Penn Center for Innovation

Exciting news. PCI, in partnership with Penn Engineering, is pleased to co-host an upcoming commercialization speaker series session for all faculty, researchers and students. R. Nick Bryan, MD, PhD, FACR, Emeritus Professor of Radiology at Penn Medicine will present on "Software as a Medical Device." Dr. Nick Bryan is the founder of Galileo CDS, a startup based on technology that he created with Dr. Edward Herskovitz. The company has developed medical device software to provide clinical decision support to the radiologist. Dr. Bryan will discuss Galileo’s journey to date as a startup, including its experience with FDA processes. This session will take place on Thursday, April 3 from 12 to 1pm in Raisler Lounge, Towne 225. Lunch will be served. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gR55AiMG

Shu Yang, PhD, the Joseph Bordogna Professor at Penn Engineering, was featured in National Geographic as one of the National Geographic 33, a collection of visionaries, creators, icons, and adventurers from across the globe who are united in the belief that our world needs imaginative solutions and urgent action.? ? In her interview with National Geographic, Yang shares how she draws inspiration from nature to develop sustainable solutions, including elephant-inspired stucco for cooling buildings and snail-secretion-based adhesives.?? ? Yang values openness in research, working with experts across fields, like biologists, textile engineers, and architects, to apply geometric principles to materials science and real-world applications. Read the full interview here:? ? https://lnkd.in/egY7Aagi? ? See Yang’s related technology available for investments and partnership opportunities here: https://lnkd.in/eSZWVh7i? https://lnkd.in/euyuRiiC?

This will be a really exciting showcase with involvement across multiple universities' tech transfer offices. Register now!

In November 2024, PCI facilitated an evaluation agreement to provide Penn Vet access to a proprietary Augmented Reality (AR) surgical tool owned by medical imaging company Novarad. In February 2025, this AR tool was used to help a terrier mix named Geddy, who became the first dog to undergo successful brain surgery using augmented reality and infrared real-time guided resection. Geddy’s successful surgery and recovery show what’s possible when human and veterinary medicine unite to help provide healing for pets and people alike. Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eNRKDDDt

Last year, Jochi Labs, founded by Penn Engineering graduates Yash Dhir and Rahul Nambiar, won the 2024 President’s Innovation Prize?for its AI-driven technology that helps schools analyze existing data for better decision-making. Since then, the company has advanced significantly. Last summer, the team built Jochi 360, an integrated tool that tracks student progress and identifies at-risk students using AI. Jochi is now working on creating custom-built solutions for academic institutions, with a goal of ensuring?every school decision is informed by deep, actionable insights and resources are provided to help students get the best results. Read more here:?? ? https://lnkd.in/eedadHDd

This event has been rescheduled to Wednesday, March 26 from 12-1pm. We look forward to seeing you there next week. Register here: https://lnkd.in/gyetSGHN

Technical.ly’s annual RealLIST Startups identifies the top young companies in the Philadelphia region who are on track to continue their momentum. GEMMA Biotherapeutics, founded by James Wilson, MD, PhD, the Rose H. Weiss Orphan Disease Center Director’s Professor at Penn Medicine, ranked number one on the list. GEMMA, which is developing gene therapies for rare diseases, raised a $34 million seed round in 2024, along with securing a $100 million partnership with Brazilian public health institute Fiocruz. Sahay AI, founded by Tejas Agarwal, who received a master’s degree in Electrical and Systems Engineering at Penn in 2023, ranked sixth on the list. The startup, which developed a system that inspects railroad infrastructure, won the 2024 Pennovation Accelerator and O3's 1682 conference pitch competition. Read the full list here: https://lnkd.in/eBKxz29q?

Penn has released its FY24 Economic Impact Report, which shows that the university helps drive $37 billion through the region’s economy annually. In addition to helping support job creation, tax revenue, local procurement and community development, Penn also stimulates the economy by serving as a powerhouse in research and innovation. Read the full Penn Today article about the report here: https://lnkd.in/eiYip3iw

Sonura, a startup founded by recent graduates from the University of Pennsylvania School of Engineering and Applied Science, is developing the Sonura Beanie to protect infants in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) from harmful noise while promoting cognitive development. Sonura participated in the Penn I-Corps program and has been selected as a finalist in the UCSF-Stanford PDC Pitch Competition, competing for a grant of up to $75,000. The pitch will be streamed live on Zoom on March 17th—register to watch here. Additionally, Sonura has been granted its second utility patent, set to be issued this summer. Register for the pitch here: https://lnkd.in/gv2jmuNE

Congratulations, Inyoung!