��Houts and Richards shared their experiences with UofL News.

UofL News: You are both non-traditional medical students. How has your journey into medicine been different from the “typical” path? How has UofL shaped this path?

Houts: When I finished high school, I accepted an ROTC scholarship to attend Fresno State, where I studied biochemistry and found a passion for science. Several years into active duty, I realized that wasn’t where I saw myself in 20 years, so I started looking around at other opportunities. A friend made a connection with a surgeon on base, and she let me shadow her in the OR. I was enamored with the idea that someone could go under anesthesia with a terminal disease and wake up healthy and cured. The University of Louisville has provided a place for me to grow and pursue my passions freely while earning my medical degree. I’m especially grateful to all the great mentors I’ve had and connections I’ve made here who have supported my ideas.

Richards: I knew early on that I wanted to work in medicine. After high school, I chose to take a break before beginning college and serve an ecclesiastical mission in Argentina. I spent two years there, away from family, friends and academics, and focused on the importance of serving other people. This time provided me with the opportunity to see others as they are and to truly understand their genuine needs. I quickly realized the importance of human connection and the selflessness that is needed to care for others compassionately. Upon my return from Argentina, I refocused my attention on becoming a physician and applying those deep-rooted lessons to that goal. ��While here at ULSOM, I have had the privilege to work alongside amazing people and bright minds who have supported my goals and aspirations to not only become a doctor, but an entrepreneur and innovator in the field of medicine. This trailblazing school offers countless opportunities to network with renowned physicians and inventors, all of whom are so willing to provide meaningful advice and assistance in my work.

UofL News: At what point did each of you realize you wanted to go beyond practicing medicine and actually innovate within it?

Houts: A majority of medical school is a game of mass memorization. This makes sense, given the vast advances that have taken place over the last 100 years. But spending a day memorizing facts doesn’t fuel my drive. I love to create. When I first met my now wife, I told her it was my goal in life to play and write rock music. I got my MBA from Berklee College of Music because I wanted to be able to market myself as a songwriter and artist. Eventually, I realized I preferred music as a passion instead of a job, but that same desire to create and build something from scratch never went away. I love looking at a problem and trying to discover a new solution. There have been so many evenings I’ve started working on a project or idea, and before I know it, I look at the clock and it’s 11 pm, and I haven’t had dinner. Nothing I’ve built has been a sacrifice; it’s all been a labor of love.

Richards: With my beginnings in rural medicine, I had many opportunities to create, reexamine and iterate new policies and workflows for the small medical staff to improve the care we offered to our underserved patients. The changes I implemented started with simple modifications, such as how we organized our office and how we performed basic patient intake skills, and eventually they led to how we improved our in-office procedures and patient care outcomes. These everyday changes helped me see the impact of innovation on a small rural healthcare ecosystem, and it evolved as I started my education at the School of Medicine. Here, I have been able to see the broader impact of medicine and the everyday processes and tools that we utilize to impact patients. As seen by Dave Brailsford’s British cycling team, making improvements in minor ways can create a revolutionary outcome, and I believe that applying that process to medicine will dramatically improve our healthcare system to what patients deserve.

UofL News: Can you walk me through one of the devices you’ve developed and the impact it could have on patient care?

Both: Our most developed product is called Precisionject… a novel device that attaches to an existing syringe to modify the user’s grip so that they can hold a syringe like a pencil for improved placement accuracy, stability and control. Precisionject attaches to the syringe plunger and controls it with a modulator near the needle-end of the syringe so that the user does not need to move their hand to inject or pull out fluids while performing procedures under ultrasound guidance. The current approach to highly precise injection procedures requires one hand to hold the syringe and push down on the syringe’s plunger to eject the solution. This leads to inaccurate placement, injured tissues, failed procedures, and poor patient satisfaction. By utilizing Precisionject to hold the syringe like a pencil, it allows the user to take advantage of a familiar grip to improve needle placement and decrease tissue damage. Our goal is to empower physicians and elevate the standard of patient care.

UofL News: For someone outside the medical field, how would you describe Claustrum Design in simple terms?

Both: We create new medical and surgical devices to improve patient outcomes and help physicians perform at their highest level. For some of our devices, this may look like lowering a post-operative complication rate; for other projects, it might be improving a logistical process that happens in the hospital basement that no patient will directly encounter. At the heart of everything we do, you will find the patient. Every product we make is aimed towards improving their health and hospital experience from the moment they walk in the door until they return home to their family.

UofL News: How has your experience at the University of Louisville contributed to the way you pursue something like this?

��Richards: The University of Louisville has one of the most community-minded and supportive environments for students to thrive and grow. As we have begun this journey, we have encountered countless people who believe in us and want us to succeed. From our phenomenal team at Tech Transfer to the physicians at UofL Health who have provided meaningful feedback, to our fellow students who inspire us, I don’t think it’s possible to find a more supportive atmosphere for students to grow.

UofL News: What would you advise a prospective medical student who wants to follow your steps?

Houts: I’ve always lived by the motto that I’d rather live with failure than regret. I’ve probably had 100 ideas for medical devices since starting school, and 96 of them didn’t turn out well. I used to shy away from this reality because I thought it meant I was a failure if my idea didn’t succeed. I’ve since come to realize that none of that really matters, and the worst thing I can do is not try or give up on my ideas for fear of failure. I would tell anyone else who has an idea in their field to go for it. The failure isn’t as embarrassing as you think it’ll be, and the prospective rewards that await are priceless. Chase your ideas- the journey they’ll take you on is the adventure of a lifetime.

Richards: First, I can’t stress the importance enough of surrounding yourself with great people. I am fortunate enough to have amazing mentors, friends and family, and Justin is no exception. Justin has been a great partner to work with, and we have created a deep friendship throughout this work. Seek out the people who believe in you and always find ways to support others. Second, great innovators are always looking to improve the world around them. Take the time to identify the problems around you and be patient with yourself as you imagine what could fix that problem. Finally, stick with it and be relentlessly engaged in your goals.

UofL News: What’s the next step for your invention?

Houts: We are going to keep pursuing these projects we have started and see where they take us. We will have the first working prototype of Precisionject built soon and will start in vitro trials to get as much quantitative data as possible to support our continued grant applications and funding opportunities. Maybe if we’re lucky, we’ll even be able to drum up some interest from investors soon. We’ve been accepted to attend a business conference in Salt Lake City in June, so we will present our company there and see what connections we can make. We’ve recently partnered with Dr. Redi Rahmani, the director of cerebrovascular neurosurgery at Jewish Hospital, on a project that looks to improve the logistical operations behind OR turnover. Safe to say, you can probably find us in the library studying, in my garage 3D printing and sketching, or at our laptops at 10 p.m. on a Friday writing grant applications. And on the rare occasion, we get the privilege of talking with other people to share our vision and goals for the future.

The Yum! Scholars Program, launched this fall through the in the UofL College of Business, has welcomed 10 students to its first cohort. Yum! Scholars, who may be from any school and major across the university, receive up to $8,000 in financial support and mentoring within a community designed to help them become the next generation of leaders who drive growth, innovation and success in the franchising world. Successful scholars will embody the spirit of leadership, resilience and community impact.

“Being selected as a Yum! Scholar means having the support and opportunity to turn my hard work and dreams into a future where I can give back to my community,” said Ethan Walker, a junior majoring in business administration and one of the scholars selected.

The program is made possible by a $1-million endowment from Yum! Brands, demonstrating Yum!’s commitment to investing in the next generation of franchise business leaders. The program aims to prepare talented individuals for thriving careers in franchising, business and leadership.

“It’s truly a pleasure to support these amazing students from Yum! Brands’ home state of Kentucky,” said Kat Abner, senior manager, community impact for Yum! Brands. “It is so rewarding to continue working with the University of Louisville on innovative ways to provide a best-in-class education to those interested in a career in franchising. The industry’s future leaders are being trained today at the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence.”

The is a cohort experience that builds a strong community of changemakers driven to make a difference on campus and beyond. As part of the program, each scholar will receive $1,000 per semester for up to eight semesters and engage in franchising education and community designed to inspire them to explore careers and leadership in the franchise industry. Each year, the program plans to add five students from the incoming freshman class.

Yum! Scholars are selected for academic potential along with how they live out the four core values that reflect the spirit of the Yum! Scholars Program:

• Drive:��Demonstrate grit and determination by rising above obstacles and turning challenges into opportunities for growth.
• Leadership:��Lead with integrity, courage and empathy – taking initiative and inspiring positive momentum in every endeavor.
• Belonging:��Respect and value the unique experiences of others, fostering an environment where all people and voices are welcome.
• Impact:��Strive to make meaningful contributions that create lasting, positive change on campus, in communities and beyond.

Yum! Scholars will have exclusive opportunities to engage with franchise industry professionals to help build their professional network and provide real-world franchising insights as part of the scholars’ community, while pursuing the degree of their choice.

“These students will be prepared to become leaders in the franchising industry,” said Kathleen Gosser, director of the Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence. “Franchising provides a tremendous entrepreneurial opportunity for students who are driven and focused. This program will help boost their success and accelerate their careers.”

Yum! Scholars must be residents of Kentucky or a state covered by UofL’s tuition reciprocity agreements and must complete at least one of four designated undergraduate online courses in franchise management during their junior or senior year. To remain eligible, scholars must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.75 and participate in program events, which include workshops, networking and professional development. Current high school seniors are encouraged to to be part of the 2026 cohort by Sunday, Dec. 15.

The 2025 Yum! Scholars

• Brian Alonso, Sophomore, Business Admin
• Mohammed Alyaserri, Junior, CIS
• Mateo Barrientos, Junior, Public Health
• Maycee Decker, Junior, Biology
• Ezra Foote, Sophomore, Political Science
• Kyleigh Greenwell, Sophomore, Accountancy
• TaRon Smith, Junior, Neuroscience
• Key’Shawn Stoner, Sophomore, Business Admin
• Ethan Walker, Junior, Business Admin
• Trinity Ziakas, Sophomore, Psychology

Students enrolled in Elevator are working in small groups to lead real change in the Louisville community. Sandbox participants are building a software business from scratch, retaining 100% equity in the company. Although the classes are coordinated by the Center for Positive Leadership and Forcht Center for Entrepreneurship in the College of Business, students from the College of Arts & Sciences and J.B. Speed School of Engineering also may take the classes and earn 18 hours of credit toward their degrees. The goal is to encourage collaborative, multidisciplinary experience, accomplishments and professional networks that the students can directly build on for the next steps in their careers.

“Our vision is to make hands-on learning a common experience for our students, to give them deep knowledge and immediate job readiness” said Ryan Quinn, associate professor of management and entrepreneurship and academic director of the Center for Positive Leadership.

Elevator: Leading change

In the Elevator class, teams of students majoring in business administration, communications, criminal justice, management, sociology, sustainability or urban studies work at least 24 hours per week with local organizations to improve some aspect of life for Louisville residents. The students receive mentorship throughout the class from professional experts and faculty.

In the current Elevator class, four groups of students are working on projects to implement change in various areas of Louisville:

• Collaborate with Feed Louisville to reduce hunger in the city by identifying untapped sources of surplus food as well as areas of high food insecurity where needs are not being met. The team plans to then connect the sources of food with areas of need to close hunger gaps in the city.
• Grow Da Lat’s Gateaux and Café, a Vietnamese restaurant on the south side of Louisville, by increasing revenue, launching a digital presence and improving training for new employees. They also plan to explore options for a second location.
• Enhance the health and well-being of Louisville residents through the development, improvement and maintenance of greenspaces across the city. The group is working with members of the Greenprint initiative and the UofL Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute to help coordinate efforts among greening organizations.
• Reduce loneliness among seniors in the city with practical, community-grounded interventions. Working with the Envirome Institute, the students will conduct surveys, focus groups and interviews with community members and then create, implement and evaluate strategies tailored to the needs of the specific communities.

Upon completion of the class, students receive access to the Elevator network as a resource for mentorship and job placement. Elevator is supported by the Bufford Family Foundation and managed by the at the UofL College of Business.��

Sandbox: Building software businesses

The Sandbox class allows students from business administration, computer information systems, electrical engineering, graphic design and management to form interdisciplinary teams to identify and validate software products, sell them and seek venture financing. The students retain 100% of the equity in any company they build as part of Sandbox.

Small groups within the current class of 18 students are working on six ideas:

• Due Gooder: Tracks due dates so you don’t have to
• Daker: Home care app connecting clients and caregivers across languages
• Nexus Audit: Finance platform for small-to-midsize businesses to manage accounts payable and accounts receivable
• Night District: A nightlife application that provides guests with a platform to discover, explore and order drinks at bars and nightclubs
• Stuf’d: Digitized menu made for real-time ratings
• CUB: Truck repair invoice and waitlist system for shops

The Due Gooder group already has built and launched a software product that is being used by more than 2,000 schools worldwide. It has more than 10,000 users and is generating $6,000 recurring revenue per month.

In the course, facilitated by Jack Manzella, an instructor and entrepreneur-in-residence in the College of Business, students learn using proprietary technology along with students from other universities around the country which also offer Sandbox. Successful ��companies developed at other institutions are now valued at over $120 million.

, offered through the as part of the Mid-South NSF I-Corps Hub, is an intensive course focused on , which helps innovators and entrepreneurs test their ideas or products in the real world and see if they have what it takes to stick. The regular eight-week program is hybrid and offered in spring and fall, while the new three-session ‘short course’ is offered virtually and in summer.��

“Entrepreneurs and innovators are nimble — they need to move fast to get their ideas from mind to market,” said Jessica Sharon, UofL senior director of innovation and new ventures. “With this new, shorter program, we’re able to offer training and coaching through a more flexible format that helps them move quickly and fits into busy schedules.”��

LaunchIt’s curriculum, taught by experienced and successful entrepreneurs from both the Office of Research and Innovation and UofL College of Business, includes coaching, mentoring and lessons on customer discovery, product validation and other considerations when preparing for market launch. The program is open to anyone in the region working to develop a technology-focused product or company.

UofL piloted the short course in summer 2024. A total of 13 teams participated, including 11 from UofL and one each from Northern Kentucky University and University of Kentucky. Connor Centner, a post-doctoral researcher in the UofL J.B. Speed School of Engineering, used the course to help further a cutting-edge therapeutic ultrasound technology meant to destroy cancer cells and unlock the body’s immune system to fight tumors.

“The LaunchIt Short Course was an incredibly unique experience—it gave me the opportunity to dive into customer discovery and product-market fit with guidance from experienced entrepreneurs who’ve been through it all,” Centner said. “It wasn’t just about learning the basics; it was about gaining real-world experience that offered valuable insight into the market and helped me truly understand customer needs to determine how my idea or product could succeed.”

From the short course, some teams may choose to go on to the more comprehensive eight-week course offered twice a year, or some may choose to focus on additional customer discovery. All participating teams are eligible for microgrants to support customer discovery once they graduate the short course or the full course.

LaunchIt course director, Jamie Rush, said everyone can benefit from entrepreneurial training. With this new short course, the team hopes to expand access to people who may not be able to attend otherwise. For example, the short course is now offered to UofL students in a partnership with the new Bluegrass Biodesign program, where multi-disciplinary teams work to develop innovations that save and improve lives.��

“Whether or not you plan to launch a startup, you’re an entrepreneur and can use LaunchIt tools like customer discovery and market research to focus your research or idea and make it impactful,” Rush said. “We want to equip everyone — students, faculty, staff, entrepreneurs, corporate business leaders — with tools that help them advance not only important new products, but new community projects, business initiatives and more.”��

The next full session of LaunchIt, beginning in spring 2025, is now enrolling through Jan. 24, 2025. More information and registration is available at . The next short course will be offered in summer 2025.��

Louisville’s tourism industry has an economic impact of $4.2 billion annually, with nearly 70,000 people in the area working in the industry. As visitor demand and the city’s tourism infrastructure increase, the workforce must grow proportionately to meet guest expectations. The new minor in hospitality management is a collaborative effort of the UofL College of Business, Louisville Tourism and the Louisville Hotel Partnership.

“Collaborating with the University of Louisville marks a significant milestone in our ongoing efforts to enhance the hospitality industry in Louisville,” said Cleo Battle, president and CEO of Louisville Tourism. “By combining our resources and expertise, we aim to provide students with hands-on experience and practical insights into the travel, tourism and hospitality industries, preparing them for successful careers. In turn, this initiative will also benefit our community by fostering a well-trained workforce in a sector that continues to grow locally.”

The minor, housed within the UofL College of Business and open to students in any major, will include courses on event management, hospitality operations, revenue management, sales and tourism marketing and will offer invaluable experiential learning opportunities facilitated by industry partners.

“The collaboration reflects UofL’s commitment to fostering industry-relevant education and ensuring graduates are well prepared to meet the demands of the rapidly growing hospitality sector,” said Ryan Quinn, chair of the Department of Management and Entrepreneurship at UofL, who will oversee the new program. “This minor will provide many new career options. Whether you are a student in the College of Business or any other college on campus, if you want to go into the hospitality management industry, this minor will give you another option for your career and an ‘in’ to the specifics of this industry.”

The Louisville Hotel Partnership is key to ensuring the program’s relevancy and success. The partnership provided a $500,000 gift to UofL to help fund the development of the new minor.

“We are proud to support this innovative collaboration, which will strengthen both the hospitality sector and student opportunities. The hospitality minor will create a robust pipeline and deeper talent pool which is crucial to growing Louisville’s hotel industry workforce while equipping students with lifelong skill sets that will make them more marketable upon graduation,” said Eamon O’Brien, Louisville Hotel Partnership board chair and general manager of the Omni Louisville Hotel.

The startup, Immersive Hearing Technologies, is built on UofL research that uses VR to help patients test different models and program their hearing aids, all without leaving the comfort of the clinical setting.��

As one of just selected for this year’s Vogt class by the Community Foundation of Louisville, the Immersive team — co-founders Jeff Cummins and UofL researcher, Matthew Neal — received $25,000 in non-dilutive grant funding, participation in a 10-week startup accelerator program, coaching, mentorship, strategic introductions and recognition designed to boost the growth of their business.

Cummins, a seasoned founder who previously served as an entrepreneur-in-residence in the , said he was attracted to the technology and ultimately came on-board to launch the startup because it tackles a problem he himself has faced.��

“I wear hearing aids and I know the challenges faced by individuals with hearing difficulty,” he said. “The technology has an opportunity to be a platform that revolutionizes how hearing aids are provided by allowing patients/users to listen to the hearing aids before they purchase them.”

According to the National Institutes of Health, one in eight Americans over the age of 12 have some degree of hearing loss and about 28.8 million adults could benefit from using hearing aids.

With this tool, audiologists could use a VR headset, tablet computer or a wide screen display to demonstrate how specific hearing aid models and settings would perform in different, realistic environments, such as a school, noisy restaurant, grocery store or church. Neal and his research collaborators developed the technology to help patients find the right fit.

“We want to help people choose the hearing aid and get it programmed specifically for the specific environments where they have trouble,” said Neal, of the UofL School of Medicine. “With virtual reality technologies, you can do that without leaving your audiologist’s office.”

Neal and collaborators have worked closely with the UofL Office of Research and Innovation and its and teams, who help translate research into products and commercialize them by partnering with industry or launching new companies. The office provided support for intellectual property and product development, entrepreneurial training and coaching, and a connection to Cummins.��

As part of that support, the team participated in several of UofL’s innovation and new venture programs, including both the UofL site and prestigious national�� programs for technology-backed startups. They also participated in the Pandemic-Related Product Acceleration & Responsive Entrepreneurship Program, or��, which partners UofL researchers with companies and members of the community to scale up innovative ideas addressing health, economic and societal issues caused by pandemics.��

The team also completed��, UofL’s eight-week product innovation bootcamp, and received coaching from multiple UofL entrepreneurs-in-residence.��The entrepreneur-in-residence program is a partnership with , an organization working to grow Louisville’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, with funding from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

“The support of these programs and the Office of Research and Innovation team was invaluable in developing the technology to this point,” Neal said. “We look forward to continuing to work with the team to further develop, and ultimately launch, this product that could really improve the lives of those with hearing difficulty.”��

The Mid-South , backed by a four-year grant from the National Institutes of Health, spans a four-state network of Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee and Virginia. The hub is led by Vanderbilt University, with UofL leading efforts in Kentucky to transform academic discoveries into real-world products that advance human health and catalyze a medical innovation economy.��

“UofL is a top-tier, Carnegie Research-1 university, and we are proud of our strong track record as a driver of health innovation and entrepreneurship,” said Kevin Gardner, executive vice president for . “We are excited to expand that work with the Mid-South Hub, joining our partner institutions to accelerate technologies and companies that can save and improve lives, creating opportunity here and throughout our region.”

NIH’s REACH program focuses on bringing basic science discoveries to market by providing entrepreneurial training for innovators on how to bring technologies to market; feedback from federal and industry experts; funding to support early-stage product definition studies; and project management support

UofL’s role in the new hub follows years of state leadership, since launching Kentucky’s first REACH program in 2015. The REACH efforts began at UofL and expanded statewide in 2019 through collaboration with KY Innovation, University of Kentucky and Kentucky Commercialization Ventures. Over nearly a decade, Kentucky REACH programs have coached more than 400 innovative faculty, staff and students across Kentucky public institutions and funded 45 technologies, leading to 18 new products and 11 patents filed.

“UofL has provided consistent leadership in driving these innovations from lab to market across the Commonwealth,” said Jessica Sharon, director of innovation programs and lead for the UofL Hub program. “Through this new Hub, we are very excited to work with our regional partner universities to train more innovator teams, helping them learn the product development process and lens.”

REACH is part of UofL’s unique suite of prestigious, grant-backed programs aimed at supporting the translation of research into viable commercial products. UofL is one of only a handful of universities in the country to host each of these innovation-associated programs — and it’s the only one to receive��all��of them.

With the new Mid-South REACH Hub, UofL will expand on this programming by leveraging already strong partnerships with regional institutions. Last year, UofL partnered with Vanderbilt on a $15 million effort backed by the National Science Foundation to launch a new regional hub aimed at accelerating product innovation, entrepreneurship and economic development. The resulting NSF Mid-South��Innovation Corps��(I-Corps) Hub, one of only 10 across the U.S., is part of the operational backbone of the NSF’s , which helps translate academic research for the marketplace while expanding access and inclusion.��

“Diverse perspectives are essential to turn university ideas into lifesaving tools in the hands of doctors,” said Vanderbilt lead, Robert Webster. “So many students and faculty share this vision—to their very core—but lack the business, legal and practical insights they need to get started…��We know what it feels like and what it takes, and we can’t wait to help others unlock the potential of their ideas–and themselves–as innovators and entrepreneurs.”��

NIH will contribute $4 million toward the Hub over four years, with more than $8 million in additional matching funds from partnering universities, state economic development entities and public-private partnerships.��Kentucky matching funds are supported by the state Cabinet for Economic Development’s KY Innovation, UofL and UK. In addition to Vanderbilt and UofL, the other partner institutions are, Jackson State University, George Mason University and UK.

The inaugural (Business, Equity, Arts, Technology, and Sciences) seeks to remove barriers to and strengthen Louisville’s entrepreneurial ecosystem by connecting entrepreneurs within the city and university with research opportunities, resources and community connections. Presented by , the and , BEATS Week will kick off festivities Sept. 18th.

UofL News had the opportunity to catch up with Alexandra Howard, a business research and teaching librarian at Ekstrom Library and member of the.

UofL News: Can you tell us more about BEATS Week?

Howard: BEATS Week is a week-long event series to promote entrepreneurship among our Louisville community. Our goal is really to break down silos and remove barriers that exist, especially for underrepresented entrepreneurs such as college students and minority business owners. will provide access to research, resources and a community that will help cultivate an entrepreneurial mindset for people from every background.

There are so many different campus and community organizations and resources for entrepreneurs and we really want BEATS Week to�� bring everyone together in one place. I think one of the most exciting things about BEATS Week is our diverse team that has helped develop it and put it together. We have a steering committee of different partners across campus, including the College of Business, Office of Student Involvement, Louisville Athletics, Office of Community Engagement, Office of Research and Innovation, Health Equity Innovation Hub and the Engage Lead Serve Board. This has really allowed us to make this a truly collaborative event.

UofL News: Why is BEATS Week important for the university and for college students?

Howard: BEATS Week is important to the university because the landscape of higher education is changing … so we have to be innovative and offer education and programming that is relevant and appealing. Studies have shown that high school and college students are increasingly interested in entrepreneurship. A 2022 survey showed that 60% of college students are interested in owning their own business. BEATS Week offers UofL a chance to help develop student entrepreneurs across academic disciplines. It offers college students the chance to develop their entrepreneurship knowledge and skillset, even if they aren’t studying business.

UofL is also an anchor institution that really emphasizes . BEATS Week is an opportunity for us to engage the greater Louisville community and provide programming and resources to entrepreneurs who own businesses down the street. The city of Louisville has some incredibly talented, creative and diverse entrepreneurs but the makeup of our city’s business landscape doesn’t totally reflect this. Minority business owners own less than 10% of the city’s local businesses. African Americans make up almost a quarter of Louisville’s population but own just 2.4% of local businesses. With BEATS Week, we want to make sure everyone sees themselves reflected in entrepreneurship and that everyone gets equal access to resources that will help them succeed.

UofL News: What is Jack Harlow’s involvement?

Howard:��Because of Jack Harlow’s experience as a world-famous rapper, an actor, a businessman with Phocus and brand deals with KFC and New Balance, we immediately thought of him in planning BEATS Week. We pitched BEATS Week to his manager and while Jack Harlow won’t be speaking at any event this year, we were able to connect with The Jack Harlow Foundation who signed on as our primary BEATS Week sponsor. The Jack Harlow Foundation is committed to reinvesting, uplifting and supporting organizations in Louisville that will make the city a better place. The racial wealth gap is alive and well throughout our nation and in our city. Entrepreneurship is an important approach to building generational wealth and closing that gap. We are grateful for Jack Harlow seeing the importance of BEATS Week and sponsoring our events. We will be giving away raffle prizes throughout the week, so any time someone attends a BEATS Week event, they increase their chances of winning a prize. We may have something special from Jack Harlow to give away at our final BEATS Week event on Friday.����

UofL News: What useful resources does the library have to offer for BEATS Week?

Howard:��The library has so many resources to support business development and aspiring entrepreneurs. As the business and entrepreneurship librarian, I primarily support research happening within the College of Business, but I also meet with entrepreneurs on campus and in the community to help them do research to support the development and growth of their business. We have access to very expensive business research databases that anyone in the community can access for free through our library. That’s actually how BEATS Week got started. I was introduced to the founder and CEO of Black Complex, Aaron Jordan, by another community partner and we began to meet in the library to do research for his business.

I really believe that the library is the hub of community and connection at the university. We work with students, faculty, and staff from every department across campus as well as high school students and members of our local community.

UofL News: Can you dive deeper into some of the planned?

Howard:��There will be education events on branding, storytelling and content creation. There will be free food at every event from local minority-owned businesses such as Blak Koffee, The Black Italian and FOKO. Our opening event will be with the cultural center. We will have the tap in event, an entrepreneur resource fair where there will be an opportunity for students to get professional headshots, sit down one on one with business coaches to review resumes and LinkedIn or discuss any other business ideas.

Goldberg will serve as an entrepreneur-in-residence, or EIR, through the . In this role, he will work with UofL to connect inventions to industry and startups.

Goldberg brings nearly 30 years of experience as a medical doctor and C-suite executive, previously working for major brands and startups including ExpressScripts and Aetna Inc. Goldberg recently retired as Chief Health Officer of clinical laboratory Quest Diagnostics, where he also supported the enterprise investment fund and new ventures.

“UofL is doing some really interesting and impactful work in developing new diagnostics, treatments and therapies,” Goldberg said. “I’m excited to work with the team and with the university’s researchers to help drive those innovations to market and clinical settings, where they can help patients.”

Goldberg joins a class of EIRs that currently includes seasoned founders Alice Shade (healthcare), Tendai Charasika (software), Bill Dawson (health and biotech) and Chirs Bailey (manufacturing). Shade joined as part of the second round of EIRs in 2020, followed by Charasika in 2021 and Dawson and Bailey in 2023.

The EIR program is led by the Office of Research and Innovation’s UofL New Ventures team, which focuses on launching startups around research-born tech. The EIR program is in partnership with Amplify, an organization working to grow Louisville’s entrepreneurship ecosystem, with funding from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.

“We’re thrilled to have Dr. Goldberg join our team, and for the continued growth of the entrepreneurs-in-residence program in partnership with Amplify,” said Will��Metcalf,��a UofL associate vice president for research and innovation.��“Our EIRs bring incredible experience and connection to UofL – Dr. Goldberg is the perfect example of that, joining us through a connection with another EIR, Alice Shade. His experience in health and medical innovation is a powerful addition to our already strong team and will undoubtedly drive innovation forward.”

The companies have all been awarded Phase 1 Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grants from the National Institutes of Health along with matching funds from the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development��to support continued research and development work with UofL.��

The three startups are:��

• Degranin Therapeutics LLC: Degranin Therapeutics, founded by five UofL researchers and led by Kenneth McLeish (School of Medicine), is working to commercialize a UofL research-backed drug for acute respiratory distress syndrome, a rapidly developing, life-threatening lung disease occurring in more than 200,000 hospitalized patients in the U.S. each year. Degranin received more than $300,000 from the SBIR program for development, plus an additional $100,000 in SBIR matching funds from the state.��
• DesiCorp Inc.: is working to develop and commercialize a UofL-born method of freeze-drying blood to extend its shelf-life, which could have , including in the military operations, humanitarian aid or even space travel. The company is led by UofL alum, Brett Janis, and based on technology he developed with researchers Michael Menze () and Jonathan Kopechek (). DesiCorp received nearly $300,000 from the SBIR program, plus nearly $100,000 in additional matching funds from the state. ��
• WickedSheets: is a Louisville-based moisture-wicking bedding startup led by UofL alum, Ali Truttman. WickedSheets is working with UofL researcher Cindy Harnett (J.B. Speed School of Engineering) to develop the Wicked Smart Pad, washable bedding with sensors for the detection and mitigation of moisture events, which could help bedridden patients and home caregivers. WickedSheets received more than $340,000 from the SBIR program, plus nearly $100,000 in additional matching funds from the state.��

“These companies are all working to further UofL research and technology with the potential to save and improve lives,” said Jessica Sharon, director of innovation programs in the university’s . “I’m so proud of what they’ve accomplished, and each one is an excellent example of the strong infrastructure at UofL that supports this kind of innovation and entrepreneurship.”

In addition to being based on UofL research, all three technologies are protected through Office of Research and Innovation’s patenting and licensing team. All three also received coaching and training through the office’s entrepreneurial arm,����and its entrepreneurs-in-residence program, which brings seasoned founders to the university to help guide innovations to market. The program is supported by Amplify Louisville.��

WickedSheets and DesiCorp also received development funding through UofL’s suite of innovation grant programs, which support the translation of research into viable commercial products.��WickedSheets participated in PRePARE, which accelerates development of COVID-19 related technologies, and DesiCorp received funding through UofL’s innovation grants, and NIH REACH programs, which accelerate engineering and biomedical technologies. UofL is one of only a handful of universities in the country to receive each of these, and is��the only one to receive all of them.