Associate Professor of Nanobioscience Dr. Janet Paluh (lower right in photo), in addition to a team of SUNY Poly students who are each pursuing an MBA in Technology Management, with a recent alumna of the same program, have been selected to participate in the SUNY Startup Summer School (S4) Demo Day Wednesday, August 11, 2021.

Dr. Paluh’s “ITrakNeuro” team brings multiple years entrepreneurial expertise, including SUNY, IBM, Intel, NVIDIA and Tagore to biomedical imaging, analytics, and communication, applying Artificial Intelligence to benefit neurosurgeons to achieve actionable positive clinical outcomes for patients. Their AI software and hardware solutions are being applied to Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Angiography of the Brain, including vascular flow dynamics. The team is applying AI to meet additional needs in low personnel challenging markets such as medical treatments for remote geographical areas, military actions, and space exploration. In addition, they are applying neural nets to molecular neuroscience to bridge the gap between neuropathology disease mechanisms and drug treatments. Applications for SBIR/STTR funding are being prepared for Fall 2021.

The student group, comprised of Rachel Cook (in photo top left), Ellen Conti (top right), and Ed McDermid (bottom left), are pitching “TREE SmartShield™,” a safety helmet incorporating augmented reality (AR) technology and environmental chemical sensors for hazardous material chemical tank inspection with potential for other HAZMAT applications in the future. The SmartShield system and process for tank inspection increases worker safety, and significantly decreases ‘down-time’ for manufacturing plants.

The group is interested in further developing the SmartShield™ product and business plan originally developed as a team project for SUNY Poly course ENT575-35W Innovation & Entrepreneurship. The ultimate goal is to successfully secure the funding required to start the business and bring the first product to market.

Learn more about S4 below:

SUNY News Release: SUNY kicks off Startup Summer School Class of 2021

Courtesy of SUNY

State University of New York Chancellor Jim Malatras announced the start of the SUNY Startup Summer School (S4) Class of 2021 to help seasoned and prospective innovators and entrepreneurs bring their technologies to market. Part of the SUNY for All program, the 11-week training program begins with the first of nine instructional webinars—participants will also receive customer discovery training and proposal development support over the course of the program.

S4 culminates with a "Demo Day" celebration, where participants pitch their technology or venture, with the top two proposals each earning a $10,000 Technology Accelerator Fund Catalyst Investment. The program-end pitches will be judged by SUNY Venture Advisors, successful entrepreneurs, and executives who serve as mentors and coaches.

The program is operated through the SUNY Research Foundation. A total of 150 faculty, students, and staff from 22 SUNY campuses are set to participate this summer for the Class of 2021.

"We are excited to welcome the SUNY Start Up Summer School (S4) Class of 2021. The class is made of up 150 entrepreneurs with both promising ideas and the drive to take those ideas from conception to completion," said Chancellor Malatras. "With guidance from our brilliant and experienced instructors, speakers, and mentors—participants can shape, refine, and polish their venture ideas with an opportunity to win $10,000 in seed funding. S4 is part of our SUNY for All program, and represents our renewed focus on prioritizing and promoting unique programs that cater to learners and full-time professionals from all walks of life. We're willing to meet people no matter where they are on their journey and help them realize their dreams."

SUNY Provost-in-Charge F. Shadi Shahedipour-Sandvik said, "Now in its third year, SUNY's Startup Summer School program provides participants with the necessary experience, mentorship, and motivation to take their innovations from an idea to a reality. This year's class will greatly benefit from one-on-one time with experts who know firsthand how to help research teams and startups receive needed funding and thrive in their respective markets. We welcome the 2021 participants and look forward to hearing all about their finished products come pitch time."

Jeff M. Cheek, President of the SUNY Research Foundation, said, "Welcome SUNY Startup Summer School Class of 2021! With gratitude to each of our speakers, instructors, and mentors, we are excited to kick off our third comprehensive summer training program that taps into SUNY's entrepreneurial spirit across the board and supports SUNY students and faculty wherever they may be in their journey to start a new venture, or move their research from the lab to the marketplace."

S4 offers virtual accelerated entrepreneurial education and training for participants to help them secure the initial funding needed to bring their technology to market. Depending on their experience, S4 participants will receive the following support:

• Access to instructional webinars that provide the foundation of knowledge and learning aspiring entrepreneurs and established startups need to be successful.
• Proposal development support from experts with successful track records in helping research teams and startups secure grants and other non-dilutive funding.
• Customized follow-on training, mentoring, and networking opportunities that are provided in a just-in-time format based on each participant's needs and traction.

For a listing of the full curriculum, click here.