Stories of Technology, Innovation, & Entrepreneurship in the Southeast

From the University of Mississippi:

Julien Bourgeois, an entrepreneur and University of Mississippi junior, is preparing to compete for a share of $250,000 in the prestigious Rice Business Plan Competition, hosted by the Rice Alliance for Technology and Entrepreneurship.

Bourgeois, a computer science major from Metairie, LA, and his business partner, Andrew Bradford, a marketing major at the University of New Orleans, launched Automatic AI LLC in March 2023. The company blends Apple Watch technology and artificial intelligence to create sports training apps.

The Rice Business Plan Competition is the world’s largest student startup contest, and this is the first time an Ole Miss team has been chosen to participate. Automatic AI will compete in the Digital Enterprise track, where the partners will pitch their venture for a chance at more than $250,000 in funding.

Automatic AI LLC is one of 42 companies competing in the event that runs April 10 and 11 in Houston.

From Auburn University:

 

Backed by a recent $11.4 million U.S. Department of Defense contract through the Missile Defense Agency (MDA), Auburn University’s (AU) Applied Research Institute in Huntsville’s Cummings Research Park is establishing a cutting-edge radiation hardening facility. According to a report in Yelloehammer News, it will be the only university-led facility of its kind in the nation and will help ensure the reliability of military technology in the harsh radiation environments encountered in space.

“The capacity to test the microelectronics necessary for sustaining and improving MDA’s space assets is crucial to the future of national defense,” said Steve Taylor, AU’s Senior Vice President for Research and Economic Development. “This new facility will provide testing that will allow us to evaluate the possible effects of extreme radiation exposure.”

The significant shortage of radiation hardening infrastructure articulated in recent reports by government agencies like NASA, the National Academies of Sciences and the Office of the Secretary of Defense is something that AUARI stands ready to tackle.

From Emory University:

Emory University MBA candidate Erica Evans recently earned top honors at Start-up Runway Foundation Inc.’s 30th Showcase, taking home the prestigious EmpowerHER Award and a $10,000 prize for her work with Blood Rheology Solutions, a groundbreaking start-up transforming the treatment landscape for patients with red blood cell disorders. 

Blood Rheology Solutions was founded by an Emory team of faculty and students that included Vivien Sheehan, Wilbur Lam, Evelyn Kendall Williams, and Evans. They aimed to address a critical gap in sickle cell disease (SCD) drug development: the reliance on subjective clinical endpoints instead of quantitative, functional biomarkers. SCD is a complex disorder where multiple red blood cell abnormalities contribute to disease severity.  

The Blood Rheology Solutions team has developed advanced technologies to measure functional improvements in red blood cells, offering a clearer, data-driven understanding of how new therapies impact patients. By integrating these technologies into clinical trials, they empower pharmaceutical companies to: 

1. Identify the right patients for treatment; 
2. Track treatment effects in real time; and 
3. Refine clinical trial endpoints.

This innovative approach not only accelerates drug approvals but also ensures that life-changing therapies reach patients faster. 

From North Carolina State University:

A new $1.5 million investment from Milliken & Company will further elevate groundbreaking research at NC State’s Textile Protection and Comfort Center (TPACC)  through a five-year, fixed-term naming.

The newly named Milliken & Company Charitable Foundation Textile Protection and Comfort Center, housed within the Wilson College of Textiles, is poised to reach new heights. The center will continue to build on its global reputation for advancing innovation and enhancing comfort in high-performance protective apparel. This important work safeguards first responders, military personnel, and other frontline workers who depend on protective fabrics to keep them safe, secure, and able to perform in the line of duty.

“This generous investment from Milliken & Company is a powerful affirmation of our shared mission to lead in textile innovation,” says David Hinks, Dean of the Wilson College of Textiles. “It will expand research in protection and performance, open doors for student discovery and fuel the next generation of breakthroughs at the Milliken Textile Protection and Comfort Center.”

With 30 years of specialized expertise, TPACC remains the only academic center in the United States that researches, tests and evaluates the comfort and protective performance of textile materials, garments and ensemble systems in one location.

From Brown University:

The Rhode Island Life Science Hub and Brown University have selected Portal Innovations as the manager of their state-of-the-art life science incubator, Ocean State Labs. The facility is currently being developed by L&G – Asset Management, America and is expected to be complete by the end of this calendar year.

“Ocean State Labs will serve a critical need in Rhode Island and beyond, providing more than 30,000 square feet of physical space for entrepreneurial businesses to be brought to scale to improve health outcomes,” said Dr. Mark A. Turco, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Rhode Island Life Science Hub. “In Portal Innovations, the region has a partner with a proven track record of supporting the breakthroughs of early stage life science ventures. Portal has experience operating labs across the country, bringing with them support to scale up companies, including their ability to leverage venture capital funding, being expert partners, and providing dynamic programming.”

Portal is a premier venture development engine that has a presence in Chicago, Houston, Atlanta, and Boston.

 

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