Home > News > All News > Entrepreneurship and Tech Transfer

Entrepreneurship and Tech Transfer

News Feed

Puffin Air Purifiers team are winners in national innovation competition

Rebecca Lentz and Rachel Silcox received $5K and additional mentorship from the VentureWell Accelerator program to develop their indoor CO2 monitor and air purifier technology.

Heat2Power: a hot new startup that converts stored heat into electricity

Heat2Power, co-founded by Profs. Stephen Forrest and Andrej Lenert, uses high-efficiency, low-cost thermophotovoltaic technology to turn stored heat into energy.

Wei Lu named U-M Innovation Champion

As a university-wide leader in tech transfer, Lu will serve as a resource to help ECE faculty connect their research with real-world applications.

ECE Spinout company NS Nanotech releases first solid-state semiconductor to produce human-safe disinfecting UV light

NS Nanotech’s new product, enabled by ECE Prof. Zetian Mi’s research, can safely disinfect high-risk spaces like ambulances and school buses.

ECE startup MemryX releases MX3 Edge AI Accelerator

MemryX has announced production availability of a new AI chip, enabled by U-M ECE research.

Aline Eid receives MTRAC Award to commercialize radar vision for autonomous indoor navigation

Prof. Eid will partner with the industry startup Atheraxon to market technology for automated guided vehicles in warehouse environments and beyond.

Alum Mo Faisal on building a successful semiconductor company

Faisal, the 2023 ECE Rising Star Alumni Award recipient, founded Movellus based on his doctoral research conducted under Prof. David Wentzloff.

In a new Technical Sales course, students practice the skill set of selling technology to businesses

Alum Eli Neumann, the Senior Vice President of Worldwide Sales Engineers, co-designed the Center for Entrepreneurship course.

ECE Expeditions rides to the Lone Star State for a tour of engineering companies

Students networked with alums, tested demos of new technology, and toured labs at HPE, NASA, Ambiq, Dell, Torc Robotics, and NI.

Vikram Verma talks the value of engineering and leadership to society as the 2022 ECE Alumni Impact Award winner

Verma credits his distinguished 30-year executive career with leading technology companies, including Savi Technology, Lockheed Martin and 8x8 Inc., to a combination of education, leadership, and luck.

ECE at the center of Celebrate Invention: 2022

Wei Lu talked about his innovations as the 2022 Distinguished University Innovator, followed by a panel discussion about the University's role in fueling new high tech companies in the area.

ECE alum Mihir Sheth receives Young Innovator Award from Innovate UK for making a medical device that weans patients off ventilators quicker

Sheth is the co-founder of Inspiritus Health and has developed a simple to use, non-invasive medical device that keeps patients’ muscles engaged when they are on a ventilator to prevent muscle atrophy.

Michigan startup MemryX, Inc. promises faster, cheaper AI processing

The ECE startup builds neuromorphic computer chips uniquely suitable for AI applications

With Slide, student entrepreneurs aim to make contact sharing frictionless

Built by students and funded by student VCs, the venture marks a new model for launching ideas into ventures.

After five years, Let’s Encrypt, a non-profit based on tech developed at Michigan, has helped to secure the internet

Today, over 225 million websites are protected by free certificates issued by Let’s Encrypt.

Josh Meyer has built the software that your kids and teachers need

From his days as an online poker playing undergrad to his current role as a technology developer, Josh has discovered a passion – and built a platform – for online learning.

Undergrad game developers sign video game development deal

This is the first time that a team from EECS 494 has signed a funded publishing deal.

Amulya Parmar: One conversation can change everything

Amulya Parmar started his first company at 15, and is committed to positive impact in all of his endeavors.

U-M startup NS Nanotech unveils new generation of LEDs for high-efficiency, high-performance displays

Brighter, crisper screens that draw half the power and lasts twice as long are possible with NS Nanotech’s next-gen LEDs.

The Wolverines Behind the Next Generation of Autonomous Vehicles

The Center for Entrepreneurship profiles a team of EECS students, who are working to develop the next generation of delivery vehicles.

Two ‘U’ researchers receive Distinguished University Innovator Award

The Michigan Daily profiles Professors David Blaauw and Dennis Sylvester, who are this year’s recipients of the 2019 Distinguished University Innovator Award.

Blaauw, Sylvester are 2019 Distinguished University Innovators

Pioneering computer technology that is spurring innovation and disruption across industries has earned David Blaauw and Dennis Sylvester, professors of electrical engineering and computer science, this year’s Distinguished University Innovator Award.

Year of growth, experiments for May Mobility

May Mobility intends to gradually acclimate the public to the experience of autonomous driving.

KLA opens new R&D office in Ann Arbor

The global capital equipment company is looking to harness the engineering talent at U-M and power a brighter future with tech.

Advancing AI for Video: Startup launches powerful video processing platform

Voxel51 uses AI processing to identify and track objects and activities through video clips.

A Spotlight on Optics

The Optics Society at U-M hosted an Industry Spotlight event, which brought academia, industry, and community together to celebrate all things optics and photonics.

U-M startup raises $6 million in venture funding

Movellus is a U-M startup founded by alumni Dr. Mo Faisal (now CEO) and Dr. Jeff Fredenburg (now VP of Engineering).

Taking on the limits of computing power

By harnessing the power and speed of graphics processing units, a University of Michigan startup can dramatically accelerate gene sequencing, shortening tasks that took multiple days to a single hour.

Rick Bolander: Entrepreneurship is a team sport

Rick Bolander (BSE MSE EE ’83 ’85; MBA ’94, Harvard) has devoted his career to fulfilling the entrepreneurial dreams of others as much as his own.

Transformative approach to 5G funded by new Innovator program

Nine technologies competed for $75k in the ECE Innovator Program, which emphasizes a team approach to entrepreneurial success.

A new company, Omniscent, is sniffing out dangerous levels of toxic chemicals in the air

Subscription service offers real-time monitoring

Student org brings investors to Michigan

UpRound works with national and local firms to accelerate the entrepreneurial ecosystem of the region.

Making education accessible in rural India

Through EduTech, CS student Divyansh Sharma is working to deliver free video courses directly to Indian people in need of basic education.

Q&A with Mingyan Liu

The incoming electrical and computer engineering chair talks about her vision for the future.

The next medical markets of Collin Rich

An expert health sciences entrepreneur, Rich is ready to repeat success with revolutionary technology.

Mingyan Liu, 2018 Distinguished University Innovator, talks about her company and data science commercialization

Mingyan Liu, recipient of the 2018 Distinguished Innovator of the Year award, gave a talk about her startup company and participated on a panel discussing data science commercialiation.

CSE alum startup SambaNova collects $56m in funding for AI chip research

SambaNova’s approach, stemming from work by Olukotun and co-founder Christopher Ré at Stanford University, seeks to create a new platform from scratch that is optimized specifically for AI operations.

BMW, Toyota invest in U-M startup May Mobility

Other investors include Detroit Venture Partners, Maven Ventures, SV Angel, Tandem Ventures, Trucks Ventures, and YCombinator.

Internet-scanning U-M startup offers new approach to cybersecurity

Censys is the first commercially available internet-wide scanning tool. It helps IT experts to secure large networks with a constantly changing array of devices.

Bringing smart banking to market

Jason Mars, CEO of Ann Arbor startup Clinc, was named #2 in Bank Innovations’s “10 Most innovative CEOs in Banking 2017” list. Clinc is leading the pack for development of intelligent banking assistant software.

Fred Buhler builds better chips for “Aweslome” applications

Fred Buhler founded Aweslome to provide custom-build chips for a broad range of applications, including machine learning, neural networks, security, and circuits testing.

Rick Bergman, CEO of Synaptics – giving tech a sense of touch

ECE alum Rick Bergman, CEO of Synaptics, is working to make tomorrow’s technology user friendly, safe, and reliable. The company hopes to lead what they call “the human interface revolution.”

A VR-powered crystal structures app (video)

MHacks winner Duncan Abbot wants his VR software startup, Gwdion, to change how humans interact with technology.

The ‘Power’ of a lunchbox

Vasanthakumar came back to Chennai in 2016 with a goal to reinvent traditional and widely used personal products, starting with one of the most versatile products –— the lunchbox.

Eric Vander Weele: Building Bloomberg LP

Since graduating from U-M, Eric N. Vander Weele has helped grow Bloomberg’s technology division and increased efficiency and production for employees and clients.

ECE Alum Kevin Johnson receives IEEE-USA Award

This award is given to those for Distinguished Public Service that is expected to help tech employees

CSE-based startup Clinc receives $6.3M in funding to further develop intelligent banking assistant

Clinc has built Finie, the world’s most advanced voice-controlled A.I. platform for banking.

CubeWorks: Solving problems with the world’s smallest and lowest-power computers

Cubeworks receives its first external funding to manufacture millimeter-scale computing devices

Alum startup wins $25,000 at Accelerate Michigan Competition

Movellus Circuits won $25,000 in the University Research Highlight and People’s Choice categories

MHacks win propels virtual reality startup named Gwydion, focused on child therapy and 3D gaming

EE senior Duncan Abbot and his new startup Gwydion want to make VR worth the while. Their early projects range from therapy in children’s hospitals to helping materials scientists study 3D crystals.

Clinc launches Finie, an AI personal assistant for mobile banking

Finie, which can be referred to as the “Siri” of personal banking, is an artificial intelligence platform for banks that helps customers talk to their bank accounts in a natural and conversational way.

‘The most interesting tech IPO of the year’ was founded by alums

A Q&A with the Michigan Engineering alumni who founded Twilio, a “unicorn” in the tech industry.

CSE-based startup receives funding to develop systems based on intelligent personal assistant technology

Clinc has built Lucida, its state-of- the-art, open-source intelligent assistant and machine learning platform that allows developers and the open-source community to easily create and deploy personalized voice and vision-based intelligent assistants.

With over 7 million certificates issued, Let’s Encrypt aims to secure the entire web

In order to bring HTTPS to everyone, Prof. Halderman joined forces in 2012 with colleagues at Mozilla and the Electronic Frontier Foundation to found Let’s Encrypt, a non-profit certificate authority with the mission of making the switch to HTTPS vastly easier.

New venture is on the path to build continual learning AIs

Cogitai was formed with the aim of developing AI technology that empowers machines to learn from interaction with the real world.

U-M cyber security startup purchased by FICO

Analytic software company FICO of San Jose, Calif., bought QuadMetrics to help in its development of a FICO Enterprise Security Score.

Fighting cyber crime with data analytics

QuadMetrics offers a pair of services to help companies both assess the effectiveness of their security and decide the best way to allocate (or increase) their security budget.

Making Memory Smaller, Better, Faster, Stronger

Prof. Wei Lu and former student Dr. Sung Hyun Jo co-founded Crossbar, Inc. to tackle the physical limitations of conventional memory technology.

G is for Google

Larry Page changed the web forever in 1998, now he wants to change the world.

Engineering a better life for people with diabetes

Hygieia automates and streamlines diabetes treatment, a disease affecting over 29 million Americans.

Startup founded by U-M assoc. professor gets NSF grant

Healthcare security company Virta Laboratories, Inc. has received a $750,000 grant from the National Science Foundation Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program.

Cutting the cost of hearing

MEMStim’s technology is already two phases into pre-clinical testing in preparation for FDA examination. Very few MEMS devices have made it this far.

Secure your website now: Let's Encrypt enters Public Beta

Let's Encrypt allows anyone to request a free website security certificate without needing an invitation.

Googling the physical world

IoT applications are the next wave of computing and the next driving force of the semiconductor industry. The startup PsiKick [now Everactive] is helping shape this future.

First-ever ECE Career Fair builds student careers and alumni connections

Local companies set up stands in the EECS Atrium to recruit from over 200 graduate and undergraduate students.

Ashraf Dahod: 2015 CoE Alumni Medal Award Winner

Dahod has combined an understanding of technology with a knack for recognizing market opportunities and built a string of successful technology companies.

Jimmy Hsiao – A local player in a global market

Jimmy founded Logic Solutions, Inc., a consulting company offering website development, web and mobile applications, and other tech solutions to companies around the world.

Claude Gauthier and OmniPhy: Connecting to the ethernet revolution

Dr. Gauthier is co-founder and CTO of the semiconductor interface intellectual property (IP) company, OmniPhy.

3 ECE companies make the Silicon 60 List – again!

Ambiq Micro, Crossbar, Inc., and PsiKick, are leading the way in ultra-low power chip design, pioneering computer memory, and ultra-low power wireless sensor platforms.

Engineering friendship

Alum startup Jetivity aims to bring people together around shared interests with a free platform for posting activities.

EECS students make career connections at NSBE conference

55 U-M engineers attended the convention, themed “Reimagining Your Future,” and developed vital connections in their field.

Four EECS companies make Crain’s list of most innovative companies, and one tops the list

This annual ranking of innovative companies in SE Michigan is based on the quality of patents received during the past year.

ECE alum Ruba Borno to join Cisco’s new executive team

The young executive has an extensive history in both the business and tech worlds.

The Mad Scientist’s Lab: A look inside Mitch Rohde and Quantum Signal’s school-sized playhouse

Don’t let the retro arcade games and oscilloscopes fool you – Mitch’s company is as modern as they come.

Silicon valley entrepreneurs help bring WIMS2 technology to the world

Shahin and Sassan discussed everything from the acquisition trends of small vs. large companies to the importance of building a team with a range of expertise.

Health and Fitness Company Founded by CS Alum Gets Acquired by Practo

Entrepreneur Dhruv Gupta bui;d his web and mobile based weight management program that provides customized diet plans and exercises in 2011.

Stephen Forrest receives 2015 Distinguished University Innovator Award

Prof. Forrest is widely acknowledged as one of the most successful academic inventors and entrepreneurs today.

Two ECE alums make top semiconductor CEOs list

Two ECE alumni were recognized in an ‘Electronics Weekly’ list of 2014’s top semiconductor CEOs.

Student team reaches Qualcomm finals with their proposal for a wearable haptic device

The goal of the project is to augment the transmission of audio and video with the sense of touch.

Nick Yang: Investing in the age of robotics

At the age of 24, Yang sold his company ChinaRen for $35 million.

EECS alums are flying high with drone startup Skyspecs

SkySpecs is currently in the process of launching their first product, the Guardian, which will help prevent collisions.

Scott Hanson receives 2014 Arbor Networks Ph.D. Research Impact Award

Dr. Hanson is the co-founder of a startup semiconductor company that plans to lead the low-power revolution in electronics by powering the Internet of Things.

UM Computer Science Alumni Create Cribspot.com

The startup helps college students find suitable places to live, while also helping landlords manage their properties.

Steve Mollenkopf: Leader of Qualcomm and Mobile Technologies

Mollenkopf was elected as the third CEO of Qualcomm, Inc., which has become the largest fabless semiconductor producer in the world.

Peter Tchoryk: An entrepreneurial CEO

At MAC, Peter’s been able to combine his passions for scientific research and entrepreneurial creation.

Alumni Spotlight: Steve Mollenkopf, New CEO of Qualcomm

PsiKick startup attracts financing for its Internet of Things technology

The chips’ extreme energy efficiency enables them to be powered without a battery from harvested energy sources like vibration, thermal gradients, and more.

Keravnos Energy wants to make fast electric vehicle charging economical

The idea behind Keravnos Energy is for there to be an energy transfer between three entities: the building, a large stationary battery, and the car.

Muhammad Faisal wins business competition with technology critical to the Internet of Things

Movellus Circuits’ product is a patent-pending clock generator technology that is smaller, cheaper, and faster than existing solutions.

Alumni Spotlight: Allan Evans and Avegant: Creating a brilliant multimedia experience from anywhere with Glyph

Glyph is a wearable mobile personal theater and is the first head-mounted display coming to market that will have a virtual retinal display.

Making the Internet of Things happen

Wentzloff aims to remove the necessity of a power outlet or even a battery to power miniature sensors.

Faster, more powerful mobile devices: U-M startup Crossbar could disrupt the memory market

RRAM is a new form of nonvolatile memory that has the potential to replace the flash memory commonly used in tablets, digital cameras and solid-state drives.

Michael McCorquodale named 2012 UBM Electronics ACE Innovator of the Year

“Without McCorquodale’s vision, unwavering persistence, and leadership in the face of decades of thinking to the contrary, CMOS oscillators would not exist today.”

Next-generation computer memory firm receives U-Ms first startup investment

Crossbar is developing a new nonvolatile memory technology that will offer unprecedented density and power improvements in tomorrow’s electronics.

ePack, Inc. wins Masco Next Gen Manufacturing Award at Innovation Competition

“ePack utilizes state of the art micromachining technology to provide a cost effective and high performance packaging service for micro- and milli-scale devices.”

Powering breakthrough technologies

Ambiq Micro could revolutionize ubiquitous computing, with energy-efficient microcontrollers that are 10 times more energy efficient than conventional microprocessors.

MEMStim takes first prize in the Michigan Business Challenge

MEMStim is committed to improving the standard of patient care in neurostimulation. Congratulations, Angelique!

Connor Field — Growing energy on a solar farm

“Energy will be the major concern in the United States for my generation,” Connor says. “Now is the time to research and invest in the technologies that will power our future.”

Najafi, Wise named Distinguished University Innovators

The pair is being honored for their role developing technologies in microelectromechanical systems and working to apply these innovations when making new products.

Two electrical engineers set up a global charity

“Our mission is to find volunteer opportunities at the places that people want to travel to, opportunities that won’t cost the traveler a lot of money.”

EECS Spinoffs recognized as Key Innovators in Business Competition

Congratulations to these winning companies. Go Blue!

Students give a couple of the best among 3,000 Elevator Pitches

Congratulations to Keith Porter and Patrick Theisen!

Ambiq Micro: Taking a startup to the next level

“Imagine a microprocessor so tiny and long lasting that it can be implanted in the eye of a glaucoma sufferer to measure the progress of the disease.”

Mini generators make energy from random ambient vibrations

The energy-harvesting devices are highly efficient at providing renewable electrical power from arbitrary, non-periodic vibrations.

Enertia and ABC take 1st and 2nd prizes in the clean energy prize business plan competition

The competition was established by DTE Energy and the University of Michigan to encourage entrepreneurship and the development of clean-energy technologies.

University of Michigan Office of Technology to showcase inventions

Guo’s computer chip imprinter is one of more than 300 inventions that researchers disclosed last year to U-M’s Technology Transfer office.