Two UWM Startups Receive Bridge Grants to Fuel Next Phase of Growth
Since 2021, the UWMRF Bridge Grant program has helped high-potential startups at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM) overcome early funding gaps and accelerate toward growth.
With the support of generous community partners, the program has awarded $600,000 to 14 UWM-affiliated startups over the past five years. Early results are strong: the first 14 grantees have secured more than $18M in follow-on funding and created 33 new jobs.
This year, we’re proud to recognize two returning awardees whose continued momentum earned them renewed Bridge Grant support. Each team received $25,000 to advance innovations in assistive robotics and cancer therapeutics.
Congratulations to our 2026 recipients!
Special thanks to the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation’s Capital Catalyst grant, Dennis and Sue Webb, and Chris and Karl Fiasca for their support.
RoboHeal Innovations
Habib Rahman, PhD
Richard & Joanne Grigg Professor, Mechanical Engineering
Director, BioRobotics Lab
RoboHeal Innovations is helping powered wheelchair users regain independence through its robotic assistive arm, mR2A, which supports everyday activities such as eating, opening doors, and interacting with the environment. Developed at UWM’s BioRobotics Lab, the system offers intuitive control options including eye‑gaze and chin‑joystick interfaces.
With Bridge Grant support, RoboHeal will focus on moving the mR2A from an advanced prototype toward a market‑ready product. The funding will help the team:
- Prepare the device for repeatable manufacturing and scaling
- Refine the design to ensure it can be built reliably by commercial partners
- Build and test a commercialization‑ready prototype
- Generate the testing and performance evidence needed to support future partnerships, pilots, and investment
Together, these steps position RoboHeal to transition from research innovation to a product that can reach users who need it most.
SynXT Therapeutics
Xiaohua Peng, PhD
Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry
Taufeeque Ali, PhD
Graduate, Chemistry; CEO, SynXT Therapeutics
SynXT Therapeutics is developing a novel cancer treatment approach that combines hydrogen-peroxide‑activated prodrugs with high‑dose vitamin C to selectively destroy cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. These therapies are designed to activate only in tumor environments, where reactive oxygen species (ROS) are elevated.
SynXT’s Bridge Grant will support a critical preclinical study that directly compares the company’s therapy to today’s standard chemotherapy treatments for triple negative breast cancer. The funding will enable the team to:
- Measure how effectively the therapy shrinks or eliminates tumors compared to standard care in patient-derived animal models
- Evaluate overall safety and side effects in advanced cancer models
- De-risk the project to support grant applications and potential partnerships
By answering key questions about effectiveness and safety, this work strengthens SynXT’s path toward future clinical development and commercialization.
