Startup Spotlights

Zach Morrison ’24 mints an NFT collection

It takes a dreamer to go out on his own and embrace a wave of innovation. It takes beating the naysayers and those who embrace the traditional model. It takes an entrepreneur who is willing to embrace uncharted territory.  Zach Morrison ’24 is majoring in finance and real estate at Whitman, yet there is more at the surface. Inspired by the momentum of the blockchain and crypto space, Zach sees opportunity in the horizon. Financial technology like blockchain lies at the intersection of the new wave of tech influencing finance. Gen Zers like Zach are at the forefront of new frontiers such as the Metaverse and NFTs.

Zach is embracing this through his latest project, Hazy Honey Badgerz.  Through his work with his newly minted NFT collection, it is clear he has ambition but is also a visionary that is intellectually curious.

Zach believes moving forward is a mindset because a successful person is only a loser who keeps trying with the same enthusiasm despite setbacks. Zach values building networks and utilizing resources. Progressing every day is important, a lesson he learned in football. Being able to give back is important to him because sharing a wealth of knowledge with other people can create impact.

Zach sees himself as an entrepreneur because of his mindset, just being able to explore opportunities from a different angle. The spark of interest in blockchain emerged from a growing conversation around privatization and ownership of data.  Zach said, “The freedom of transferring data and information without the approval of the middleman is the core value proposition of blockchain.”

His speculations are a product of “Increase in the awareness of being independent of not only your own money but information” felt among Gen Zers like himself. In an example, he explains “We used to have stockbrokers to buy and sell shares of an asset, now we have it at our fingertips.”

The path of entrepreneurship can be lonely at times however Zach finds life in the Blackstone LaunchPad because it is a community of big ideas.  The collaborative community healthily reinforces the work ethic he learned as an adolescent. From an early age he would go to people in the neighborhood and politely ask to mow lawns to earn cash which influenced him to see money as a tool.

No one can tackle world problems alone. Diversify groups and teams to apply the core foundation of entrepreneurship. Team members that are equally driven but think from different perspectives can create a full circle though process Mentors have shown him there is more in the world for the taking if you apply yourself. Think of a problem then come up with solutions.  “If you fall seven times, stand up eight,” is a saying in the LaunchPad.

Zach over the past semester has been working on a Solana NFT collection titled Hazy Honey Badgerz. Hazy Honey Badgerz plans to expand its members mainly through social media channels such as Discord and Twitter. Staying true to the company’s mission is integral to its success because of its reliance on brand identity. Hazy Honey Badgerz is opening a door that will bring more people into it the Solana blockchain and NFT space. The platform is communal based because the community can vote to choose guest speakers and events to host. At the core of the NFT backed startup is an invitation to an exclusive community that exposes you to more opportunities. 

For the summer of 2023, Zach wants to explore his options at banks such as Citibank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan, or Morgan Stanley because of the new crypto and alternative digital asset divisions being built at these institutions. Every day in the news, crypto and the new wave of technology gets dissected, and more attention is drawn to it. Zach understands the framing of a new financial future. Going forward, Zach lives by his mantra to chip away at goals one day at a time to lay the foundation for steady gradual progression.

Story by Blackstone Launchstar Brandon Henry ’24; photo supplied

Olivia Aguilar ‘22 will change the game for women and exercise

Olivia Aguilar, ‘22, an Economics major and minor in Information Technology, Design and Startups, has taken her passion of working out to a new level. Growing up in Westchester, NY, Olivia spent most of her time engaged in physical activity and sports. While being a team player and fitness enthusiast, she wanted to carry that to her college career. ‘

After her first few months of her college experience, Olivia realized how hard it can be to exercise. She said, “I had no idea how hard it would be to balance classes and keep a consecutive workout routine.” She explained it was easier in high school because she played sports like basketball and volleyball, which permitted her to have designated times during the day.

Olivia was active on campus but discovered an even greater obstacle when the pandemic hit. While at home, and thinking about fitness, she decided to conduct research and the metrics associated with her Apple Watch. Throughout her findings, she was surprised to find her Apple Watch wasn’t as accurate as she had previously known. Now Olivia had the chance to combine her love for fitness and passion for helping women to create both an astonishing network and product to assist the younger generation. Olivia created LivFit.

While combining the knowledge she found on the internet and her personal experiences, she was inspired to create a clothing line that “makes women feel good.” An idea of stylish, comfortable, and feel-good clothing inspired her idea of a sensor for her new product.

The sensor would connect to the inside of an individual’s tank top, via Bluetooth, that would allow for a more accurate reading on vitals. Furthermore, the tops would be machine washable and allow the individuals to remove the sensor for charging convenience. This sensor would replace the need to wear an Apple Watch and produce more accurate results for tracking exercise routines. The sensor would connect to an app on an individual’s phone recording heart rates, blood pressure, activity, minutes, and a summary of the overall workout.

Just when you thought that idea was brilliant enough, there’s more. This app is designed to inspire women to work out, create a positive and friendly environment to motivate women. Uniquely, this app would have features like Facebook in which women can friend each other, send messages, create groups, and meet to exercise. Moreover, members could use the app to find a gym buddy and build relationships in their community. Lastly, the app would create a space for women to positively challenge each other through fitness, exercise and goals. Her idea was to create an environment that motivates women to bolster each other throughout their fitness journey. Olivia said, “working out with someone makes me want to go to the gym” so creating a platform that can permit those opportunities is where her passion lies.

Additionally, a member could sign up for a premium plan that would include weekly workouts and even healthy recipes to support their fitness journey. Olivia believes, “Going to the gym without knowing exactly what workouts to do can be hard. I want women to be confident and provide them with workouts that suit their body.”

Originally Olivia had started her fitness idea with another partner while working on an IDS class project in the fall of 2020. Eventually she decided to continue her brand while creating the sensor simultaneously.

Her target audience includes women between the ages of 25 and 35 and eventually allows for women of younger ages to be included. Her clothing would consist of high-quality material and retail prices like Nike or Lululemon.

With graduation right around the corner, Olivia is excited to start a new chapter of her life. She will be working in Manhattan and continuing the development of LivFit. In the future she hopes to recruit college ambassadors for pop-ups on campuses to promote her product and mission. Additionally, she is seeking for a team to bolster other sectors such as legal and financial responsibilities to expand her network.

Olivia’s positive attitude and outlook for herself and her community will lead her entrepreneurial success. Her mission is to support the women of our generation and create a healthier environment which will make our world a better place.

Audrey Miller ’20 channels her passion for social entrepreneurship at the Watson Institute

photo of a person against a mountain backdrop

When it comes to social entrepreneurship and supporting young founders with a purpose, you’ll be hard pressed to find someone who radiates as much passion and devotion as Audrey Miller ’20. Miller, a Toledo, Ohio native and Syracuse University graduate who double-majored in political science and international relations in the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, now channels this entrepreneurial spirit through her role as Program Coordinator at the Watson Institute in Boulder, Colo.

Miller’s interest in social entrepreneurship dates back to her senior year of high school, where she worked with a non-profit focused on education, community sustainability, and long-term growth in Uganda. For Miller, this was an eye-opening experience that shifted the trajectory of her educational and professional journey.  

“This was the first time I had ever really heard of community sustainability,” said Miller. “Before that, my only idea of sustainability was environmental sustainability and not this idea of building up a community. After this, I became really interested.”

When Miller landed on the Syracuse University campus for her freshman year in 2016, she immediately sought out ways to become involved in the university’s sustainability and social entrepreneurship community. After watching a presentation in one of her first semester classes, Miller reached out to the founders of Thrive Projects, a student-run non-profit focused on building community-sourced solar panels in Nepal. After working with Thrive Projects throughout her freshman year, Miller took the initiative to launch her own student organization named Thrive at SU, which served as a bridge between local non-profits and the university student body.

“We focused on how to help students get skills and build their resumes while giving back to the community,” explained Miller. “There are so many cool and diverse things in the City of Syracuse that I feel like as students we get cut off from.”

Through her work with Thrive at SU, Miller became acquainted with the Blackstone LaunchPad and its members, where she eventually accepted a role as a Global Media Fellow in her sophomore year. In this position, Miller assumed the responsibility of managing Syracuse University’s Hult Prize Competition, a prestigious global business competition focused on granting prizes for solutions to societal problems. While working as a campus director for Hult Prize, Miller was granted the opportunity to travel to London, England to meet with campus directors from other universities at the organization’s accelerator program, an experience that made a lasting impact on her career path.

“That trip really solidified my love for social entrepreneurship,” said Miller. “It was really amazing getting to meet all these other people from around the world who had the same desire to have a positive impact and enable others to have a positive impact. It was such a transformative experience.”

With her sights set on working in the social entrepreneurship space after graduation, Miller packed her bags and moved west to Boulder, Colo., where she accepted a role as an Operations Coordinator with the Watson Institute, an accelerator program focused on assisting and educating young, early-stage entrepreneurs through biannual 16-week programs. The Watson Institute also prioritizes initiatives aiming to tackle the world’s most pressing challenges through technology and innovation, a mission that provides meaning to Miller’s work.  

“I feel very honored to be able to work with so many amazing young people who want to have a huge impact on the world,” said Miller.

Now in her new role as Program Coordinator, Miller draws on many of her prior experiences to navigate a dynamic and exciting schedule as part of the small Watson Institute team, where her span of responsibility ranges from running classes and grading course assignments to managing the mentorship program. From working on the Hult Prize in the LaunchPad to launching her own student organization on campus, Miller feels as though her experiences on the Syracuse University campus were invaluable.

“If you want to work with an entrepreneur, you have you have entrepreneurial skills yourself,” explained Miller. “The skills I have now were developed in the LaunchPad and through my other experiences. They are what got me to where I am now.”

Miller relishes the social entrepreneurship community and connections she has made since starting her job and stays in close contact with many of the Watson Institute’s former students, no matter if they live in the United States or in foreign countries like China, Brazil, Kenya, and Nigeria. Above all, she finds gratification in hearing success stories of former students who have gone on to make real change in the world through by way of their ventures.

“There have been times when I have cried from seeing how amazing some of these people are,” said Miller. “I feel so humbled being able to work with them.”

Though she doesn’t have her own transformative social entrepreneurship idea, Miller plans on staying in the social entrepreneurial space and continuing to assist talented young entrepreneurs into the distant future.

“This work has given me such a different perspective on the world and the problems I face every day,” said Miller. “I love being able to help others make progress and make a huge impact in their community.”

Story by LaunchPad Global Fellow Matt Keenan ’22

Aidan Turner ’24, architect and entrepreneur, building Grater Things

Aidan Turner ’24, a student majoring in architecture, is a creative who blends the elements of architecture with the design of his clothing line, Grater Things.  Aidan grew up in Cumberland, Rhode Island and was influenced heavily by his mother who is an art teacher.  His environment pushed him to experimentation, and he entered college, he knew he wanted to bring a concept to market. 

Grater Things, Aidan’s clothing company, targets the Gen Z and millennial generations. His venture is a medium for him to bring a creative mind with dimensions of architecture to fashion.

“Grater Things is a trendy and simplistic brand that focuses on sweats,” says Turner.  “The inspiration for our name is a spinoff of the phrase ‘Greater Things’ and is intended to be a funny, less serious nameplate.”  Grate Things currently offers crew neck sweatshirts and hoodies but are looking to expand to sweatpants, t-shirts, socks, and more.  It also offers custom, trendy wall print tiles in vibrant color options.  The focus is on the playful nature of the brand, with a logo that is a cartoon cheese grater.

Aidan’s plans for expansion include but are not limited to rebranding as well as more professional photoshoots. A critical piece of his success is pouring more money into advertisements and creating a real identity behind the brand. Partnering with artists will allow for increased exposure so that Grater Things can reach a greater audience.

“Grater Things is devoted to a life of persistence and positivity and reaching further than you ever thought you could.  Putting positive vibes into the universe brings them back around to you, it’s as simple as that.”

Adian has been working with LaunchPad Rubin Family Innovation Mentor Jackson Ensley, founder of Popcycle, a marketplace for student fashion brands, on developing Grater Things.  The brand will be featured in Popcycle pops this spring on campus.  The product line includes streetwear and lounge clothing.  Aidan is also helping Jackson design other pop-up retail events. 

When Aidan reflects on the late Virgil Abloh, he sees the refraction of what he could be someday, using his creativity to make a living. As a creator, he is motivated by strength and passion. Because his mind is eclectic, he draws on inspiration from a variety of sources which allows him to thread these ideas in space into a cohesive design.

Aidan says that learning architecture is like relearning the world through a new lens. Observing even the smallest details in design can serve as stimulation which sparks the energy to create.

As a creator, Aidan sees being gregarious, passionate, and hardworking as the keys to success. A blend of emotional intelligence followed by passion into a pursuit of one hundred percent effort is the frame of mind required to crush goals. Aidan possesses the qualities of a salesperson but the genius of an architect because he looks at the world through the lens of design. While financial success is its own reward, helping others is the end goal of Aidan’s career because he feels there is humility in giving back.

Along the way, Aidan has realized learning from other people’s mistakes is important to understand the success and failure of brands. For example, he remarked that by making something simpler that people would buy works with certain styles and materials.

Not every mentor is someone you must know personally. Vigil Abloh was an architect who became a designer because he mastered his craft and monetized it. Despite the barriers in the fashion world, he kept going and took his designs to new heights so that the fashion world could do nothing else but respect him. Aidan sees life in what Virgil did for the world. He blended people from different worlds and joined their experiences to create inventive products. Like Aidan, many in our generation see the beauty in blending the paints of ideas to make something the world has never seen before.

Creative collaborative communities are important because the more ideas and opinions you have, the better the synthesis of an idea. Diverse minds create products that are closer to the customer’s ideal because of the variety of hands the product has touched.


Aidan believes that all aspiring entrepreneurs must have perseverance and grit which are vital to success because demanding times are inevitable. He vividly remembers the moments he spent thousands of dollars on products and eventually sold them despite the changing demand for fashion. Patience is a virtue. Stay inspired and always keep your eyes open.

Aidan defined an innovator as “Someone with a goal in mind, someone who is constantly thinking. Innovation as an artist is tough because the first part is following trends but also predicting trends.”

Story by Blackstone Launchstar Brandon Henry 24; photo supplied

Griffin Whitman ’19 takes fan-based LFG Sports to the next level

headshot of a man outdoors

Sports is a topic that we almost know too much about thanks to 24/7 news cycles. Constant coverage of pre-game, mid-game, and post-game. However, all this coverage is missing one essential aspect of what makes sports so great — the fans. The community of people that root for your team is fantastic, the rivalry of debating with a sports fan of the opposing team is even more riveting. Griffin Whitman, a 2019 Syracuse University sport management graduate, saw an opportunity to get in-depth with the typical sports fan and all that they do.

Whitman’s love for sports started early as a kid. He says, “I used to watch ESPN every day all day. I knew from a young age I wanted to work for a sports media company like Barstool.” However, after his capstone internship at Intersport, a media and marketing firm in Chicago, during his fall of senior year, he realized that there was something that neither Barstool nor ESPN did. He says, “I networked with a lot of people at the company and picked their brains about my idea for a media company that focuses on the fan and the fan experience… a lot of people I spoke to liked it.”

In February of 2019, Whitman officially launched LFG Sports, a sports media company that changes the way sports are covered by focusing on the fan experience. Whitman describes his company as if “ESPN and Barstool had a baby. We’re producing high quality content that’s edgy, authentic and completely fan-oriented.” He says his first year was really focusing on concepting on exactly what the brand was and focusing on content production. After COVID hit, Whitman says he had the opportunity to really think about the sales growth potential as well as the monetization possibilities of LFG which helped him give the company some direction as they entered their third year.

Through the first year of LFG, they gained great traction as 6-10 of their stunts went viral accumulating millions of views. When asked about which one was his favorite, Whitman mentions the MLB Home Run Derby in 2019 where Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit two home run balls that ricocheted off massive LFG Sports posters. The signs were featured on the on-air broadcast as well as the jumbotron multiple times. Whitman also highlights another video this year of a Bengals fan going crazy during the NFL divisional round that brought 4.3 million views.

Viral stunts are only the beginning for LFG Sports. Whitman says this year LFG sports plans to roll out their full college ambassador program as an initiative called LFG State College which puts passionate college fanbases in a “conference” against one another. You can’t help but be excited for what Whitman and LFG Sports has in store.

Story by Jack Lyons ‘22, LaunchPad Global Fellow; photos and graphics supplied

Tom Montfort ’24 on his love of software engineering, cryptocurrency and blockchain

headshot of a man in a suit outdoors

A lot of things clicked early on for Tom Montfort, a sophomore from Morristown, New Jersey. He says, “I always excelled as a student.  Although I’m naturally smart, I definitely have a strong work ethic.” His intelligence, however, did not make him complacent. Montfort, a computer science major, always was a problem solver. Whether it was building LEGOs or learning Python coding language, he has always been intellectually curious and ambitious.

Heading into his senior year of high school, Montfort didn’t really know exactly what he wanted to do post-grad, but after taking a class where he learned JavaScript that eventually led to him building a fitness app in the summer of 2020, he decided that computer science was the ideal route for him. He says, “I knew that I wanted to work for a large tech company doing some kind of software engineering.”

Coming to Syracuse University, he took his first-year computer science classes in stride due to his hard work. He says, “I knew towards the end of my freshman year that I wanted to get a software engineering internship even though they typically were only offered to juniors.” This didn’t faze Montfort though: “I had heard from others that it was hard to get an internship, but I didn’t care.”

He tried to build experience by joining the CuseHacks team at InnovateOrange his second semester freshman year. He explains, “At CuseHacks I learned a ton and I met Caitlin Sanders who was a senior on her way to Twitter and she helped me a lot with how to handle technical interviews.” After a strenuous process, he found himself at small firm ACG Consulting. By the end of the summer, he was essentially a full-time employee involved in important client work. However, Montfort knew this role was a stepping stone to a larger company.

He says, “The fall of my sophomore year I applied to a bunch of internships at big tech companies and banks. I got an interview at JP Morgan and I worked my ass off to nail the technical interview which I gladly did.”

His love of software engineering can only be matched by his passion for cryptocurrency and blockchain, which he taught himself during winter break of his freshman year. Montfort continues, “I love it because it’s a continual learning process, a learning process I want to share with others.” Montfort has been a part of CryptoCuse where he’s helped other undergrads with “basic foundations of blockchain and crypto currencies.” He says, “There’s ideas floating around in the club of new projects we can work on. It’s really exciting.”

In terms of the future, Montfort wants to get involved in a crypto-based startup as a software engineer, a perfect combination of his two passions. He says, “A traditional 9-5 is comfortable and a good start but I want to get involved with high growth companies in the crypto space because I see myself having a ton of impact.”

You can’t help but be excited to see what Montfort accomplishes in the future within the crypto and software industries and beyond.

Story by Jack Lyons ‘22, LaunchPad Global Fellow; photo by the LaunchPad

Damaris (Koi) Munyua ’22 is introducing sustainability to the wig industry

headshot of a student

Wigs have become extremely popular for the fun, fashion, and versatility. You can go from having blue hair to blonde, from blonde to red, from red to whatever color, length, and style you could think of.  That trend has also produced a market for wig caps. Although wig caps provide a great base for a seamless wig application, they also negatively impact the environment. As someone who loves experimenting with wigs, Damaris (Koi) Munyua G’22, worked to find a more sustainable solution to wig caps.

After taking the Opportunity Recognition and Ideation class for her master’s degree in Entrepreneurship and Emerging Enterprises in the Martin J. Whitman School of Management, Munyua started thinking about the items she was using in her everyday life and the issues she had with them.

Wig caps came to mind. Since it was hundreds of dollars to get a wig installed by a hair stylist, Munyua experimented with it herself. Soon, she found that the wig caps on the market were irritable to the skin, did not match black women’s skin tones and were bad for the environment. Munyua had great solutions to these problems. After working through the ideas in her course, she was encouraged by her instructor to keep pursuing the idea outside of the class project.

The target market for wig caps are usually African American women, but the wig caps on the market are usually beige in color. Munyua’s first solution was to make wig caps that matches skin tones of black women to provide better options.

Her next solution was to make the wig caps out of hemp nylon instead of cotton nylon or other synthetic materials. Although cotton may seem sustainable, cotton is not sustainably sourced – with lots of water waste and chemical pollution. Synthetic materials are non-biodegradable. Since wig caps are one use items, the waste that comes from the wig industry starts to escalate very quickly.

Hemp became a perfect solution, with the additional benefit of hypoallergenic qualities that prevent skin irritation.

Munyua is still learning more about products and intricacies of the wig industry. She is inspired by black owned businesses like Rebounded that makes plant based braided hair instead of synthetic ones.

Currently, Munyua is doing market research – talking to hair stylists and wig cap users. Talking to hair stylists is a great resource since they go through a considerable amount of wig caps compared to the average person.

Munyua was connected to the Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries at the Bird Library, to get more idea on how she should start on her ideas. She has competed in a business plan pitch competition at the LaunchPad before and plans to compete in more.

As an entrepreneur but a fashionista at heart, Munyua was working on a venture called Fitted before. Fitted would be a platform for up-and-coming fashion designers to find their client base. Although Munyua isn’t working on the project anymore, she keeps her passion for fashion alive by sewing during her free time.

Story by LaunchPad Global Fellow Natalie Lui ‘22; photo by the LaunchPad

Eric Hong ’23 on empathetic design and his indoor mapping tech solution for accessibility

Eric Hong is in his fourth year at the VPA School of Design majoring in Industrial & Interactive Design. He is a board member of the SU Industrial Designer Society of America. After a long process of figuring out all the avenues he could take to make the world a better place, he found a home in entrepreneurship. He says that his infatuation with creative design is rooted in his upbringing. He was taught to be compassionate and sympathetic, which as a result, he says developed his 6th sense to resolve issues. 

As a youth he always questioned recurring global issues and why there wasn’t enough being done to resolve these problems. Eric possessed an inquisitive nature that is assisting him in his endeavors with Industrial & Interactive Design. What separates him from most, is that Eric grew aware of the positive impact that the entrepreneur industry could have on worldwide issues at an early age. 

Hong’s creative drive stems from a problem or issue that comes to his attention. An issue that requires help or repair from a third party. In his own words, he says “I see problems as a fun challenge”. His bright outlook on issues across the globe has resulted in much of his success as a student and entrepreneur. 

Eric is also a part of the Inclusive Design & Intelligence ++ on campus where he can trade off ideas and constructive criticism with his peers. Recently, Eric and his team began brainstorming a navigation system for indoor spaces which would benefit newly arrived visitors at complex buildings. They plan to develop an indoor mapping service that is designed to help people ease their anxiety, by having a virtual indoor map that informs the user with useful information like, accessible paths, general directions, and crowd flow. It will help people prepare their daily activities before stepping out of their home, making them familiar with their new environment before they arrive. The service will provide a virtual interactive space that the user can move around in and an orthographic projection of the indoor space.

No issue is too broad for him to help in some way. His motto – “A way for average people to make a difference”.

Story by Zaccai Foundation Fellow Samba Soumare ’24; photo by the LaunchPad

Kwaku Jyamfi ’18 brings clean energy to communities around the world through Farm to Flame Energy

headshot of a man

In Ghana, a family uses noxious diesel generators to power their home and charcoal to light their ovens and stoves. Clean energy is utterly lacking in many parts of the world.  Kwaku Jyamfi ’18, who majored in chemical engineering at the College of Engineering & Computer Science, hopes to change that. He co-founded Farm to Flame Energy with Will McKnight ‘18, a graduate College of Arts and Sciences and the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs.  Starting as a student venture, the company has gone on to launch and is now scaling production of smokeless and odorless biomass-powered generators for use in communities around the globe.

Jyamfi’s passion for creating an environmentally conscious generator stems from his own experience and family background. Much of Jyamfi’s family is from Ghana, and he’s witnessed firsthand the reliance on diesel generators and charcoal. “Charcoal has a lot of particle matter that’s bad, and then the kids take that in,” he said. The use of charcoal to cook in kitchens or diesel generators for over 8 hours a day is not just an environmental problem, it’s also a public health problem.

When McKnight, who is a friend of Jyamfi’s, told him his grandfather had designed a combustion process for biomass that burns odorless and smokeless, Jyamfi was immediately intrigued.  Together, they began working on the patented idea, created a business model for Farm to Flame Energy and began pitching in business campus competitions, winning some initial seed funding for the idea during their studies at Syracuse University. The team incubated in the LaunchPad and worked with mentors from both the LaunchPad and the SyracuseCoE.

After Jyamfi graduated, he spent a summer working tirelessly at the Technology Garden in downtown Syracuse to design Farm to Flame Energy’s generators. The team hired several students studying mechanical engineering to assist them in the technological development of the generator. After a series of 60-hour weeks and tireless devotion, Jyamfi and his team created their model of the generator that successfully powered buildings while remaining carbon neutral.

Development of the company was made more complicated when Jyamfi moved on to graduate study at Carnegie Mellon University to get his degree in Environmental Engineering and Technology Innovation Management. In an entirely different city away from his team, Jyamfi worked full time on Farm to Flame Energy on development and investment while completing his graduate studies, showing his level of passion and dedication to the company. During quarantine he even built a small demonstrative generator on his porch, using the time and isolation to propel the company’s growth.

Farm to Flame Energy’s most pivotal growth came on a trip to Nigeria they took in the first semester of developing the company. They visited a hospital powered by diesel generators, which cost approximately 2 million US dollars per year. During that visit, they wrote the hospital a letter of intent promising that with their generators, their hospital could be powered sustainably for a cost of only 1.2 million US dollars per year. After the COVID-19 pandemic, Jyamfi and his team traveled back to Nigeria in 2021 and turned that letter of intent into a contract. They delivered their first commercial generator to that hospital in 2021 and have then since been developing more commercial generators with the ability to power commercial buildings using carbon neutral, clean energy.

Today Jyamfi works full time as the CEO of Farm to Flame Energy, finding investments and markets to turn their successful model of a commercial carbon neutral generator into a company that powers commercial buildings all around the world. His path from an engineering student with an idea to the CEO of a company that has developed and implemented a technologically successfully clean energy power source speaks to the large-scale positive contribution every person can make with just an idea.

Story by Claire Howard ’23, Global Fellow; photo supplied  

Frank Marin ’23 (MBA ’24) on innovation in the space industry and bringing ideas to life

As he lies in bed trying to sleep, a thousand thoughts run through Frank’s mind: What would happen if we don’t fix the space debris issue? How can we fix it? A satellite? What would it do? How would it work?

Frank Marin, an aerospace engineering major in the H. John Riley Dual Engineering/MBA Degree Program, is passionate about making a difference in the future of space technology.

In high school, Frank began researching the Kessler Syndrome, a phenomenon where the amount of space debris orbiting around Earth reaches a point where collisions continue to exponentially create more and more space debris. This threat of more space debris could destroy existing satellites, which could interfere with international space station operations and impact our own technology (such as Wi-Fi) on Earth.

“We wouldn’t be on a Zoom call like we are now if space debris takes out our satellites,” Frank said.

While conducting his research under the guidance of his high school science teacher, Frank gained the confidence to actually apply his knowledge to solving the problem.

“I don’t know what my science teacher saw in me, but she pushed me enough to where I could do something truly amazing,” Frank noted. He added that he wouldn’t be where he is today had it not been for the figures in his life who encouraged him to make his ideas a reality.

After understanding the magnitude of the problem, Frank designed and patented his idea for a new satellite: one whose purpose is the removal of space debris using an original design that combines electromagnets, robotic arms, and a strong adhesive that can latch onto debris tumbling through space. By removing even just 5-10 debris per year, this satellite could mitigate the Kessler Syndrome.

To put a face to the company, Frank, and his co-founder, Elliott Holdosh, began MarHold. Although the idea for the company had been alive and brewing in their minds long before they had made it official, finally putting a name to the idea helped bring it to life.

Throughout the startup process, Frank found it valuable to be working with a co-founder that had the same passion he did.

“Having someone by your side that is willing to risk a lot — just as much as you — for something that isn’t even tangible yet is so unique.”

He also explained that having a co-founder is important in that it both provides you with someone who can build you up while at the same time someone who can play devil’s advocate to potentially bad ideas. Frank admitted that he doesn’t know everything, so team members who fill in gaps in his knowledge are necessary to make the vision a reality.

“When we propose an idea, we talk about it until we either crush it to a pulp or put it on a shelf to come back to,” Frank said.

Because Frank views criticism as an opportunity to grow, he takes feedback he receives to heart, especially when it comes to slowing down on his ideas and taking a process one step at a time instead of three. He reminds other aspiring entrepreneurs to also be open to criticism and to be realistic in their pursuits.

“Keep your head in the clouds but feet on the ground,” he said.

Despite emphasizing the value in staying grounded, Frank does believe in chasing the impossible.

“All we have is the name, the idea, and the dream, but that’s all you need to start.” After all, that’s how all of the world’s greatest inventions began.

Now, Frank and his team are seeking funding for the research and development of the satellite design.

Frank hopes that over time, the company will serve as a catalyst for innovations in other industries too. He believes that dabbling in different fields of science is good because it develops a more comprehensive view of the world and how it works. Frank aspires to capture that bigger picture with MarHold.

“Whatever we may do, it’s going to make an impact,” he said, smiling. “But we can’t do this just the two of us.”

Those interested in learning more about Frank, joining his team, or investing in MarHold’s research and development can find him on LinkedIn or email him at fdmarin@syr.edu.

Story by Blackstone LaunchPad Global Fellow Sasha Temerte ’23; photo by the LaunchPad