Innovation
The Farley Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation has launched a new course, Innovate for Climate, which encourages students to engage in climate-conscious problem-solving and business ventures.
Manufacturing and design engineering majors Gass Iyacu ’24 and Emma Jackson ’24 teamed up with classmates Pratham Bansal ’24, Alicia Cabrera ’24 and Kevin Kaspar ’24 to invent an expandable bike helmet that accommodates thick, curly and voluminous hair while prioritizing safety and ventilation.
Ruchi Gupta is co-founder of Yobee, a startup that makes an all-natural, topical scalp treatment clinically proven to revitalize the skin’s microbiome and reduce flakiness, itching and redness. In spring 2023 Gupta was one of three women chosen to be part of the inaugural class of FoundHer Fellows, a program supporting women faculty at Northwestern who are first-time founders of entrepreneurial ventures.
Suyash Mohan is co-founder of Breer, a Hong Kong–based startup that upcycles unsold bread from local bakeries into craft beer.
Blair Matthews ’22 JD and Giuliana Zaccardelli ’22 MD, MBA are co-founders of Zuri Fertility, an app that serves as a personalized digital fertility clinic, with educational resources, a menstrual and ovulation tracker, access to at-home fertility testing and referrals for specialized treatment options at nearby brick-and-mortar fertility clinics.
A common pet peeve for parents became the subject of four alums’ manufacturing and design engineering capstone project. Joanne Park ’23, Callista Sukohardjo ’23, Ben Miller ’23 and Sarah John ’23 surveyed friends and family about everyday annoyances, gathering ideas for an invention.
Parkinson’s disease often causes hand tremors and muscle rigidity, making it difficult to write by hand. After her grandpa was diagnosed with the disease and could no longer write, journalism major Izzy Mokotoff teamed up with biomedical engineering major Alexis Chan to develop SteadyScrib, a special pen and clipboard system that helps counteract Parkinson’s symptoms.
After taking Engineering Entrepreneurship, Ryan Teo launched Minimal Snacks with the goal of revolutionizing snack foods. Teo and his team created an air-dried snack made from beef, shiitake mushrooms, red wine vinegar and salt.
Engineering student Charlotte Oxnam started Cue the Curves as a fashion blog to improve the shopping experience and create a supportive environment for plus-size people. Her mission resonated with many — and got a boost in March 2022, when Oxnam appeared in an international ad campaign for Microsoft Windows 11.
Julius Lucks, a professor of chemical and biological engineering, and postdoctoral fellow Khalid Alam and doctoral candidate Kirsten Jung created a device to test water for 17 different contaminants. The technology, nicknamed ROSALIND in honor of DNA pioneer Rosalind Franklin, can assess water safety and quality with just a single drop.
