Newest Members of the Polsky Incubator Selected
The Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation is pleased to announce the teams moving into the Polsky Incubator, which is located at the Polsky Center’s 34,000 square foot coworking space, the Polsky Exchange. The incubator provides dedicated space within the Polsky Exchange, mentorship, and support to early-stage startups, helping them achieve critical milestone and grow into sustainable businesses.
Companies accepted into the Polsky Incubator get to work with and learn from other committed, full-time entrepreneurs, and received various benefits including training, legal support, office space, and more. Since 2014, Polsky Incubator companies have raised more than $37 million in external capital. Today, two-thirds of companies remain in operation.
Companies moving into the incubator are:
Better makes a mobile app that helps people live richer, more fulfilling lives. The app translate s powerful insights from behavioral science into meaningful activities users can do , then deliver s them at just the right time. Team members: Bec Weeks, Sendhil Mullainathan, Michael Norton
BTRFY makes delicious and nutritious plant based foods that are high in protein and fiber, using simple natural ingredients and sustainable production methods. BTRFY has participated in the Polsky Center’s I-Corps and Accelerator programs and was part of the first cohort of Argonne’s Chain Reaction Innovations incubator. Team members: Tyler Huggins and Kati Karottki
Early is an investment management platform that allows institutions to seed and invest in first-time fund managers of private equity, search, real estate, hedge and opportunity funds who are graduates from the Top 15 MBA programs in the United States. Team member: Thomas Kerney
Fuse is mobile app where you can create a group chat with your friends, and pair it with a “channel” that will bring you news articles, live videos, and tweets on a topic you choose like fantasy football, travel or internships. Fuse participated in the College New Venture Challenge and the Polsky Accelerator. Team members: Nick Aldridge, Isaac Troncoso, and Henry Clarke
KitcheNet brings fresh food and people closer by delivering snackable fresh produce to offices and affordable food to urban food deserts. They rally corporate customers to join the movement in food deserts through our “buy 1 for 1” delivery model, where a portion of the delivery cost is used to make delivery affordable on the south side of Chicago. Team member: Trista Li
Liv Labs is developing an innovative pelvic floor fitness kit for new mothers, athletes, and older women with exercise incontinence. Team member: Melody Roberts
Mouse Books takes great literature and makes it mobile. Books are carefully crafted and scaled down to the size of a cell phone, so you can carry them with you everywhere. Team member: David Dewane
The Torana Group develops and manages customized impact investments for investors seeking tectonic change in their living world. The company works with high net worth investors and foundations to define strategies, conduct diligence, structure, and manage investments into unconventional business opportunities. Team member: Malini Ram Moraghan
Veda Grace Dermatology uses scientific testing and artificial intelligence to achieve unprecedented outcomes through precision medicine. Team member: Vinay Rawlani
These teams will be joining six additional companies who will continue on with the incubator bringing the total count to 15. These companies are:
ClostraBio is a world-leading scientific team making key discoveries that highlight the importance of the intestinal microbiota in regulating allergic sensitization to food. The company is committed to a deeper understanding of the role of intestinal microbes in gut barrier function and determining the mechanisms of barrier protection. Team member: John Colson
Conduit Labs is building a platform of developer tools for people building connected devices. Their focus is on letting developers rapidly create, extend, and share software required for firmware development. Their first product, Baud, a simple serial monitor, is currently in beta testing. Team members: Nikita Parkih and Phil Lange
Microsensor Labs develops smart devices and systems to address critical challenges faced by medical professionals and lab researchers. They provide the unique system solutions by combining proprietary sensor technology with low-cost semiconductor manufacturing process and well established communication networks. Team members: Paul Liu
Mighty is a technology platform to drive inclusive banking practices within emerging US marketplaces by increasing accessibility to impact data within the banking sector, increasing market awareness of the emerging impact banking system, and transforming how the public engages with impact-focused banks to enhance communities and beneficial business practices. Team member: Megan Hryndza
Seurat Therapeutics is developing insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) as a novel therapeutic for migraines. IGF-1 works by reducing the hyperexcitability and oxidative stress that cause migraines, and has been highly effective in initial preclinical trials in e stablished rodent models. Seurat’s objective is to develop IGF-1 into a nasal spray to treat migraine patients. Seurat is currently working on conducting proof-of-concept clinical trials to see if IGF-1 can prevent migraines in high frequency/chronic patients. Team member: Yuan Zhang
Vest is creating the most accessible 401k plan. Team member: Anuraag Tripathi