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Visitors learn about En2uity, an IGNITE Tallahassee member company, during the open house. (Bill Wellock\/Florida State University)\t\t Key PointsThe IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo highlighted research commercialization during Florida State’s 4th annual Discovery Days.IGNITE Tallahassee serves as FSU’s business incubator, offering specialized labs and mentorship to launch new high-tech companies.<\/p>\n
Florida State University showcased regional innovation and student entrepreneurship Wednesday during the IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo, part of the fourth annual FSU Discovery Days celebration.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
The event brought university leaders, community partners, regional investors and student innovators together at IGNITE Tallahassee to highlight how the business incubator helps turn university research into commercial products and supports emerging technology companies across Florida\u2019s Capital Region\u00a0<\/p>\n
IGNITE Tallahassee provides laboratory space, resources and mentorship to help entrepreneurs develop and launch new businesses. The incubator currently supports 22 member companies working in life sciences, engineering and AI. Its programs help researchers and entrepreneurs bring new technologies to market while creating opportunities for students and businesses throughout the region.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUnless you come and witness it firsthand, talk to the scientists or see a prototype, you don\u2019t really realize the impact these innovations can have on everyday lives,\u201d said Alissa Costabile, IGNITE Tallahassee program director. \u201cSome of these folks are really motivated by the idea of getting their product to market faster to help people and better humanity.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
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Claudiu Bucur, founder and CEO of Piersica, speaks during the Startup Spotlight at IGNITE Tallahassee. (Bill Wellock\/Florida State University)Ciara Butler, founder of Prism and Sable, speaks during the Startup Spotlight at IGNITE Tallahassee. (Bill Wellock\/Florida State University)<\/p>\n Companies based at IGNITE showcased technologies ranging from advanced energy solutions to artificial intelligence and digital health applications. During the Startup Spotlight at IGNITE! session, founders explained how access to specialized laboratory space and mentorship has helped them move their ideas closer to market.\u00a0<\/p>\n Among the featured founders was Ciara Butler, founder of Prism and Sable. Butler is developing SafePath, an application built to help emergency management personnel and residents respond to disasters such as hurricanes and floods.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI look at IGNITE like the Oracle in The Matrix \u2014 they\u2019re a direct landline of knowledge and information,\u201d Butler said. \u201cThey are so giving with their support and mentorship, sitting down with you to help guide you toward whatever goal you\u2019re trying to achieve.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Undergraduate students also showcased their work during the iCREATE segment, led by Robert Wandell, director of engineering innovation at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. Student entrepreneurs delivered three-minute pitches and participated in a panel discussion about their experiences developing new technologies. Among the featured student innovators was Riyad Rzayev, a second-year computer engineering student developing Brailability, a device that uses vibration motors and speakers to teach Braille. Rzayev received the TiE Tampa Bay ARTISAN Student Pitch Award, presented by TiE Tampa Bay President Sara Hand, after competition that evaluated customer validation and strategies for bringing products to market.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cIt was very inspiring seeing all these people talk about their projects,\u201d Rzayev said. \u201cAs an undergraduate in college, seeing people out in the real world solving problems and working with companies really inspires me for what\u2019s coming in the future.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n \u00a0<\/p>\n Sara Hand, president of TiE Tampa Bay, presented Riyad Rzayev with the TiE ARTISAN Student Pitch Award, recognizing his pitch for his technology Braille Tutor. (Bill Wellock\/Florida State University)Robert Wandell, director of engineering innovation at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering, moderates a panel discussion with student inventors during the IGNITE Tallahassee open house. (Bill Wellock\/Florida State University)Student inventors participate in a panel discussion during the iCREATE segment. From left: Andrea Ruiz Vasquez, William Gragg, Mia Padron, Isabela Steed and Riyad Rzayev. (Bill Wellock\/Florida State University)Zach Brodsky, senior associate at Florida Funders, speaks with attendees after the “Capital of Florida” panel during the IGNITE Tallahassee open house. (Bill Wellock\/Florida State University)<\/p>\n Isabela Steed, a junior biomedical engineering student, shared how caring for her father inspired her to develop a LiDAR-based sensor to assess chronic wounds beneath the skin.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think that as an engineer, I could actually be an entrepreneur as well, so it\u2019s really nice to have that combination of skills going forward,\u201d Steed said. \u201cIt feels like a step forward, not just for me, but for all caregivers out there who have a patient that they can\u2019t appropriately attend to because they don\u2019t have that medical background.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n The event also explored how entrepreneurs can secure funding to grow their businesses. During the \u201cCapital of Florida\u201d panel, venture capital and angel investment experts discussed strategies for attracting investors, expanding operations and keeping high-tech talent in Florida.\u00a0<\/p>\n The afternoon Innovation Experience and Innovation Expo featured technology demonstrations, working prototypes and opportunities for visitors to speak directly with entrepreneurs developing\u00a0their businesses in Tallahassee.\u00a0<\/p>\n