George Shultz Innovation Fund Announces 4 Finalists Pitching for Potential Investment
StaC12 presents at the George Shultz Innovation Fund finals.
The 2026 George Shultz Innovation Fund finalists are developing novel software, medical devices, and therapeutics.
Managed by the Polsky Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation, the George Shultz Innovation Fund provides up to $250,000 in funding for early-stage tech ventures from the University of Chicago, Argonne National Laboratory, Fermilab, and the Marine Biological Laboratory.
Register for the George Shultz Innovation Fund Finals on May 28th >>
The teams will pitch to the Innovation Fund Advisory Committee, which consists of advisors, entrepreneurs, and industry experts, during the finals event on Thursday, May 28, 2026.
“This year, we received a record number of applications—more than double last year’s total. We are especially excited to see a meaningful uptick in faculty-led science startups. This is exactly the kind of momentum we hope to build as UChicago continues to strengthen its position as a leading hub for science-based entrepreneurship,” said Shyama Majumdar, senior director, Accelerators and Investments, Polsky Center.
The 2026 finalists are:
// Morton Labs is a deep tech software company focused on bridging the gap between scientific discovery and industrial deployment. It modernizes legacy research codes, connects them into validated multi-physics workflows, and provides the platform and commercialization infrastructure needed to make advanced simulation software usable at industry scale. By handling software maintenance, optimization, licensing, and distribution, Morton Labs helps researchers and companies move faster from experiment to real-world application.
// Parasol is developing a next-generation transcatheter therapy to prevent cardioembolic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation by permanently sealing the left atrial appendage (LAA), the source of over 90% of AF-related strokes. Although anticoagulant medications reduce stroke risk, many patients cannot tolerate lifelong therapy due to bleeding risk, and current mechanical LAA occlusion devices remain technically complex and rely on permanent implants that can lead to device-related complications. Parasol’s technology introduces a novel catheter-based approach that temporarily isolates the LAA and delivers a biocompatible gel to achieve durable closure without leaving a large structural implant. This design aims to simplify the procedure, reduce complications, and broaden the population of patients who can benefit from stroke prevention therapies. By combining advances in biomaterials and catheter-based delivery, Parasol has the potential to transform LAA closure into a safer, more scalable intervention for millions of patients worldwide who are at risk for cardioembolic stroke.
// PraanaTech is a medical technology company decentralizing molecular imaging through its proprietary FlexPET platform. By replacing the million-dollar, lead-lined hospital “bunkers” with an infrastructure-light, portable PET scanner, it enables neurology and oncology clinics to perform high-resolution diagnostics in standard 10’x12’ exam rooms. The technology addresses the critical diagnostic bottleneck created by the new wave of Alzheimer’s disease-modifying therapies, ensuring that life-changing molecular confirmation is accessible at the point of care. By combining its proprietary detector modules with neuro optimized gantry, PraanaTech is democratizing the “last mile” of precision medicine.
// Signl is a biotechnology company that customizes immune responses to provide specific control over the immune system in new ways. Cofounders Professor Aaron Esser-Kahn and Jeremiah Kim are scientists from the University of Chicago who discovered a landscape of immunomodulatory small molecule compounds. The company’s first product aims to reduce the side effects associated with mRNA vaccines. Using small molecules that we have discovered, it can decouple the inflammatory response of a vaccine with its overall efficacy, leading to vaccines that are more protective and more durable while reducing inflammatory side effects.
To date, the Innovation Fund has invested in more than 90 companies. Notable companies launched with the fund’s support include ExplORer Surgical, acquired by Global Healthcare Exchange; Super.Tech, acquired by ColdQuanta; OrisDx, which won the 2022 New Venture Challenge and recently closed a $4 million seed round; Flow Medical, which recently secured $5 million in seed funding; and Alnair Therapeutics, which closed an oversubscribed $1+ million pre-seed funding round.
The core mission of the Innovation Fund is to help scientific founders turn their innovations into ventures that advance cutting-edge technologies, generate significant financial returns, and create lasting impact for humankind.