HIGHWAY Ventures

Innovation doesn't happen in isolation. At Highway Ventures, we understand the impact research spinouts can have. These spinouts don't just disrupt industries; they drive growth, create high-skilled jobs, and strengthen national competitiveness. Read more in our blog: https://lnkd.in/gg_CSJCp #Innovation #TechTransfer #ResearchSpinouts

Part five in our series - Federally Funded Technologies That Changed the World! ???????? ??? Siri originated from a DARPA project in the 2000s, which granted $22 million to SRI International to develop a cognitive assistant that learns and organizes. This led to a spinoff, which eventually became the Siri startup, later acquired by Apple and debuted in 2011. Siri has transformed the way people interact with technology, popularizing voice digital assistants. Today, Siri is more than just a voice assistant; it’s a key player in mobile tech, home automation, and beyond. ?????

Part four in our series - Federally Funded Technologies That Changed the World! ???????????? ?? While Google wasn’t directly funded by federal dollars, its roots are very intertwined. In the 1990s, the National Science Foundation (NSF) funded the Digital Library Initiative to index websites on the early Internet. Through this initiative, Sergey Brin and Larry Page received an NSF student fellowship to develop an algorithm that ranks web pages. By 1998, Sergey and Larry created Google, using related technology. Google has revolutionized the way people access and process information. It’s has become more than just a search engine; it’s a tech giant that’s reshaped advertising, media, and our daily lives. ??

Part three in our series - Federally Funded Technologies That Changed the World! ?????? ?????? ???????? ?? Did you know that more soldiers died of the flu than in battle during World War I? That’s why creating a flu vaccine became a top priority during World War II. Thanks to the efforts of the NIH, the first flu shot was successfully developed in the 1940s. The flu shot transformed public health, decreasing hospitalizations, and is estimated to have saved at least 154 million lives over the past 50 years! Every year, vaccines adapt to fight evolving strains, keeping us safe and extending the lives of many ??

Part two in our series - Federally Funded Technologies That Changed the World! ?????? (???????????? ?????????????????????? ????????????) ?? Imagine navigating the world without GPS. Developed in the 1960s by the U.S. Department of Defense, GPS was initially designed to track submarines carrying missiles in the Cold War. Today, it’s indispensable for car navigation, precision farming, and tracking those crucial food deliveries in real time! GPS works by connecting to a network of satellites to pinpoint the location of a connected device. Modern GPS systems can achieve accuracy within a few meters, making them indispensable for many daily tasks. ????

Welcome to our new series - Federally Funded Technologies That Changed the World! ?????? ???????????????? ?? Ever wondered why the internet was developed? It all started with ARPANET, developed by the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA, now DARPA) in the late 1960s. During the Cold War, the US government used computer science as a means of secure communication that could survive nuclear attacks, which became ARPANET! ARPANET used packet-switching technology to send data across a network of connected computers and later evolved into using TCP/IP protocols, which became foundational for the modern internet. Fast forward to today, and the internet connects us all, revolutionizing communication, commerce, and information sharing. The internet has truly changed everything. ??

Thanks Grant Brewer, Ed. S. and the DroneUp team for your time. Seeing the future of mobility here in Bentonville is so exciting.

?? Meet the Team: Dylan Terry ?? In the last of our Meet The Team series, we’re excited to introduce Dylan Terry. ?? Background: Dylan is Irish and grew up in a seaside town, Bray. He earned his undergraduate degree in Computer Science and Business from Trinity College, Dublin. After graduating, he moved to San Francisco to work with Enterprise Ireland, the venture arm of the Irish Government, where he was first exposed to company building. ?? Professional Journey: With the startup bug fully ignited, Dylan went on to work at various early-stage startups in the areas of AI and Community. In 2022, the founding team of Highway Ventures came together at MITRE Engenuity, where Dylan joined forces with Lane and Joe. ?? Fun Facts: - Dylan loves listening to music and has recently started his record collection. - He holds a scuba diving license, has swum with sharks, and explored WWII shipwrecks in the Philippines.

?? Meet the Team: Lane Patterson ?? In the second of our meet-the-team series, we're thrilled to introduce Lane Patterson! ?? Background: Lane grew up in Denver, Colorado, and studied Business at Kansas State. His early career was marked by sales roles across the US and a stint in Oxford, UK. ?? Professional Journey: Lane founded two companies in the telecom software space, achieving a successful exit and scaling a startup to a market leader in the telephone numbering industry. After his startup journey, Lane transitioned into investing. He worked with Enterprise Ireland, the VC arm of the Irish Government, and then joined MITRE Engenuity, leading federal lab commercialization investments. ?? Fun Facts: - Lane is an avid biker, tackling everything from rock gardens to major gravel races. - He founded an ice rink in Denver and is a certified USA Curling instructor. - Family is Lane’s greatest pride, with grown children in Pennsylvania and New York. Stay tuned for more team spotlights!

?? Meet the Team: Joe Comizio ?? In our first of the Meet the Team series, we’re excited to introduce Joe Comizio! ?? Background: Joe hails from Washington DC and is a proud graduate of Gonzaga High School. He earned his BA from Bowdoin College, and started his career in law, following in his family’s footsteps. ?? Professional Journey: Joe quickly transitioned to the world of startups, holding sales roles at various companies, before venturing into private equity. In 2021, Joe earned his MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Business. Post-MBA, he joined MITRE Engenuity, where he explored federal lab commercialization. ? Fun Facts: - Joe is a baseball fanatic with a growing interest in the Arkansas Naturals. He even captained his college baseball team! - He’s an adventurer, having bungee jumped the highest bungee in New Zealand while studying abroad. - Joe has lived on both coasts of the US and travelled to four continents.