Chris Chomicki, a senior information management and technology major at iSchool is working on the interactive interface for one of his side contracts, Promptous, an insurance claims processing platform that uses blockchain technology and smart contracts to create cost and provider transparency for the dental insurance industry.  Promptous will be up and running by the end of June, and with that deadline right around the corner, the 13 or so people who are working, remotely and non-remotely, for Promptous are set on achieving that milestone. There’s a lot of work in piecing together the various software every individual is developing to which Chris comments, “Slack is a blessing.”

When he’s not at Blackstone LaunchPad working on one of his many projects, you can find him getting his priorities done including completing his coursework or sticking to his fitness goals. It’s easy to conclude that Chris is a hustler with lots of goals and a good amount of determination.  When asked about how he’s succeeded in not only juggling a full coursework, at least two jobs, and even having been part of the Division I Cheer Squad here at SU, he simply answers, “Time management.” The East Quogue native says he makes a list of all the things he wants to accomplish in a day and just makes it happen. He admires Gary Vanychuck, an entrepreneur and internet personality who has shaped athlete representation. His ability to grind and hustle, which has allowed him to grow his social media platform to reach a wide audience, is something that Chris values a lot. Much like Mr. Vanychuck, Chris takes pride in his hard work and his diligence in getting things done. He’s aware of his deadlines, understand how to prioritize, and he maximizes any small amount of time he gets to reach his targets. And reached his targets he has.

Chris interned with Amazon in Seattle this past summer and accepted a full-time position as a software engineer by the end of his internship, making his senior year a little less stressful and therefore, a little more enjoyable. Chris mentioned that he was never necessarily shooting to work for Amazon, but he recalls a sophomore year project in which he had to state where he wanted to work after graduation and interestingly enough, he put down Amazon as a software engineer. He strives to make an impact with his work and Amazon offers that opportunity–along with a great cup of joe in the great city of Seattle. When asked about his five-year plan, Chris mentions that he wants to first and foremost establish himself at a big company to build his skill set and resume. Once he’s gained enough experience, he says he’d like to either work at a small company or even start his own venture. Although he’s not sure what industry he’d like to start his venture in, he knows he’d want his venture to have a lot of social impact and to be something that people want to use.

Chris likes to dive himself into any many different types of topics and technology as he can, which can not only be seen by his various involvements on and out of campus, but also by his love for traveling. He went abroad last year and visited over 23 countries throughout Europe, Africa, and Asia, citing Morocco and Switzerland as his favorite places. Being able to escape the city and immerse himself in nature, such as the Swiss Alps or the Sahara Desert, was quite the experience for him. Just because he was traveling though doesn’t mean he wasn’t grinding, for he was working on the Promptous team while simultaneously exploring the world.

Catch Chris in the future leaving his impact on the world with only two essential ingredients: a reliable Wi-Fi connection and a sandy beach with crystal clear waters somewhere in Southeast Asia.

Story by Bridget Mcdonough, Blackstone Global Media Fellow

Caleb Obiagwu, a junior engineering and computer science major, is a dreamer. His start-up company, SYRE Tech LLC, is built to revolutionize the way we receive content by developing looking glass, an innovative window technology that serves as a digital display.

Born in Lagos, Nigeria and raised in London, England, Obiagwu grew up in an environment he described as “civilized and refined.” Attending a boarding school, King Edwards Whitley, from an early age, he was encouraged to follow the status quo, work as a part of the system and value comfort over his ambitions. Despite valuable experiences during those years- attending a Harvard leadership program, the Global Young Leaders Conference and serving as class captain for his high school- he often felt limited and yearned for something more.

Reflecting on his early environment, Obiagwu recalls, “If you want to be an out of the box thinker, I don’t feel you should ever stay in England. They normalize everything and nobody forces themselves to dream bigger.” While he looked for friends to support his early dreams, they were hard to come by. Confined by this culture, a dreamer like himself felt trapped. He slowly felt himself buying into the very culture of conformity he despised.

Caleb saw the college admissions process as an opportunity to break away. While he could have attended a prestigious university in England, Obiagwu fell in love with what many call ‘the American dream.’ From nearly 3,500 miles away, he saw America as a land of opportunity, a culture that valued innovation and a home to risk-takers. Placing this fresh perspective at a higher value than strict academia, he “wanted to pay for the experience of thinking outside of the box.” And while it didn’t come without resistance, this vision drove him to convince his parents to enroll him at Syracuse University.

Obiagwu began his studies in the fall of 2016. Coming in as an engineering and computer science major, his plan was to get good grades, graduate, get a job and then start a successful company. But as he puts it, “Life happens when you’re busy making other plans.” Sitting in an introductory chemistry class with partner and fellow SU student, Zachariah Reid, the two came face-to-face with a question many young dreamers ask themselves, “Why are we doing this if we’re not passionate about it?”

Coming such a long way to reach this point, Obiagwu resisted the prospect of living a life that followed the status quo. In that chemistry class the two decided to follow their passions to start something different.  But what would it be?

The answer came to Caleb in a dream. While in a deep sleep, he was met with a vision of a transparent display interface used to show content and information — something futuristic like in the latest sci-fi movie.

Now with a spark, ignited in chemistry class and confirmed by his dream, Caleb had a clear vision for the technology he wanted to develop, one that “encompasses all the original technology of a window, while also including more innovative features to provide additional privacy and be used for entertainment purposes.”

Inspired by this grand vision, at first, Obiagwu approached his dream selfishly. He wanted to build the idea by himself, until his father gave him advice that would completely shift his approach. “He told me that a bit of something is more than all of nothing.” From this, he realized that in order to achieve this vision, he first needed to assemble a team.

The first member of this team was Zachariah Reid (pictured above with Caleb). In addition to believing in the vision, he brought his business savvy and organization skills to the table. After him, came another SU student, Nazim Ahmed, who contributed with his technical and mechanical skills. Finally came Ernst Beliard, who added to the group with knowledge of computer and digital technologies. Its core team now in-tact, SYRE Tech (standing for “something you rarely expect”) was officially founded on March 16, 2018.

Since its founding date, SYRE Tech has been its development phase. Its founders dedicate their time, energy and capital into obtaining patents, negotiating deals with lawyers, identifying specific demographics and further developing the glass display technology. Working on this company for nearly two years, Obiagwu has taken each experience as a learning opportunity, saying, “I started listening more to understand than to reply.” Through this strategy, Caleb has grown tremendously, picking up on tactics and strategies he didn’t know before.

With its initial investments already in place, over the next five years, SYRE Tech wishes to expand brand awareness, develop its technology and optimize operations. “Transparent glass is real estate,” says Obiagwu. In the short term, the company aims to utilize the real estate on SU Centro buses, currently occupied by paper or vinyl advertisements, and replace them with their own technology. With a beautiful display, this would allow commuters to see the funniest memes, latest breaking news and exciting sports highlights, as a regular part of their daily commute.

As a long-term goal, Obiagwu hopes that the development of SYRE Tech’s looking glass display technology coincides with the growth of the self-driving vehicle industry. The company aims to have its product inside of the automated vehicles of the future, creating a relationship between entertainment and transportation that has yet to be developed.

Obiagwu’s story of self-discovery, following his dreams and beginning SYRE Tech, is relatable to many successful entrepreneurs and should serve as an example for all dreamers. More important than great resources, abundant capital, a strong network or technical know-how, was the strength of his dream, the clarity of his vision and the work ethic to manifest it.

The same dream that compelled him to leave his home in England, to attend a university over 3,000 miles away, is the dream that built SYRE Tech and will continue to power it in the future. Approaching his dream with belief and intention, Caleb Obiagwu has established himself as an entrepreneur, and created a company which will make an impact on people’s lives for years to come. Look out for SYRE Tech technologies in the buses, cars and homes of the future.

Story by Jalen Nash, Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow

In China, there is a famous advertisement that promotes energy conservation through recharging batteries. When a battery is “dead,”there is actually some electrical energy still within the battery itself. Most people don’t know this, and will continue to use and throw out batteries without a thought.

College of Engineering and Computer Science students and good friends Yufei Liu ‘21 (left) and Yufeng Meng ‘21 (right) knew they wanted to tackle this issue and bring awareness to the SU community. The two participated in the Invent@SU Accelerator program, an immersive inventing program that gives students the opportunity to “design, prototype, and pitch” an invention of their own creation that reflects on a pain point, or an area of life where there is a problem that can be fixed. “This is energy that we really need, it can help us save money and the environment,” Liu noted.

From the six-week program, the two invented Re-useit, a battery energy recycling machine that takes leftover electrical energy. They also encourage people to recycle batteries.

But, this wasn’t invented without some struggles that the pair were able to overcome by the end of the program. “Everything was brand new to us. We have to learn new things while creating a new thing, which can be incredibly hard,” Meng said, “A lot of problems came out and we had to solve them one by one.” This included learning how to develop electronics, mechanical systems, and of course, nailing a pitch.

The two say that the most challenging part of Invent@SU was the weekly pitch sessions, where each team has to present their idea to a panel of guest evaluators, then go through a question and answer session afterwards. “The Q&A was the most challenging part, we had to figure out what type of answer we should give in order to be clear about our invention and device,” Liu says. Nonetheless, the two had a great time presenting each week, even creating a small little slogan that the two would say at the end of every pitch. Meng in particular would always be so shy that she would hide her face when delivering the slogan, but by the end, she gave a huge thumbs up during their tagline, “Small battery, huge potential.”

When reflecting on their Invent@SU experience, the two said, “Our best advice to the next group of Invent@SU students is don’t give up. There’s a lot of critique from students, audiences, and peers, so it’s possible you’re not always going to do well. But don’t let that discourage you”.

Although the two will no longer be continuing with their invention, the two are both incredibly passionate about energy conservation and making an impact in the world. They are also grateful for the experience that Invent@SU has given them. “This program encouraged me to create something new, and experience some challenges I’ve never experienced before,” said Liu, with Meng adding in, “I won’t continue to work on this project specifically, but I’ll always continue making things, and thinking of new ways to make a change.”

Ask this team all about the way they’re creating awareness of recycling batteries in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, and watch out for them in the future. They’re bound to do impactful work.

Peter ‘20 (above) and Rick Mignacca ‘18 are the perfect package for an entrepreneurial venture. They’re passionate and determined, with a great mix of skills that compliment each other. But what makes this pair stand out is that they’re brothers who’ve been innovating together for years.

Having been sparking up ideas their entire childhood, when they saw the application for the Invent@SU Accelerator Program at Syracuse University, it was a no-brainer that they had to apply, and to apply together. They knew there was no better opportunity to really develop an idea then the six-week immersive invention program.

Peter is a Supply Chain and Entrepreneurship double major in the Whitman School of Management, while Rick is an SU alum who majored in Chemical Engineering at the College of Engineering and Computer Science. This gave the team an interesting perspective when coming up with new and innovative solutions for problems during the program. The two approached inventing by choosing a target market first, and then coming up with a solution that would benefit that group, instead of creating something that would then move towards a particular demographic.

The team’s research definitely paid off, and they found research that would be the spark of their invention, TowelVAC.

TowelVAC is an alternative to a hairdryer that focuses on drying hair faster with less damage than the standard hair dryer. It looks like a towel, but inside has an array of tubes and a vacuum pump that sucks out the moisture from the hair while inside of the towel. The device features both the towel with tubes, but also a neck rest that carries the batteries, pump, and mechanical equipment. The invention came from research the pair had done on consumer products, learning that “80% of the consumer market is spend on, or spent by, women, so we wanted to think outside of the box to come up with a disruptive product that would actually help with hair health,” Peter said.

The most challenging part for the brothers was developing the prototype itself, exactly how it was going to be designed. “We joke around that we entered into a 6-week course on vacuum engineering, but it was a really amazing learning experience, even during the challenging times,” Peter remarked. Peter also reflected on how blow dryers inflict a great deal of heat damage onto hair, and how a vacuum pump would be a significant step to avoid this damage.

While in the Invent@SU program, the brothers got to perform some testing on their product in comparison to a microfiber towel, which is a highly absorbent and frizz-reducing towel. “We knew we had to beat the microfiber towel,” Peter said, “So when we went into testing, we had to be able to learn how to analyze quantitative data to see if our product had value. “And the testing was incredibly successful, with the TowelVAC being 50% quicker at drying hair than a microfiber towel.

When asked about what would be their advice to next year’s Invent@SU class, Peter’s advice was practical and supportive. “Planning and organization is the most important part, at least for me. Having things figured out step by step, once you have your idea generated, that was the most beneficial thing to me,” Peter commented, “But make sure you’re being friendly. That’s one of the best parts of this program, meeting other people passionate about innovation.”

Going forward, the team is looking forward to developing their invention further. They plan on creating another prototype, filing a Non-Provisional Patent Application, and want to continue performing customer discovery. “I love being able to get feedback, see if there’s potential. We’re still trying to really evaluate the need and what it can do for our target market,” said Peter.

Learn more about the team at business plan competitions and at the Blackstone LaunchPad, so stop by and ask about this their plans to change the efficiency of hair dryers forever.

Story by Kayla Simon, Blackstone Watson Scholar

When someone thinks of college, they’re probably not thinking about how they’re going to choose between 599 applicants who are all eager to work at their company as an intern, along with hiring a team of dedicated employees who range from consultants to specialists in software. Yet, this is exactly what James Fort ‘19, a student in the Whitman School of Management, is managing as he builds a business.

Fort was able to create an amazing and impactful team quickly, beginning work on his venture Roas Consulting LLC about a year ago. The inspiration for his e-commerce venture began after experiences with terrible bosses and managers, “I knew that I wanted to run a business that was for the people, by the people, in some way,” Fort said, “People should enjoy where they work, and have an environment to work in that’s equal and fair.” Fort set out to do just that, and ended up creating an incredibly successful service along the way.

A marketing and finance major at Syracuse University, Fort quickly discovered that he was very talented at advertising for brands, especially Facebook Ads, and that sparked an idea for an e-commerce store where he could sell products without even touching them. Looking at companies such as eBay and Amazon, he realized the impact that one could have in the consumer market. Using marketing skills he developed over the past few years, he loves the challenge of being able to find a way to market new and unique products. He credits www.fiverr.com and www.upwork.com with providing knowledge on the subject, along with how to be an effective entrepreneur. Being an entrepreneur that is impactful is a high value to him, “I think entrepreneurship and being an opportunist is so important. It connects further with people and allows you to overcome obstacles,” he said, “I’m not just playing the game, I’m changing it.”

But all of this isn’t easy, and being a student while also acting as your own full-time boss can be especially challenging. When asked about how he deals with this student-entrepreneur balance, Fort responded saying, “It’s very hard. I have a second work phone that none of my friends know the number for so that I can stay focused.”

Yet he remains strong and driven to his goal, “To me, entrepreneurship is a matter of ‘How badly do you want this?’ and the answer for me is, so badly, I live, eat, sleep, breathe for this kind of stuff.”

That drive and determination is paying off. In particular, Fort reflected on a time when he was sent a photo from his friend who was in a lecture and noticed that the student in front of him was browsing through Fort’s website. Unaware of who Fort was, she simply just clicked on the link and began shopping. Fort considers this a massive milestone for the company, as well as himself as an entrepreneur.

Fort is continuing to hit the ground running at 100 miles per hour. Incredibly passionate, with immense amounts of drive, Fort is going to make change in the e-commerce industry, and change the perspective on what it means to be a business owner. When asked about if it was worth it, Fort didn’t hesitate with a response. “It’s been so worth it,” he said, “It’s been the hardest challenge of my life. But I’ve learned so much. When you put humility aside, anything becomes possible.”

Fort credits many successful entrepreneurs as influences and role models, and hopes that one day someone can look at his journey and find that same drive.

See what James Fort is doing over at www.roastechnology.com, Blackstone LaunchPad, or in the Whitman School of Management. Be sure to ask this business owner just how he’s able to do it all, while creating such a vast impact.

Story by Kayla Simon, Blackstone Watson Scholar

Bridget McDonough 19’, an aerospace engineering student at the College of Engineering and Computer Science, has been named a Blackstone LaunchPad Global Media Fellow where she’ll have the opportunity to meet some of the most innovative minds on the Syracuse University campus and share their stories.

McDonough, a Southern California native, was originally going to study journalism at the S.I Newhouse School of Public Communication. She always had a deep passion for space though, her inspiration stemming from looking up at the night sky and the far too many sci-fi movies she had watched growing.  She knew she wanted to work in the space industry after college and she figured the most direct way to do so was by studying a major with the actual word “space” in it: aerospace engineering.

“I had never talked to an engineer or a scientist before deciding to pursue this major so it was a daunting idea to think that I would be doing something completely out of my comfort zone”, she says as she recalls the day she decided to transfer out of Newhouse. This May she will be receiving her degree and she can’t help but smile at the idea of it, a gleam of pride crossing her eyes. When asked about reflecting on her past few years, Bridget comments, “I’m honestly so proud of how far I’ve come. I went into a major where the only thing I knew to expect was a lot of hard work and determination. My eighteen-year-old self wasn’t even sure if I was capable of making it this far, so I think receiving this degree will be a very emotional event for me because I’ll be proving to myself that, yes, I can do whatever I set my mind to.”

She was drawn to working at the Blackstone LaunchPad because it not only allows her to make time for writing, a hobby she has always enjoyed, but also because Blackstone LaunchPad directly exposes her to some of her interests in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. She says she is not only excited about learning “… about some of the most innovative start-ups happening right here on campus…”, but also about hearing “… the back story of the innovators—where they come from, where their inspiration comes from, and how they’ve gotten to the point where they are now.”

She also thinks Blackstone LaunchPad will give her the right environment to prepare her for upcoming summer internship with the space-startup, financial service company, Space Angels. Bridget will be interning in New York City as part of the 3^rd class of Brooke Owens Fellows. The Brooke Owens Fellowship is a fellowship that pairs exceptional undergraduate women interested in the aerospace industry with executive mentorship, ranging from company CEOs to astronauts, an internship, and a strong alumni network in the aerospace industry. “I still can’t believe I was chosen as Brooke Owens Fellow and I am beyond excited and blessed to be a part of it. Not only is it a great learning opportunity, but I love the commitment all the people who make this fellowship possible, have for women representation in the aerospace industry, an industry that has been traditionally very male dominated.”

Bridget is driven to expanding the accessibility to space, making it a place for people from all backgrounds and hopes to be able to shape the way the space industry develops. “I think space holds so many opportunities for ventures because it’s so new and has a clean-slate. The only boundary I can see in the space industry is the lack of imagination for what it could be.” When asked about where we can find her in the ten years from now, a smile breaks her façade and she says, “Mars.”