Rice University Engineering and Science Graduate Students All Take Away Prizes at 2011 Rice Alliance Nanotechnology Forum

Printer-friendly versionPDF version

Graduate students present four-minute pitches on cutting-edge Nanotechnology research.

HOUSTON – February 21, 2011- The Rice Alliance awarded prizes to all eight engineering and science graduate students and post-doctoral fellows who presented a four-minute pitch on their research findings and commercial applications for promising nanotechnology research at Rice University.  Originally, five, $500 prizes were to be awarded, but forum sponsors found all of the presenters to be exceptional and offered the additional prizes. The exercise simulates meeting an investor on an elevator and having only 90 seconds to convince them to invest in your company. Students will use their winnings to further their research

All 300+ attendees including investors, venture capitalists, industry representatives, business leaders, advisors/mentors, service providers, and entrepreneurs voted on the best pitches and after seeing all presentations felt they were all winners.

The original five prizes were sponsored by Smalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology at Rice University. After the presentations, Robert Shaddox, attorney with Winstead, Emil Pena with the National Corrosion Center based at Rice University, and Walter Ulrich, CEO of the Houston Technology Center added prizes to include all the technologies.

Rice Alliance Managing Director Brad Burke, announced the winners of the student competition event. “This is the first year we have included the student presentations and they were the hit of the show. Perhaps the greatest reward they gained was the instruction and guidance to communicate their technologies in a business manner concentrating not only on the science, but the commercial applications and why investors would be interested in their technology.”

The one day event also included business plan presentations from nine early-stage nanotechnology company presenters. Several of these companies were new to the public forum, offering applications in life sciences, coatings, clean technology, water treatment, and advanced materials.

Rice Engineering and Science Graduate Student Nano Innovation Presentations:

Erik Haroz, Electrical and Computer Engineering
Developing process to solve one of the biggest problems in producing the next generation in power transmission.

Alvin Orbaek, Chemistry
Growing the ideal Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes (SWCNTs) needed for rewiring the nation's electrical grid, through a process called amplification..

Jun Yao, Applied Physics/Bioengineering
3-D memory: has discovered how to use Silicon in a new design that lets us push way beyond today's boundaries in size and miniaturization. 

Sanketh Gowda, Chemical Engineering
Developing a high energy, ultrathin nanostructured hybrid electrochemical devices could be charged very fast (~5 minutes) and could find applications in portable electronics, display systems, sensors and smart cards.

Dan Ward, Physics
Nanogap Molecular Sensors: Developing ultra-specific, single-molecule sensors for applications like weapons detection, nanoscale medical diagnostics and industrial safety.

Yu Zhu, Chemistry
Developing technology to produce tough, light and cheap touch-screens. The product, grapheme, is a continuous, single-layer, flat carbon molecule - laid on top of a nanoscale metal grid.

Lesley O’Leary, Chemistry
Designing synthetic, self-assembly collagen system for the human body that can be used for replacing damaged or destroyed collagen within the body.

Erica Bakota, Chemistry
Using self-assembling protein molecules to form nanofiber networks that we can use as hydrogels for better drug delivery (e.g. improved diabetes treatment),

Early-Stage Nanotechnology Company Presenters:

EternoGenis a medical device start-up company with a focus on designing and manufacturing collagen-based products for a variety of minimally invasive surgical applications.

NanoIMGis developing an authentication sensor (nanotaggant) designed to ensure the integrity of documents, packaging, industrial parts, electronic components, collectibles and other tangible goods in a wide variety of applications.

NanoInnovationsis developing a nanoparticle film that can be used as a surface coating to improve the performance and characteristics of a wide variety of polymer materials.

Continental Carbon Nanotechnologies, Inc.

CCNI is developing proprietary optoelectronics-grade (OE) CNTs for transparent conductive film applications, with other premium quality fullerene-type CNTs directed to high-value applications world-wide.

General Methanol

General Methanol is the exclusive nationwide licensee of the nanotechnology-based approach for direct conversion of methane into methanol currently under development. 

Metal Oxide Technologies

MetOx has licensed and developed a proprietary manufacturing technology to produce high temperature superconducting (HTS) wire at commercial price levels.

MIK Technology

MIK is an emerging company developing world-class technologies to harness the potential of water for the advancement of human welfare.

Natcore Technologyis developing thin-film growth technology with compelling applications in the solar sector.

Xidex Corporation

Xidex manufactures and sells the NanoBot®, an easy-to-use, highly versatile, user programmable nanomanipulator for use inside scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) and focused ion beam (FIB) tools.

The Forum was co-hosted by theSmalley Institute for Nanoscale Science and Technology at Rice University. It was supported byWinstead AttorneysandPKF Texaswith Funding Provided by:Rice Center for Biological & Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) and National Science Foundation (NSF)Supporting Organizations includeGreater Houston PartnershipandHouston Technology Centerand media sponsorsHouston Business Journaland theBusinessMakers Radio Show.

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship

The Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship (Rice Alliance) is Rice University’s nationally-recognized initiative devoted to the support of technology commercialization, entrepreneurship education, and the launch of technology companies.  It was formed as a strategic alliance of three schools: the George R. Brown School of Engineering, the Wiess School of Natural Sciences and the Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business in collaboration with the Vice Provost and the Office of Research.
 
Since inception, the Rice Alliance has assisted in the launch of more than 250 start-ups which have raised more than half a billion dollars in early-stage capital. More than 750 companies have presented at the 125 Rice Alliance programs.

The Rice Alliance hosts the world’s richest and largest business plan competition, The Rice Business Plan Competition, where 42 graduate –level teams from around the world compete for over $1 million. More than 100 past teams are in business today having raised in excess of $299 million in funding.

Recent recognition:
  - 2011 National Model MBA Entrepreneurship Program - USASBE
  - 2010 No. 6 U.S. Graduate Entrepreneurship Program – Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine
  - 2009 Outstanding Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership & Excellence in Specialty Entrepreneurship Education - GCEC
  - 2009 Outstanding Specialty Entrepreneurship Program – USASBE
  - 2009 Marketer of the Year – American Marketing Association
  - 2008 Houston’s Greatest Economic Development Ally – Greater Houston Partnership
  - 2007 Outstanding Enterprise Creation Award – GCEC

For more information about the Rice Alliance, visitwww.alliance.rice.edu.

News Source : Rice University Engineering and Science Graduate Students All Take Away Prizes at 2011 Rice Alliance Nanotechnology Forum