The LaunchPad team has been busy this summer creating new tools to keep Syracuse University’s innovation community connected in a virtual world.  Led by Nick Barba ’20, Patrick Prioletti G’21 and Emma Rothman ’21, the team created a new platform for campus entrepreneurs to communicate over voice, video, and text, connect with peer mentors, get advice, organize events or just hang out with fellow like-minded innovators using Discord.  It’s Slack meets Zoom with a pinch of Reddit, all in one place, curated on LaunchPad Discord.  This is your invite to join the community.  Start by joining the LaunchPad here and then hop on LaunchPad Discord here.

For those not familiar with Discord, it is a freeware instant messaging, VoIP application and digital software platform that features integrated text, image, video and audio communication that a chat channel that can run on Windows, macOS, Android, iOS, Linux, and in web browsers.  More than 250 million people are currently on the platform.  While it was originally launched in 2011 for the gaming community, it rapidly evolved away from gamers in the pandemic era into a broader community-based platform serving education, businesses and other sectors, while adopting a new brand message, “Your place to talk.”

“LaunchPad Discord will attempt to replicate beloved features of the LaunchPad from your own couch,” says Rothman.  “On LaunchPad Discord, we will be able to virtually sit at the big table together, using the video, voice and text features, passionately chatting about exciting news and innovations in the personalized text discussion rooms and request a mentor all on the same platform.”  

The LaunchPad Discord channel is organized by six categories: ?ONBOARDING, ?JOIN THE LAUNCHPAD, ? ANNOUNCEMENTS, ? COMMUNITY SPACE, ? DISCUSSION ROOMS AND ? MENTOR NETWORK. Under each of these categories, there are voice and text channels. The text channels mirror Slack where you can message and interact with individuals subscribed to that specific channel. The voice and text channels not only allow you interact with the community; but also have a video and screen sharing feature likes Zoom. If you are looking to collaborate with others, using the voice and text channels in one of the seven community spaces is a great way to work with your group or to see what the other members of the LaunchPad are up.

Another notable feature that all members of our community are encouraged to check on the LaunchPad SU Discord server is the, ? Announcements channel. On this channel important information concerning events and important reminders are going to be posted.

Nick Barba ‘20 who is working for the LaunchPad as an independent program manager, is helping spearhead the new Discord platform. “Although there is mounting uncertainty surrounding COVID-19, the LaunchPad wants to ensure to our community that we are still open, and now have a sure way to stay connected no matter where you are.”

Click here to get started on using Discord. Click here to learn how to join our Server.

Story by LaunchPad Rubin Family Innovation Mentor Emma Rothman

Launch New York (Launch NY), Upstate’s venture development organization and seed fund, has announced Promptous as its 30th Limited Partner (LP) Fund Portfolio Company, making an investment to help launch the venture which started at Syracuse University in 2018 by iSchool students working with the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars at SU Libraries.

CenterState CEO and The Tech Garden also announced funding to Promptous this week through its new Fund of Funds program. The Tech Garden created the funding vehicle as a streamlined program sourced from multiple pools of funding managed by CenterState CEO and The Tech Garden. It is designed to assist local startups with initial funding on the path to commercialization and offers an opportunity for follow-on investment with less risk to assist on their journey from concept to commercialization. The funding helps startups accomplish projects such as customer discovery, product development, validation and manufacturing that ultimately supports each startup’s ability to go to market.

Promptous is a Syracuse-based insurtech company that administers Policy Hero, a SaaS mobile and web platform. Currently with over 260,000 dental access points nationwide, the app helps to streamline enrollment, coverage and reimbursement processes for companies providing dental benefits to their employees. According to Promptous, employers can save up to 30 percent on dental benefits by cutting out insurance premiums.

Since graduating from Syracuse University, Promptous has also been an incubation member of The Tech Garden where it also received a seed investment from CenterStateCEO.  It is working closely with OneGroup, a Syracuse-based firm that is one of the largest risk management, insurance brokerage and employee benefits companies in the northeast, led by SU alumnus Pierre Morrisseau who has helped mentor the Promptous team.

“Upstate New York’s startup community is vast, and Launch NY represents such a diverse slice of the innovation and ingenuity that’s helping to shed our ‘Rust Belt’ stigma,” said Dr. Marnie LaVigne, President and CEO of Launch NY. “Promptous is yet another example of what can happen when the can-do spirit meets savvy, yet impact-driven investors who know that you can do good while doing well in a community we love. Promptous adds another promising tech industry player, grown right here, to our new economy.” 

“We are grateful to have been identified by LaunchNY, CenterState CEO and The Tech Garden as a high-impact startup and receive their support,” said Josh Jackson, Co-Founder and CEO at Promptous. “They have helped to buoy us at our earliest stages, and we are proud to be a portfolio company of the program.”

Launch NY’s for-profit Limited Partner (LP) Fund debuted in April 2019 and is designed to co-invest alongside Launch NY’s nonprofit Seed Fund, ultimately doubling the capital available for Launch NY client companies. Promptous is the 30th company in the LP Fund portfolio and the 57th company in the nonprofit Seed Fund portfolio.

These financing programs are offered through Launch NY’s #InvestLocal platform, which also supports deal-by-deal investments from accredited investors into these portfolio companies through its Investor Network, also offering Qualified Opportunity Funds with special tax incentives for investments in eligible businesses in the designated low income Opportunity Zones.

Promptous was among nearly 30 Launch NY portfolio companies exhibiting at the first Launch NY Virtual LP Summit on June 29 featuring Launch NY LPs and Investor Network subscribers.

For more information about Launch NY visit www.launchny.org

Tech Garden members are eligible for funding opportunities that include: Up to $10K Ignition Grants; GENIUS NY; Clean Tech Center grants up to $25K in pre-seed funding; seed funding, which typically takes the form of a convertible debt note between $25K and $100K; and expansion investments through match funding opportunities, which can help incentivize investors by offering a match on their investment in return for equity or convertible debt up to $100K before startups are exclusively seeking follow-on funding opportunities.

To learn more about membership and The Tech Garden’s funding opportunities visit, www.thetechgarden.com.

By Alex Dunbar — see original stories in SU News here and here.

Zheng Xiong is part of the SummerStart accelerator program at the LaunchPad, working on a business model for his concept for 3D printing of microfluidic devices. He is a biomedical and chemical engineering Ph.D. student in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and was also just awarded a 2020 Optics and Photonics Education Scholarship by SPIE, the international society for optics and photonics, for his potential contributions to the field of optics, photonics or a related field.

From SU News: Too small to be seen even with standard microscopes, microfluidics research looms large over many aspects of biochemistry, nanotechnology and biotechnology research. Precision microfluidics involve a device that has channels allowing a flow of just 50 microns or less. A device that can process or manipulate fluids on the micron scale can provide crucial data for researchers.

“This can be a fundamental and commonplace research accessory or tool in life sciences, similar to the current use of well-plates or test tubes. Almost any research in life sciences can use microfluidics to learn more about their own cells,” says biomedical and chemical engineering Professor Pranav Soman.

While microfluidic research can provide incredible breakthroughs, a usable device costs thousands of dollars and would take several months to build. Many researchers are simply not able to take on this type of research.

“The cost and time involvement related to any project involving microfluidics was a barrier,” says Soman. “Only those who have access to microfabrication facilities or clean rooms can take on this work—others are left out.”

Soman believes that modern 3D printing technology could offer a way to break down the barriers to microfluidics research and formed a small business to explore the possibilities.

“Current customers tend to limit their use of microfluidic devices, while new customers are reluctant to adopt such devices for their target applications,” says Ph.D. student Zheng Xiong from Soman’s research group. “This project will enable rapid manufacturing of customized microfluidics devices with substantially less cost and turn-around times.”

Soman’s company, 3D Microfluidics LLC, was awarded a Small Business Innovation Research Phase One grant by the National Science Foundation (NSF) for $225,000 to conduct research and development work on fast and scalable 3D printing high-resolution microfluidics devices.

“The business model we have, anybody who needs precision microfluidics, they can talk to someone, upload the specs and we can ship it in two days,” says Soman.

Xiong will serve as the principal investigator for the NSF grant, and the chief technological officer (CTO) of 3D Microfluidics LLC.

“Our technology will open doors to widespread commercialization of precision microfluidics in biological sciences for a range of applications in fundamental cell biology, drug screening, cellular therapy, toxicity testing, and regenerative medicine,” says Xiong.

“This project exemplifies technology transfer, entrepreneurship and high-impact research with immediate industrial relevance,” says College of Engineering and Computer Science Dean J. Cole Smith. “Pranav and Zheng’s work is not only innovative on its own but could open up microfluidic research for researchers around the world.”

Soman and Xiong have been gathering information from other academic researchers and will be talking to scientists and engineers working in industry to see if their idea would benefit them.

“From the industry standpoint, we want to learn more about the interest and needs of using microfluidics and what are the current challenges and pain points,” says Soman. “Developing a prototype is stage one. The grant will help validate several technical issues before commercialization can be commenced. ”

“This is a very exciting news. Dr. Soman’s creative work will help revolutionize the manufacturing of microfluidic devices, which will benefit many researchers with much needed resources,” says Interim Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs Dacheng Ren. “It is a great example of engineering innovation and entrepreneurship.”

They also need to work through several logistics and quality control issues. Over the next year they will investigate new materials that are compatible with printing but do not crack and how to safely mail custom printed precision microfluidic chips to their potential customers.

“During phase one, one objective is discovering and developing new material that is not only compatible with our 3D printing platform but also exhibits necessary durability, transparency, biocompatibility, and impermeability to fluids,” says Xiong.

The project has required Soman and Xiong to take on roles as researchers and entrepreneurs. Soman says guidance and advice from fellow researcher turned entrepreneur James A. Monroe made it possible for them to make their goal a reality.

“I really enjoyed working with Pranav. It takes a lot of guts and hard work to tackle the unknowns of a startup and he has the bravery and drive to do it,” says Monroe.

Soman and Xiong’s company will be eligible to apply for a Phase II grant from the NSF if their research shows on-demand 3D printed microfluidics can be successful.

“Pranav has developed an exciting and novel platform that will enable fundamental and applied biomedical research and we are very excited that he has garnered this support to elevate the commercialization of this technology,” says Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Chair Julie Hasenwinkel. “He and Zheng exemplify the entrepreneurial spirit of our discipline and set an example for others in our department.”

Syracuse University Engineering and Computer Science alumnus and LaunchPad entrepreneur Caleb Obiagwu ’19 actively supports the Black Lives Matter movement across the country, but he also noticed something alarming in some cities during the early days of protests. Black-owned businesses were vandalized or harmed. Many of those businesses had already faced hardships from the pandemic, and were struggling to sustain and re-open. The damage during the protests was a double blow, and for many business owners without resources to rebuild, it meant that dreams they spent years building through hard work were extinguished. As an entrepreneur, he empathized with that heartbreak. He knew he wanted to do something positive to both protect and support them.

Together, with friends Brandon Elliott and John-Paul Besong, they created a new tech platform to showcase Black-owned businesses in cities across the U.S. with a goal of signaling protesters to protect them. To date, the team has been working with businesses in Albany, Brooklyn, Buffalo, Manhattan, Queens and Syracuse. Over the past month, the platform has quickly gained momentum and attention from the media. As it has evolved, the larger goal is to expand it as a broader platform to create visibility and support for Black-owned businesses as part of a national movement to support equality and social justice.

See a great recent Daily Orange story here about Obiagwu and his new venture.

Last year, as a senior, he created the award-winning venture AttendPro, which won the Impact Prize competition sponsored by the LaunchPad. He remains an engaged alumnus entrepreneur and mentor for the LaunchPad, very focused on building mission-driven ventures with meaningful social impact. His voice has helped shape the LaunchPad’s perspective on diversity, inclusion, equity and social justice, and he is an impressive thought leader on these topics.

University College alumnus Indaria Jones, founder and CEO of The Creators Lounge in downtown Syracuse is an award-winning marketing and business development executive who has thoughtfully created a members only co-working space that serves as an epicenter for business, culture, and community. It has has become a place to share ideas, projects, collaborate and grow on and offline. During the pandemic, which called for innovation around co-working remotely, she created imaginative and effective virtual spaces and conversations which have inspired and motivated so many members of the community.  She also quickly mobilized to become a central resource and information-sharing center, building databases and resources such as Lounge Links, a digital hotline delivering content, connections, and community during the coronavirus pandemic.

As the Black Lives Matter movement grew across the country, she quickly went to work creating positive messages of self-empowerment, and this week is launching a new initiative to support Black-owned businesses.  “This is more than a challenge,” says Jones. “As we #buyblack let’s look at how we can intentionally support Black-owned businesses every single day.”  She points out that of the $1.2 trillion dollars spend annually, only 3% of that economic power goes to Black-owned businesses.  Moreover, she notes that only 40% will recover from COVID-19 shutdowns.  “But we can actively change that.  Let’s adopt buying from Black-owned businesses into our daily lives.”

She has launched a social directory which gathered more than 200 businesses in 20 days, with a goal of generating economic activity in the local Black-owned business community, starting with Buy Black Fridays at 12 pm on FB Live.  “Elections happen every 2 to 4 years, but we vote with our dollars every single day.  The time is now.”

To participate, sign up online here and learn more about The Creators Lounge here.

Jones is a leading creative thinker, influencer and innovative community builder.  As CEO of The Creators Lounge, she has created a collaborative gathering space for other entrepreneurs and community leaders, utilizing and sharing her extensive experience in brand management, public relations, and event programming and production.  She also puts her skills in operations, project management, strategic planning, organizing and team management to work as the Economic Development Specialist to Mayor Ben Walsh and the City of Syracuse, helping to catalyze city-wide revitalization.

Jones has been an active member of the LaunchPad community, and worked with CLLCTVE founder  Kelsey Davis ’19 (Newhouse) G ’20 (Whitman), Guided by Obas founder Anthony Obas ’20 (Whitman), Black Cub Productions co-founders Eric Jackson ’16 and G’17 (Newhouse) and Mylze Blake G’18 and SDKing Media founder Sharif D. King G’20, as well as City of Syracuse Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens ’85 (Economics) on this spring’s Afropreneurship Summit hosted by the LaunchPad. 

A recognized civic leader, she’s been a host of print and digital platforms, including Forbes, The Black Upstart, Los Angeles Indie Creator Society, ABC News Channel 9, Syracuse.com, and Business Journal News Network.  This year she was honored at the New York State Association of Black and Puerto Rican Legislation for her Leadership and Economic Development Achievements. She also received various awards such as New York State Senate, 2019 Commendation Award, 40 Under Forty, Nominated Minority Business of the Year, as well the 2019 Economic Champion.

Read more about Indaria in this wonderful profile by Stan Linhorst who writes weekly Conversations on Leadership and works on other projects to make Syracuse and Central New York a great place to live.  Linhorst moved to Syracuse from San Diego in 1984 as City Editor of The Post-Standard, went to “New Media,” launching Syracuse.com in ’94, and became Senior Managing Editor of The Post-Standard in ’99.  He is a member of the iSchool Advisory Council.  https://www.syracuse.com/news/2019/09/indaria-jones-on-leadership-be-authentic-be-open-minded-help-others-to-succeed.html

Are you looking for a stipend-based student position this coming year? Thanks to the generosity of donors to SU Libraries — Todd B. Rubin ’04 (Architecture) and the Rubin Family Foundation — there will be 18 new paid opportunities available this year at the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars at SU Libraries. These are in addition to five positions funded through the LaunchPad program. Applications are now open for all 23 positions to all Syracuse University graduate and undergraduate students from any discipline who are members of the LaunchPad. It is simple to join the LaunchPad, via a button on the main page or directly at at this link.

Applications will be open through mid to late July, with selections in early August for positions starting this coming academic semester. Schedules are flexible, and the positions are largely remote, with a project-driven scope. Here are descriptions of each opportunity, along with the link to the posting on Handshake to apply:

Rubin Family Innovation Mentors —  link

LaunchPad Global Fellows — link

Orange Ambassadors — link

Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholars —  link

Todd B. Rubin ’04 (School of Architecture), Minister of Evolution and President of The Republic of Tea, has made an impactful gift to Syracuse University to support innovation, diversity, and inclusion through a multi-year commitment to the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars at Syracuse University Libraries (LaunchPad).  Personal gifts, along with a gift through his family’s Foundation, will support 18 student entrepreneurs this coming academic year.

There are three components to the gifts:

• A personal gift to support eleven student entrepreneurs (Orange Ambassadors) with special financial needs to help facilitate continued access to a Syracuse education, particularly in light of the economic challenges and hardships many families are facing in the current pandemic;

• A five-year personal commitment to support two student entrepreneurs annually from diverse backgrounds (Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholars). They will work with the LaunchPad to broaden diversity and inclusion outreach and programming, expand participation in entrepreneurship by underrepresented groups and support the University’s commitment to diversity and inclusion;

• A year two commitment from The Rubin Family Foundation to fund five peer student entrepreneurs (Rubin Family Innovation Mentors) through the 2020-2021 academic year who will provide coaching to other student startups.

Applications are now open for Orange Ambassadors for the 2020-2021 academic year.  These will include student stipends for undergraduate students from any academic major with special financial needs, and they will help with LaunchPad outreach and programming for the coming year.  Students interestd in these positions should apply here on Handshake and submit a cover letter explaining their financial need as well as a resume.

Applications are also now open for Todd B. Rubin Diversity and Inclusion Scholars for the 2020-2021 academic year.  These will include student stipends for graduate or undergraduate students from any academic major to work with the LaunchPad on initiatives related to diversity, inclusion and social justice.  Students interested in these positions should apply here on Handshake and submit a cover letter explaining their interest and expertise in this topic, as well as a resume. 

Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis through July, with selections announced before August 1.  Students applying should be members of the LaunchPad.  Become a member here:  https://launchpad.syr.edu/join/

“I am pleased to provide these student opportunities to address equity, diversity and inclusion, as well as to help entrepreneurial students offset financial needs in light of unprecedented national challenges,” said Rubin.  “The recent economic downturn has affected many families.  Some families have seen their jobs disappear or have been furloughed.  Many students have lost summer employment opportunities that they rely on to help pay for their education.  Student debt is an increasing burden.  At the same time, public conversations across the country have raised important issues around equity and access.  As an alumnus, I was very interested in helping address these issues, while supporting Syracuse University and entrepreneurial students engaged in the LaunchPad at SU Libraries. It is my hope that more Syracuse University students, from varied backgrounds and needs, will have access to the incredible resources at the LaunchPad through these opportunities to help them grow as innovators.”

“The Libraries is grateful to Todd for his continued support for Syracuse University’s innovation hub and encouraging diversity and inclusion,” said David Seaman, Dean of Syracuse University Libraries and University Librarian.  “The LaunchPad is an incubation environment for students from 116 countries around the world to grow and flourish. It provides experiential opportunities for innovative students to interact with a variety of people from different backgrounds, with different interests, from all the academic disciplines across campus. This type of learning significantly compliments what they learn in a classroom, helping them understand how to become thoughtful and engaged citizens and change-makers.”

“We are proud that the LaunchPad reflects the rich diversity of the global world,” said Linda Dickerson Hartsock, executive director.  “The LaunchPad promotes perspectives and solutions from our members who represent different national origins, languages, races, colors, disabilities, ethnicities, genders, ages, religions, sexual orientations, gender identities, socioeconomic status, veteran status, and family structures.  Our core values are based on transcending differences, finding common ground, giving voice and power to all, and building a diverse and inclusive community that encourages collaboration, respect and equity. This generous gift will enable us to expand upon that mission.”

Additionally, a 2020-2021 gift from The Rubin Family Foundation, facilitated through Todd B. Rubin, will also support five students to serve as Rubin Family Innovation Mentors for the coming year.  This is the second year that The Rubin Family Foundation has supported the peer mentor program through the LaunchPad.  Applications are now open through this link to become a Rubin Family Innovation Mentor.  

Last year’s Rubin Family Innovation Mentors mentored more than 50 student teams, organized and ran Startup Weekend and Mentor Madness, prepared teams for campus, state and national competitions, and helped teams with research and discovery, team building, goal setting and achieving milestones. Along the way, Rubin Family Innovation Mentors also continued to build their own ventures, win national awards, and raise investments to take their own ideas from concept to commercialization. They will be involved in selecting this year’s Rubin Family Innovation Mentors.

About the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars at Syracuse University Libraries:

The Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars in Bird Library is Syracuse University’s innovation hub, connecting the entire University’s resource-rich ecosystem with a global network that provides support for aspiring entrepreneurs, inventors, and creators. The program serves faculty, staff, students, and alumni across disciplines who are interested in innovation, invention, entrepreneurship, venture creation, and taking ideas from concept to commercialization. The program supports a key pillar of Syracuse University’s Academic Strategic Plan to create an innovation ecosystem across the institution that prepares participants to be trailblazers in an entrepreneurial world.

About Todd B. Rubin:

Rubin serves as the Minister of Evolution (President) for The Republic of Tea. Dedicated to preserving a legacy that fosters The Republic of Tea’s “Sip by Sip Rather than Gulp by Gulp” lifestyle, he strives to delight Citizens, Ministers, Embassies and Ambassadors with a focus on innovation, education and providing the finest premium teas and herbs.

Rubin joined The Republic of Tea in 2007 as the Minister of East Commerce and then transitioned to the Minister of Southeast Commerce in 2008. In 2011, he was appointed to Minister of Evolution (Vice President of Sales and Marketing), relocating to the company’s Larkspur, California office. In that role, he successfully spearheaded new teas and new systems that led to significant growth. Utilizing his Syracuse University degree in architecture, he oversaw the feng shui design of the company’s headquarters at The Exchange in Larkspur, California and the company’s production and shipping center in Nashville, Illinois.

In 2016, Rubin was elected to the Specialty Food Association Board of Directors and was distinguished as one of San Francisco Business Times’ 40 Under 40. He was appointed to the Advisory Board for the Specialty Tea Institute and became a member of the Young Presidents’ Organization SF Bay Area Chapter in 2015. The year prior, Rubin was the recipient of Syracuse’s Generation Orange Award for philanthropy and was also honored as one of North Bay Business Journal’s 40 Under 40. Rubin was elected to the Board for the Ethical Tea Partnership, a nonprofit organization that convenes the tea industry, development partners, NGOs, and governments to improve the lives of tea workers, farmers, and the environment in which they live and work.

His goal in making this gift is to encourage other Syracuse University alumni to consider gift that support students and enhances their “Orange Experience.”

About The Republic of Tea:

The Republic of Tea enriches people’s lives through its great-tasting premium teas and herbs, education and innovation, as it emphasizes a “Sip by Sip Rather Than Gulp by Gulp” lifestyle. Founded in 1992, The Republic of Tea sparked a specialty tea revolution. Today the brand delivers an unequaled selection of the highest-quality teas, herbal blends, books and nature-inspired sipware. The Republic of Tea’s collections boast over 300 all-natural premium teas and diverse offerings which include, but are not limited to: organic SuperAdapt Teas, SuperDigest Teas®, Beautifying Botanicals®, SuperGreen Teas, Downton Abbey™ Teas, Biodynamic® Teas, organic Superfruit™ Teas, Be Active® Teas, organic SuperHerb® Teas, U-Matcha™, Single Sips®, teaware and a collection of unsweetened, premium glass-bottled iced teas crafted exclusively for fine restaurants and hotels. Further, The Republic of Tea is mindful of how its actions impact the greater community and actively supports organizations like The Ethical Tea Partnership, Homeward Bound of Marin, and The Women of Tea: Sri Lanka, an initiative by The Republic of Tea focused on improving nutrition, hygiene and financial literacy for the women tea workers living in Sri Lanka. Certifications include Demeter USA Certified Biodynamic, Fair Trade certification, Gluten-Free certification, Non-GMO Project verification, OU Kosher certification, and USDA Organic certification.

For more information, please visit www.REPUBLICofTEA.com or call 1.800.298.4832. Follow The Republic of Tea on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. 

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Join us this week for an incredible opportunity to meet Gianfranco Zaccai, arguably among the top design innovators in the world, who will be joining us from Italy on Wednesday, July 1 at 3 p.m. at this Zoom link:  https://bit.ly/LaunchPadSummer The chat is part of an ongoing series in partnership with The Republic of Tea.

Gianfranco will be talking about design thinking and the creative process.  He is the co-founder of one of the top innovation design firms in the world, Continuum (now EPAM Continuum), a global innovation by design consultancy with offices in Boston, Milan, Seoul and Shanghai.  Under his leadership, Continuum created market changing innovations in product and service design across every imaginable sector. The company was recently acquired and Gianfranco has now launched a series of new ventures in the social impact realm.

Born in Trieste, Italy, he grew up in the U.S. His ties to both countries have always been strong. After graduating from Syracuse University one of his first jobs as a designer was for a company in Milan that made clinical diagnostic devices.  “The fusion of the two cultures, American and Italian, was a great learning experience for me because the approaches are so different yet synergistic,” he recalled in an interview for Herman Miller. “Back then, in the U.S., design was all about form following function, while in Italy, other sensibilities also came into play: emotion, tradition, and culture.”

This hands-on approach to researching problems became the framework for Continuum when it was established in 1983. The group, which became recognized as one of the most renowned design and innovation firms around the world, remains grounded in the principles of discovery. Much of what we know about design thinking grew from Continuuum.

Zaccai and Continuum’s work with Herman Miller, Samsung, Procter & Gamble, United Healthcare, BMW, Southwest Airlines and many other product, technology and service companies have launched innovations that have changed lives.  Zaccai and his team invented many highly successful category-defining products, including the Reebok Pump, P&G’s Swiffer and the Omnipod Insulin Delivery System.

Zaccai champions holistic and interdisciplinary innovation research, design and development. His new venture is Intelligence ++, the Zaccai Foundation for Augmented Intelligence, which seeks to develop, stimulate and leverage technological, educational and organizational innovation to enable and empower individuals with intellectual disability, their families and their communities to improve quality of life, enhance independence and productivity, and benefit society.  He is now entirely focused on bringing design innovation approaches that he created through Continuum to the social impact realm – using an interdisciplinary approach to imagination and problem solving. 

He is now working with the LaunchPad, VPA and InclusiveU to develop a new program at Syracuse University in inclusive entrepreneurship called Intelligence ++ — and he will also be discussing opportunities to become engaged with this exciting new initiative. Read more about that here.

Gianfranco is former chair of the Design Management Institute and past president of the Aspen Design Conference. He holds degrees in industrial design from Syracuse University and architecture from the Boston Architectural College. He received an honorary doctorate from Syracuse University’s College of Visual and Performing Arts.

A charismatic speaker and big thinker, Gianfranco knows how to challenge us all to think better, bigger, and build solutions that solve problems in our lives and around the world.  He also has the unique ability to see and sense what is ahead on the horizon – and the big trends and opportunities, from artificial intelligence (AI), robotics as emotional support, physiological sensors, to new tools to sense, interpret and communication. He’ll be discussing these and other profound trends related to the concept of Intelligence ++ that can change the way we engage with the world. 

Joining him as panelists will be:

• Don Carr, VPA Professor of Design, Coordinator of the School of Design’s M.F.A. in Design and Coordinator of VPA’s Industrial and Interaction Design Program;
• Dr. Louise Manfredi, Assistant VPA Professor of Industrial and Interaction Design, Syracuse Center of Excellence Faculty Fellow and Director, Invent@SU;
• Quinn King ’20, co-founder of MedUX

Moderating the audience Q&A will be Dr. Beth Myers, Assistant Professor of Inclusive Education, School of Education, and Executive Director of The Taishoff Center for Inclusive Higher Education.

LaunchPad alumnus Josh Aviv ’15, G’17, founder and CEO of SparkCharge, will give a Techstars Fireside Chat open to LaunchPad innovators and entrepreneurs Thursday, June 25 at 11 a.m. via this Zoom link – https://techstars.zoom.us/j/6309506884

SparkCharge, creator of portable ultrafast electric vehicle chargers recently closed a $3.3 million seed round, led by Point Judith Capital.  Aviv worked with the LaunchPad on the raise which included participation from Revolution’s Rise of the Rest Seed Fund, PEAK6 Strategic Capital, M&T Bank, and Tale Venture Partners, in addition to other investors. This brings SparkCharge’s total funding to $5 million since its launch as a Syracuse University student startup in 2017. The investment will be used to help the company scale manufacturing, meet rapidly growing sales demand, and aggressively expand development.

SparkCharge’s goal is to make electric vehicle (EV) ownership as easy as possible by removing obstacles to EV adoption such as “range anxiety,” lack of infrastructure, and access to convenient charging. SparkCharge works with roadside assistance companies, insurance firms, delivery companies, hotels, auto manufacturers to make ultra-fast EV charging available at any location.

Joshua Aviv, SparkCharge’s founder, and CEO says, “We focus on listening to our customers and the EV market to create a product that will effectively remove the barriers to electric vehicle ownership. Our product opens the door for Utilities, Cities, Roadside Assistance and On-Demand Service companies to provide range to EVs faster and more effectively, regardless of location.”

“We are very excited to invest in such a remarkable company” stated Zaid Ashai, Venture Partner at PJC. “EV sales growth is far outpacing the infrastructure growth needed to support such a thriving market. This dynamic puts SparkCharge’s innovative portable ultra-fast chargers in a position to partner with new and existing businesses to cure “range anxiety”.

SparkCharge’s pioneering new technology allows anyone to deliver range to an electric vehicle owner anytime, anywhere. It opens the door for electric vehicle owners to have their cars charged in a way that was not possible in the past by removing the limitations on when, where, and how an electric vehicle gets charged.

Aviv was honored last fall with the Generation Orange Award at Orange Central.  “Without the LaunchPad, there would be no SparkCharge, and that’s simply the way it is,” said Aviv when he accepted the award on stage at the Oncenter Convention Center.

Aviv launched SparkCharge as a Syracuse University student working at the Blackstone LaunchPad powered by Techstars and is now a dynamic figure in the clean-tech community. SparkCharge makes portable, ultrafast charging units for electric vehicles, and has been featured in major technology and clean energy publications.

As a student, Aviv won the grand prize in the New York Business Plan Competition, as well as top honors in more than seven business competitions while earning his degrees from Syracuse University. He worked closely with the LaunchPad on his product and business roadmap, and incubated his company after graduation at the Syracuse Center of Excellence (CoE) where he built his first initial prototype.

He won the top prize of $1 million at 43North, a Buffalo-based startup competition, receiving his trophy from New York Lt. Gov. Kathy Hochul ’80 at the 43North awards ceremony. He was also the recipient of a NYS FuzeHub Commercialization Competition award. He has won the California Climate Cup, Startup Fest’s global pitch competition, and Plug and Play’s clean energy innovation award. TechCrunch most recently named Spark Charge as a top tech disruptor.

After graduating from the Syracuse LaunchPad, and winning the first ever Blackstone Launch Pad – Techstars Training Camp global pitch competition, he was selected for the prestigious Techstars accelerator program in Boston.  SparkCharge was then accepted into a residency at 43North in Buffalo where the company is starting manufacturing operations. The company has an engineering division based at Greentown Labs in Somerville, Massachusetts, a Boston-based facility that is the world’s largest clean-tech incubator. SparkCharge also has a residency at the Plug and Play Tech Center, a renowned industry-focused accelerator program in Silicon Valley.

Working with Syracuse University’s innovation ecosystem and with industry and economic development partners, SparkCharge launched its first charging unit at a June 2019 Demo Day at Greentown Labs, attended by government and industry leaders, and investors. 

Aviv is a member of the LaunchPad’s Founders Circle and a mentor for current Syracuse University student startups. He is a new member of the Syracuse University Libraries’ Advisory Board, supporting work being done by the LaunchPad around innovation, invention and entrepreneurship.  He frequently speaks on behalf of the LaunchPad at Syracuse University alumni events around the country.

He recently established a clean energy prize through the LaunchPad and SU Libraries for a student team launching an innovation that tackles sustainability and climate change through a clean energy solution.

The LaunchPad is pleased to welcome Derek Wallace ’00 for a chat on Wednesday, June 24 at 3 p.m. as part of our popular Tea Talk series in partnership with The Republic of Tea.  Wallace is CEO of Kalamata’s Kitchen, launched via one of the most successful campaigns in its category in Kickstarter history, which  now includes digital platforms, products, stories, a multi-book deal with Penguin Random House and an animated series in development with a major production studio.  The brand is in the top 5% of all Shopify stores, has had 43 million+ impressions, and has been endorsed by celebrities such as Chrissy Teigen. Join via this Zoom link. 

Wallace was a double major in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communication.  Prior to founding Kalamata’s Kitchen with Sarah Thomas, he spent 17 years honing his skills in sales and marketing at a company that is part of the Berkshire Hathaway family.  Through his career, he worked as a leader across business units on topics including sustainability, social responsibility, as well as diversity and inclusion. He launched an employee resource group called The Culture Council, which encouraged associates to take an active role in driving diversity and inclusion, with a focus on acting entrepreneurially to create a culture of empowerment.

Inspired by the idea of being an entrepreneur, he decided to leave corporate life to launch his own ventures in spring of 2017. Kalamata Kitchen is a brand that connects kids and adults to diverse experiences and cultures through the lens of food. “The experience is like Anthony Bourdain meets Dora the Explorer,” says Wallace.  “It’s built around a fictitious girl named Kalamata who, along with her stuffed alligator Al Dente, courageously explores the world through food adventures.” The brand is activated through a series of stories, products, and experiences, with an expansion vision that creates even more visibility on major media platforms.

With a successful Kickstarter that funded his idea in four days, Wallace built a team to create a magical place where culture and culinary wonders come to life through a series of books, experiences, and products to entice children and their families to embrace cultural diversity through foods, flavors, and traditions from around the world and all walks of life.

Joining him as co-founder is Sarah Thomas, an author from a culturally diverse background who is an Advanced Sommelier in the Court of Master Sommeliers, and currently a sommelier at Le Bernardin in NYC.  As chief imaginator and story-chef in Kalamata’s Kitchen, she drew on her own experiences from her family kitchen and her college experiences as a teaching assistant for intellectually disabled children in India. “I can remember the smell and sound of spices frying in my mom’s kitchen pretty distinctly,” she says. “There’s a handful of spices and aromatics that start the base of most south Indian cooking, and that smell and the sound of them sizzling in oil has always signaled the promise of something delicious.”

Together, they created the Kalamata Kitchen brand of stories, food adventure gear, live events and a nationwide guide to family-friendly restaurants as a way to grow a next generation of eaters who appreciate cultural and culinary diversity by understanding the traditions of people around the world. 

“We created Kalamata’s Kitchen around a single truth,” says Wallace. “Food brings people closer together. And we believe that sharing food adventures does more than encourage you to try new things. We believe it brings about an appetite for empathy, inclusiveness and community in a profound, yet very simple way, by going on a food adventure together.”

Derek is very excited to meet with the SU community and encourage their entrepreneurial spirit.  He is particularly passionate about talking about diversity and inclusion. 

The conversation is open to the campus and community.