Avdeev named director of innovation at Lubar Entrepreneurship Center

Ilya Avdeev has been named director of innovation at the new Lubar Entrepreneurship Center. In this role, Avdeev — an associate professor of mechanical engineering who has been instrumental in fostering entrepreneurship at UWM — will lead program development and partnership cultivation.

New Partnership with Shorewood School District to Spur “Authentic Learning”

The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s (UWM) Lubar Entrepreneurship Center and the Shorewood School District have announced a new Teaching Fellows partnership to cultivate Authentic Learning in grades 7-12.  The new Fellows program, supported by a grant from the Shorewood SEED Foundation, will tap into UWM’s expertise and provide professional development for Shorewood teachers as they build new and innovative educational opportunities for students.

Establishing the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center at UWM

On this week’s program, a discussion of the critical need for innovation and entrepreneurship in Milwaukee and the region. WUWM’s Dave Edwards talks with UW-Milwaukee Chancellor Mark Mone; Julia Taylor, president of the Greater Milwaukee Committee; and Sheldon Lubar. Mr. Lubar and his family donated $10 million to UWM to establish the Lubar Entrepreneurship Center.

How High-Tech Entrepreneurs Are Energizing Milwaukee

If you sense that something is stirring or hear a buzz, it might just be the sound of Milwaukee’s high-tech community building the foundation for a new entrepreneurial economy. In the past several years, an outcropping of high-tech entrepreneurs has emerged here, universities have gone all out to teach entrepreneurial skills, and established companies are on board to support this emerging startup ecosystem. But perceptions change slowly, as the underlying reality shifts.

UWM-developed app helps protect patients’ brains during surgery

The work of some UWM students is literally helping make people’s lives better. The students in UWM’s App Brewery worked with doctors at the Medical College of Wisconsin to develop an app that helps guide doctors during the delicate process of brain surgery. Incredibly, patients are awake during the surgery. The app, called NeuroMapper, is a tablet-based tool that aids surgeons who are removing a tumor or tissue by helping them test whether they are encroaching on tissue that would impair functions if removed.

Untangling health care costs, one cord at a time

Nurses have assigned an array of nicknames to the web of medical lines, cords and tubes stationed by a patient’s bedside. Snake pit. Spaghetti. Rat’s nest.  With no universal system to sort the numerous cords and tubes, they frequently get twisted and disorganized. For health care workers, the problem of discombobulated cords can range in severity from a time-consuming nuisance to an occasional tripping hazard to something far more dangerous.

UWM Student Entrepreneur of the Month: Fabien Edjou

Fabien Edjou, veteran, retired Army Officer, and undergraduate student pursing a degree in Supply Chain and Operation Management at UWM, has created a sustainable solution to waste through his new startup, LeanServ, LLC. Founded in 2016, Edjou’s business specializes in technology information, products, and services (TIPS) that help organizations transform into zero-waste environments.   “Serving in the military has taught me discipline and a greater level of responsibility for self and duty to others,” says Edjou. “My experiences as an Army Officer continue to reinforce my desire to reach my full potential, take risks, and create a positive impact on as many people as possible.” While many waste initiatives focus on reducing and managing waste, LeanServ, LLC., concentrates on preventing waste. Through UWM’s Student Startup Challenge Program (SSC), Edjou collaborated with student engineers and designers to develop a versatile and modular accessory organizer called LeanVO (Lean Vertical Organizer). TIPSfolio, a separate optimization tool used in conjunction with LeanVO, was also prototyped and developed through SSC to bring an efficient link between waste producers and consumers. “Becoming aware of the Student Startup Challenge was the most exciting moment I’ve had since returning to school,” says Edjou. “Going through Customer Discovery was an eye-opening experience that taught me that you never truly know how good your product is until you hear honest feedback from potential customers.” After graduation, Edjou plans to continue growing his business and supporting entrepreneurship at UWM through mentorship and financial sponsorship. With help from the UWM Research Foundation (UWMRF), Edjou filed several Intellectual Property disclosures with even more waiting to be processed. “Learn to enjoy every aspect of your journey, regardless of where it takes you,” says Edjou. “No one knows your dream better than you, so don’t give up!”