Northwestern University's inventive activity was strong in 2022, with 219 invention disclosures filed by faculty and researchers. This is a positive indicator of the innovative work being done at Northwestern. In addition to these disclosures, 11 faculty startups were launched, demonstrating the University's commitment to translating cutting-edge research into real-world applications.
When I became INVO’s inaugural executive director in 2010, I held one personal, admittedly strange goal: to put myself out of a job. That successful result, after all, would mean Northwestern University had established itself as a leader in innovation and entrepreneurship among U.S. universities.
How might a university measure its innovative culture? It is an important question given higher education’s reliance on metrics to chart progress, establish benchmarks, and inform decision making, including ever-important discussions around resource allocation.
Trading greenhouse gas-causing fossil fuels for renewable alternatives such as biofuels remains one of the most compelling ways to combat climate change and contribute to a healthier planet. While ethanol, a biofuel concocted from corn and other plant materials, has captured some marketplace reach, the need for more accessible, economical, and sustainable biofuels remains high.
For years, Northwestern undergraduate Izzy Mokotoff (Medill ’24) enjoyed a treasured tradition with her grandfather – affectionately known as “Pops.” Each week, the two sent handwritten letters to one another. The simple act connected generations and fostered everlasting bonds. But as Pops’ Parkinson’s symptoms intensified, challenging his manual dexterity and ability to pen a note, the letter writing ceased.
The most common malignant brain tumor, glioblastoma often brings intensifying headaches, nausea, vomiting, and seizures. It also carries a dismal prognosis – one unchanged for decades despite accelerating levels of research into the aggressive cancer. Glioblastoma survival is measured in months, not years. The bleak outlook drains spirits and invites mortality closer than anyone would like.
The evolution of Northwestern University’s entrepreneurial ecosystem continued in Spring 2022 with the debut of the new Querrey InQbation Lab in downtown Evanston.
When Northwestern University launched the Center for Synthetic Biology in 2016, it signaled the University’s commitment to a fast-evolving field focused on building new biological systems using the tools of physics, engineering, and computer science. Six years later, Northwestern research has spawned various synthetic biology startups, including three Querrey InQbation Lab residents who also received N.XT funding to propel commercial development.
Translating innovative technologies from the lab to the market takes time and resources. It’s an arduous and complex but necessary journey. The majority of advanced technologies out of the university, including computer software, electronics, medical devices and nanotechnology, requires research, market validation, testing, and much more to reach the public’s hands. INVO and Northwestern University at large support the commercialization of technologies throughout the earlier ideation and proof of concept stages as well as the initial phases of new company formation. Resources spanning translation, diligence, and access to funding and physical space are outlined here.
A lifelong piano player, Aspen Buckingham (Music ’23) found his usual passion for practice waning amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Alone and adapting to new routines, musical practice felt more like a chore than an inspired adventure. The sobering realization sparked reflection. Then, invention.