University at Albany

The Winter 2025 I-Corps @ UAlbany cohort wrapped up with 5 teams completing a total of 71 interviews over 3.5 weeks. Universities represented in this cohort were UAlbany, Hofstra University, Arizona State University and The Graduate Center of CUNY, representing q variety of fields including: Emergency Preparedness and Management, Public Health, Psychology, Speech Language Pathology and Material Sciences. UAlbany graduate student Mahsa Goodarzi was a member of the ProActive team, led by Dr. DeeDee Bennett Gayle. Heather Duncan, also a UAlbany graduate student, was the lead for the M&D Science team.

11 UAlbany students were selected for the 2025 University at Albany's Research and Innovators Startup Exchange (RISE) Fellowship program, which seeks to inspire students - particularly international students and students from underrepresented groups - to pursue careers driven by STEM research. In a selective process, researchers pitched their projects to students, who then submitted match requests to participating researchers. The RISE cohort of selected student fellows work with one of six research teams conducting customer discovery, developing business plans and creating pitch decks over the course of 8 weeks. The first four weeks of the fellowship is focused on customer discovery through UAlbany's NSF Innovation I-Corps program. Fellows also learn about STEM-based academic research projects and explore business strategies to reduce the risks of commercializing that research. Through this practical educational experience, participants engage in the innovation and commercialization processes related to real STEM-based research projects. The program culminates in a demo day, where teams will present their pitches. Selected fellows will also receive a stipend as part of the program, made possible by a UAlbany Strategic Allocation of Resources (StAR) Grant awarded to the Office of Economic Development, Entrepreneurship and Industry Partnerships (OEDEIP). The UAlbany Innovation Center's Research and Innovators Startup Exchange (RISE) is a collaborative entrepreneurship program that takes research from concept to commercialization. RISE matches researchers with students, and students with researchers, to create entrepreneurship teams that bring research-driven innovations to the commercial market. While the Innovation Center - a business incubator located inside the University at Albany's Emerging Technology and Entrepreneurship Complex (ETEC) building - provides all the resources and guidance RISE teams need to succeed.

World Ambassadors are sophomores who participated in a Living-Learning Community at the University at Albany in 2023-24. They connect with first-year students over the summer to answer new students' questions about life at UAlbany and assist the Community Assistant throughout the fall semester. Living-Learning Communities are a special opportunity to become engaged at UAlbany by bringing together new students, faculty, student leaders and advisors who create a unique experience around a special interest, such as a major, that helps students become involved and engaged with the campus community.

The Eindhoven Semicon Summer School is designed to offer students a comprehensive program in the semiconductor industry, covering everything from equipment and devices to circuits, systems and applications, delivered by top specialists from a wide range of leading semiconductor companies and knowledge institutions. The summer school also includes team activities with professors from the Eindhoven University of Technology as well as discussions led by industry executives from two of the top semiconductor manufacturing and design companies in the world, the Dutch firms ASML and NXP. Arranged through a partnership between New York State and the government of the Netherlands to advance shared goals for the future of semiconductor manufacturing, the program provides sponsorship for up to five SUNY students to attend the four-day summer school.

The Summer Undergraduate Research Program (SURP) at the University at Albany provides a unique opportunity for qualified undergraduate students to conduct research and to explore new areas of science and engineering. The program provides unparalleled opportunities for students to: Enhance their academic skills, learning, and success Make intellectual and creative contributions to an academic discipline Learn about a specific field or career and develop competencies for future success Collaborate with faculty, staff, and students by exploring completely new areas of nanotechnology, science and engineering

Team Harsh Environment Sensing successfully completed UAlbany's Regional I-Corps Short Course in the Summer of 2023, earning a recommendation for the National I-Corps Team award. In April of 2024, Team Harsh Environment Sensing successfully completed the National I-Corps program, earning a $50,000 award. The Entrepreneurial Lead was Sahyadri Anil Patil, with Dr. Mengbing Huang acting as Technical Lead.

Five teams from UAlbany have successfully completed the National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program during the recently completed winter cohort. The teams, comprised of individuals from diverse backgrounds, participated in the intensive 3.5-week session, with three teams distinguishing themselves by completing 20 or more interviews during the program. The teams include six UAlbany students. The National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps (I-Corps) program uses experiential education to help researchers gain valuable insight into entrepreneurship, starting a business, or exploring current industry challenges. The I-Corps Program @ UAlbany helps researchers (1) explore the market need for their work, (2) fund the development of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), and (3) strengthen the commercialization plan of their next grant application. The cohort was led by Kelly Reardon-Sleicher, Program Director, Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the University at Albany and Micah Kotch, Partner of Blackthorn Ventures. Reardon-Sleicher leads the NSF I-Corps program at UAlbany and has more than 16 years of entrepreneurial education experience. Kotch is a seasoned instructor for the national NSF I-Corps program and a startup founder with over two decades of experience in industry and venture development and growth. A selection of standout teams from the winter cohort are: 1. Team KBS: Comprising three UAlbany students, Team KBS developed a table-top tensile tester, improving accessibility to a previously expensive and unwieldy tool used in academic training labs. 2. Team HaptiMed: Innovating in the medical field, Team HaptiMed created a haptic-enhanced laser stylus, enhancing tactile feedback for dentists and other practitioners during dental procedures. 3. Team ACES Group: ACES Group developed smart surfaces capable of bouncing high-frequency radio wave signals, enabling communication even in scenarios with no direct line of sight. Successful teams earn eligibility to apply for the National I-Corps program, marking a significant milestone in their entrepreneurial journey. Other notable participants in the cohort include Team Augacero, Team Warning Project, and Team Nemesys Insights, each contributing valuable innovations to their respective fields.