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Using Nanotechnology to Solve Global Sustainability and Health Challenges

The National Nanotechnology Coordinated Infrastructure (NNCI) is pleased to announce the 2022 cohort for the NNCI Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Challenge (NTEC). Designed as a pre-NSF I-Corps experience, NTEC provides experiential entrepreneurship education for student-led teams.

Eight teams from five NNCI sites were selected to participate in the NTEC Accelerator program, which offers a seven-week virtual experience where NTEC teams learn about the importance of customer discovery, business model generation, and how to leverage NNCI resources to develop a nanotechnology-enabled minimum viable product (MVP). Throughout the experience, NTEC students have access to NNCI staff and facilities and receive mentorship from entrepreneurs with experience in nanotechnology start-ups. In May, the teams will share their journey during an NTEC Showcase where external panelists will select the top NNCI NTEC team. The eight teams and their projects are:

Student Lead(s) Mentor(s) Project NNCI Site and Contacts
Faisal Adams Marc Michel Effective Acid Mine Drainage Treatment with Composite Nanotube-Polymer Membranes

NanoEarth

Matthew Hull and Tonya Pruitt

Yi Shiou Duh and Sophia Lugo Mark Brongersma Illuminate.Brain

nano@stanford

Daniella Duran

Aditya Garg Wei Zhou and Peter Vikesland Multiresonant Plasmonic Meshes

NanoEarth

Matthew Hull and Tonya Pruitt

Matthew McGlennen Stephen Warnat Microfabricated Impedance Sensor System for Biofilm Detection

Montana Nanotechnology Facility (MONT)

Andrew Lingley

Lauren Takiguchi (lead), with Bolarin Lawrence and George Gauss Yves Theriault Functionalized DNA Origami-siRNA Nanotube Complex to Reverse Osteoarthritis

San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure (SDNI)

Yves Theriault

Wesley Allen Williams Shyam Aravamudhan MPI Nanoparticles for the Sensing and Remediation of Toxic Incident Anthropogenically-derived Nanoplastics in the Hydrosphere

Southeastern Nanotechnology Infrastructure Corridor (SENIC)

Paul Joseph and Quinn Spadola

Amer Yaghi (lead), with Tom Park, Abdal Abdulhameed, and Elio Li Sheng Xu and Yves Theriault Bio-inspired Self-powered and Flexible Wearable Device for Continuous Detection and Treatment of Parkinson's Disease

San Diego Nanotechnology Infrastructure (SDNI)

Yves Theriault

Ge Zhang Anthony Kovscek Rapid pH Sensor on a Chip

nano@stanford

Daniella Duran

The 2021 US National Nanotechnology Initiative Strategic Plan calls for “innovative mechanisms to realize the transformational societal benefits that flow from faster commercialization of nanotechnologies.” The NNCI is well-positioned and resourced to contribute such mechanisms through its NNCI-wide Innovation Ecosystem, which focuses on training a new generation of “nano-savvy” innovators and entrepreneurs, identifying and meeting the unique needs of industry users, particularly start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and supporting the translation of nano-enabled innovations to society. For further information, please contact Matthew Hull.

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