UWM Research Foundation awards Bridge Grants to UWM startups

By Laura Otto via UWM Report The UWM Research Foundation has awarded a total of $178,220 to five UWM startups that are managed by faculty, students or staff and also have licensed intellectual property from the Research Foundation. These Bridge Grants are designed to provide “gap” funding to startups that have progressed past the government-funded basic research stage and are moving toward commercialization. Funding comes from a matching grant to UWM by the Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. Each company has proposed specific key milestones using the Bridge Grant fund that will advance the company to the next level. The startups are:  
  • COnovate Inc., $50,000
Co-founded by former faculty Carol Hirschmugl and Marija Gajdardziska-Josifovska, COnovate has shown that a patented material they developed aids in safer, faster-charging, and higher-capacity lithium-ion batteries.  
  • RoddyMedical Holdings Inc., $40,220
The company, founded by nurse and alumna Lindsey Roddy, is commercializing The SafeMover. This single-use medical device is designed to organize and secure different types of medical tubes and cords to eliminate hazardous pulling and line/cord dislodgement with its patent-pending design.  
  • Pantherics Inc., $38,000
This company focuses on discovering, developing and commercializing novel therapeutics for chronic inflammation. Founded by former director of the Milwaukee Institute for Drug Discovery (MIDD), Douglas Stafford, and Professor Alexander (Leggy) Arnold, current MIDD director, the company is developing an oral medication to treat persistent asthma.  
  • Estrigenix Therapeutics Inc., $25,000
Estrigenix Therapeutics is a collaboration among Karyn Frick (UWM)William Donaldson (Marquette University) and Dan Sem (Concordia University). Their goal is to develop and commercialize first-in-class therapeutics to treat hot flashes and memory dysfunction in menopausal women.  
  • Septillionth Inc., $25,000
With their affordable and easy-to-use digital read-out sensors, Woo-Jin Chang, (UWM) and Ihnjea Choi are developing a portable lead detector that will use the sensors to test water in wells, homes and cities.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]