2014 Tech Venture Challenge kicks off with five strong technology pitches

Tuesday, Feb. 4, roughly 50 Vanderbilt University graduate and professional students - from the engineering, medical, law and business schools - convened at the Owen Graduate School of Management to hear pitches for five new Vanderbilt inventions that will be the focus of the 2014 TechVenture Challenge. At the kickoff event, students listened to descriptions of the five Vanderbilt technologies:

Taculator (VIDEO) –  An electronic tool that can be used by Healthcare providers, managers, and leadership to ensure a providers visit template is large enough to accomplish profitability expectations. Inventors: Paul Schmitz and Jeff Rosedale

GrafDefense – A technology, termed nano-polyplexes for the pre-treatment of saphenous vein grafts ex vivo to improve graft patency. Inventors: Craig L Duvall, Brian C Evans, Colleen M. Brophy, Kyle M. Hocking, and Christopher E Nelson

Oto-Pilot (pictured above)– A medical image analysis process that uses cochlear implant recipients’ clinical CT (Computed Tomography) images to determine implant settings that lead to significantly better hearing outcomes. Inventors: Jack H. Noble, René H. Gifford, Robert F. Labadie, and Benoit M. Dawant

Dexterous Endoscopic Graspers – A DaVinci Surgical robot without the robot, called Dexterous Endoscopic Graspers, which contains hand held surgical tools with dexterous wrists. Inventors: Ray Lathrop, Robert Webster, James Netterville, Stanley Duke Herell, and Arundathi Prasad

Optical 3-D Scanner for Breast Tumor Margin – A 3D scanner that uses light to analyze the excised breast tissue and assess the margins for presence of tumor cells within 2 mm of its surface. Inventors: Quyen Nguyen, PhD, Anita Mahadevan-Jansen, PhD, Mark Kelley, MD, and Mary Dockery

The next step is for students to rank the technologies in terms of their interest. They will then be placed on a team that will develop, and ultimately pitch, commercialization plans for the technologies. The Tech Venture Challenge selection committee will use these preferences to select the teams by February 7, 2014. 

Click here to learn more, or join the challenge.