Leadership

Retired Army Major Wins EBV Alumni Event Pitch Competition

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – If you ask U.S. Army Major (Ret.) Henry H. Washington III ’21 EBV about the experiences that set him up for success as a youngster, he will credit three things:

  • loving parents,
  • a never-miss-church-on-Sunday ethic,
  • participation in every sports team available, all which kept him busy, tired, and out of trouble and
  • a “village’’ of people who cared about him.

Today he is the Founder and CEO of the Henry H. Washington 3 Foundation, which serves to better the lives of children, teens and young adults in metro Atlanta. The foundation offers a wide range of services, but is particularly focused on helping youth find a career path, stay out of trouble, and serve the community.

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UConn Chemists Developing Safer, All-Natural Contrast Dye for Medical Imaging

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – In the United States alone, more than 130 million MRIs and CT scans were performed in 2023. And while those medical images are very valuable tools in identifying, or ruling out, serious health problems, they are not without risk.

While the majority of patients experience no adverse effects, the contrast dyes used in the process can cause allergic reactions, and can trigger kidney damage in those with pre-existing kidney disease. The concern is greatest among people requiring multiple scans.

Pragati Rout, a doctoral candidate, and her mentor, chemistry professor Greg Sotzing, have found a plant-based alternative that is safe, effective, and free of allergic reaction. They’ve created a company, called 404 Inc., to market the medical innovation, as well as other consumer products.

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Nutritional Startup Provides Healthy Meals to Keep Vulnerable People Out of the Hospital

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Imagine the stress of just being discharged from the hospital–still feeling weak, vulnerable, and shaken by a serious diagnosis—only to be told that you now have to completely overhaul your diet.

That is a daunting task for many, but fortunately food expert Vanessa Sena and two colleagues from UConn Health have a solution.

They’ve started a business called MLC Nutrition, which provides delicious, healthy, chef-prepared meals for recently hospitalized patients, with the goal of optimizing their health and preventing rehospitalization.

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Hartford’s 4th Annual AI Day Will Offer Businesses, Professionals, Students Opportunities to Navigate Emerging Tech

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – The first time AI Day was offered in Hartford in 2022, it drew a small but enthusiastic group of 68 participants. It was before the release of ChatGPT, and both the capabilities of the technology and its potential impact on business and society were not widely recognized.

This year, some 800 people are expected at AI Day events spread across two days – a kickoff and thought leadership keynote on Tuesday, April 22, and a day-long learning forum on Wednesday, April 23.

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Camaraderie, Enthusiasm Punctuate Wolff New Venture Competition

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – A novel treatment for long-term pain management that could revolutionize post-operative care and eliminate the need for opioids for many, won the first-place, $30,000 grand prize at the Wolff New Venture Competition last week.

Professors and esteemed UConn Health researchers Lakshmi Nair, Ph.D. and Yusuf Khan, Ph.D. say they were both surprised and thrilled that their startup, Soleia Biosciences, received the award. With the financial and business support they’ve received, they hope to advance the treatment that has been in development for 10 years.

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Murphy Highlights UConn’s Connecticut Center For Entrepreneurship And Innovation As “Innovator Of The Month”

Posted on by Claire Hall

murphy.senate.gov – HARTFORD–U.S. Senator Chris Murphy (D-Conn.) announced on Wednesday that the Connecticut Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CCEI), the University of Connecticut’s entrepreneurship center, was named “Innovator of the Month” for its work to advance entrepreneurship in Connecticut. The center provides students, faculty, alumni, and military veterans with the necessary resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities to scale up their ideas, empowering entrepreneurs across the state to build sustainable businesses and make a positive impact.

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Beloved Family Dog Inspired South Windsor Family to Become Entrepreneurs

Posted on by Scott Slater III

UConn Today – The Cecchini family’s entrepreneurship story began with an extraordinary love for their English Bulldog, Tank.

Unlike his two canine brothers, Tank suffered from unrelenting food allergies and painful ear infections. The South Windsor family developed a healthy, all-natural, grain-free dog biscuit just for him. When friends and family kept asking for samples, they recognized they were onto something big. They created their business, The Dog Bone LLC, in 2016.

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UConn course, with lessons on building a brand, creating content and more, empowers student athletes in NIL ventures

Posted on by Scott Slater III

Hartford Courant – One of the University of Connecticut’s most valuable coaching programs for athletes doesn’t have much to do with sports.

Dozens of UConn’s Division I student athletes — including men’s basketball champions Donovan Clingan, Hassan Diarra and Adama Sanogo — have been studying business development under the tutelage of David Noble, director of the Peter J. Werth Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation.

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Innovation Quest’s Three Winning Teams All Passionate About Human Health

Posted on by Claire Hall

UConn Today – Although personal health-tracking devices have proliferated in recent years, entrepreneur John Toribio, a Ph.D. candidate at UConn, believes his innovation is far superior to what’s available on the market today.

Toribio Labs is the winner of UConn’s 2024 Innovation Quest (iQ) entrepreneurship competition and has received a $15,000 award.

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