![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Tech419-PITCH-MAIN.jpg\")
Dr. Sridhar Viamajala, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering and founder and CEO of Avani Enterprizes, who was the 2024 Tech419 grand prize winner, is on the judging panel for this year’s event on Thursday.<\/p><\/div>\n
The free, public event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex on Main Campus and will highlight cutting-edge technologies and research-driven ventures competing for more than $20,000 in funding and prizes.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt its core, Tech419 is about creating opportunities for founders, businesses and the region,\u201d said Pamela Moore, director of Incubation and Business Operations. \u201cEach finalist brings a unique vision that highlights how technology can solve real-world challenges and strengthen northwest Ohio\u2019s growing startup community.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year\u2019s competition features five high-impact ventures \u2014 including two with direct connections to UToledo \u2014 spanning from agriculture and medicine to AI and imaging science:<\/p>\n
\u2022\u00a0 Astromode \u2014 Dr. Youssef Sari, <\/strong>a professor in the College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences. Sari is developing next-generation small-molecule therapies to combat alcohol and opioid addiction and prevent overdose, and his NIH-funded research in neuropharmacology has led to novel compounds that restore balance to brain chemistry and offer new hope in the fight against addiction.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0 Badger AI \u2014 Benjamin Saddoris. <\/strong>Building AI-powered tools that help law enforcement transform rough report drafts into clear, accurate and professional narratives, Saddoris, with his experience in policing and the military, is streamlining report writing while improving consistency, saving time and supporting public safety.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0 BG Biologics \u2014 Dr. Paul Morris, <\/strong>a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Bowling Green State University. Tackling one of agriculture\u2019s most costly challenges with PythiumX, a natural microbe that eliminates root rot in hydroponic systems, Morris, with more than 30 years of expertise in plant biochemistry and pathogen biology, is pioneering sustainable solutions that strengthen global food security.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0 PlayTime Movement \u2014 Dr. Caroline Humberston. <\/strong>Combining movement science and AI, Humberston\u2019s platform assesses and improves movement quality to prevent injuries and build lifelong orthopedic health. With over 25 years of clinical experience, she\u2019s helping people of all ages move smarter, stronger and with confidence.<\/p>\n \u2022\u00a0 VisioCell \u2014 Dr. Aniruddha Ray,<\/strong>\u00a0an associate professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at UToledo. Redefining microscopy with a handheld device smaller than a cell phone that delivers lab-grade imaging anywhere, Ray\u2019s portable system combines brightfield and fluorescence capabilities with cloud-based software, making advanced imaging accessible to researchers, educators and professionals worldwide.<\/p>\n The judging panel consists of Dr. Barbara Ritter, dean of the John B. and Lillian E. Neff College of Business and Innovation; Christine Michaels, president and CEO of ConnecToledo; Evan Marsh, managing partner of WynHouse; Dr. Sridhar Viamajala, a professor in the Department of Bioengineering, the 2024 Tech419 grand prize winner and founder of Plastinuva; and Tom Bush, CEO of Actual Reality Technologies.<\/p>\n All competitors are invited to join UToledo\u2019s Business Incubator program, which nurtures innovation in northwest Ohio by providing access to personalized mentorship, affordable office and lab space, and access to funding opportunities.<\/p>\n Seating is limited, online registration<\/a> is requested.<\/p>\n For more information about Tech419 and the UToledo Business Incubator, visit the Tech419 Competition website<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" The free, public event begins at 5:30 p.m. in the Nitschke Technology Commercialization Complex on Main Campus.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":878,"featured_media":89454,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[50,32,34,39,1,42,7],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95801"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/878"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=95801"}],"version-history":[{"count":4,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95801\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":95804,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/95801\/revisions\/95804"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/89454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=95801"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=95801"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=95801"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/news.utoledo.edu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/11\/Tech419-PITCH-MAIN-150x150.jpg\")
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