of life for Hoosiers. Indiana University is designated as an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University by the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities. This recognizes IU’s commitment across all its campuses to being a leading institution in fostering regional economic development.
About Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization
The Purdue Research Foundation Office of Technology Commercialization operates one of the most comprehensive technology transfer programs among leading research universities in the U.S. Services provided by this office support the economic development initiatives of Purdue University and benefit the university’s academic activities. The office is managed by the Purdue Research Foundation, which received the 2014 Incubator Network of the Year by the National Business Incubation Association for its work in entrepreneurship. For more information about funding and investment opportunities in startups based on a Purdue innovation, contact the Purdue Foundry at foundry@prf.org. For more information on licensing a Purdue innovation, contact the Office of Technology Commercialization at innovation@prf.org.