entrepreneurship

Guiding innovation: Meet the George �鶹��Ƶ mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact

Colleen Rich — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:31:31 +0000

Guiding innovation: Meet the George �鶹��Ƶ mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact Colleen Rich Wed, 10/08/2025 - 15:31

In the heart of Northern Virginia’s Innovation District, you can feel the buzz of ideas turning into action. Labs hum with experiments, whiteboards fill with sketches of prototypes, and the seeds of new ventures begin to grow. Guiding these entrepreneurs and inventors are TJ Master and Elizabeth Pyle, mentors with the Virginia Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP).

TJ Master. Photo provided

Their job? Helping early-stage entrepreneurs transform vision into viable business strategy.

For both Master and Pyle, mentoring is more than advising—it’s about meeting founders where they are, asking tough questions, and helping them navigate the uncertain early stages of growth.

“I’m a go-to-market expert,” Master said, describing his background that spans Business-to-Consumer, Business-to-Business, and Business-to-Government sectors. “At ICAP, I work with teams from ideation through scaling. Most teams come in with an idea of their initial market and value proposition—I help them test those assumptions and figure out how to turn early interest into a go-to-market plan that makes sense.”

Master’s experience is hard-earned. He helped lead a global communications company from start-up to more than $100 million in annual revenue across six countries—culminating in a NASDAQ IPO. Now, his focus is on using that experience to fuel others’ success. “Working within a community of peers fosters collaboration and shared learning,” he said. “Founders get access to objective guidance in a space where everyone’s trying to solve similar problems.”

For Pyle, mentorship has always been about helping ideas find traction in the real world. Over the past two decades, she’s worked with start-ups and growth-stage companies in tech and health care, supporting founders as they turn ideas into sustainable businesses.

Elizabeth Pyle. Photo provided

As chief operating officer of Aperiomics, Pyle led operations and regulatory strategy. Before that, she helped shape the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Virginia (UVA), directing the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps site program and serving as associate director for technology entrepreneurship at UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Today, through her consulting firm, Pyle & Associates, she supports companies across industries in interim leadership roles. At ICAP, “I typically work with first-time founders and later-stage teams, faculty spinouts, and start-up to early-stage companies in life sciences, tech-enabled, and government-adjacent sectors,” Pyle said. “My focus is helping them optimize business models, prepare for funding, and build teams that can execute.”

Both mentors say that while funding is often the first thing founders mention as a challenge, it’s not the only hurdle.

“Many teams haven’t deeply defined the problem they’re trying to solve,” Pyle said. “They focus on the technology instead of the customer’s pain. What they really need to do is set the tech aside and validate the problem—understand who has it, what it looks like, and how it affects workflow.”

Hiring and limited lab space can also slow momentum.

Still, for both mentors, the region’s innovation energy is unmistakable. New initiatives like Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Lab-to-Launch program, which aims to streamline commercialization processes across Virginia’s universities, promise to make it even easier for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into impact.

“It’s an exciting initiative,” Master said. “It introduces a transparent and founder-friendly approach to licensing and tech transfer across the state, helping both researchers and entrepreneurs move their products forward faster.”

And while the innovation landscape is changing—particularly with artificial intelligence accelerating product development and investor expectations—Master sees opportunity in the shift. “Investors are asking for stronger growth signals earlier,” he said. “AI raises the bar for lean teams and drives faster hypothesis testing. That creates pressure and opportunity.”

For founders who don’t have a technical background, Pyle has simple but powerful advice: Build your team. “Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “Recruit people who can fill the gaps. Investors back teams who they feel can execute.”

Her second piece of guidance: Keep listening. “Leverage customer discovery interviews,” she said. “Talk to potential users, test assumptions, gather data, and refine the problem you’re solving.”

That focus on curiosity and adaptability is exactly what the Innovation District, led jointly by George �鶹��Ƶ, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas, and anchored by George �鶹��Ƶ’s Science and Technology Campus, hopes to cultivate—a community where researchers, students, and entrepreneurs collaborate to build something bigger than themselves.

Through ICAP, Virginia-based founders have access to free resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to turn great ideas into market-ready ventures.

Master and Pyle are both on site to meet with founders and teams in the Innovation District. Learn more and register to for ICAP program benefits and mentorship through the Virginia SBDC website.

To connect with Master and Pyle, entrepreneurs can sign up for the Innovation District newsletter by emailing ibhi@gmu.edu.

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�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise at �鶹��Ƶ propels entrepreneurship across the region

Colleen Rich — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:18:05 +0000

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise at �鶹��Ƶ propels entrepreneurship across the region Colleen Rich Tue, 09/23/2025 - 16:18

Northern Virginia and the Greater Washington Region is rapidly becoming one of the nation’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial destinations for investors and inventors, with �鶹��Ƶ’s investments and partnerships as a key driver.

From Accelerate investor Conference 2024. Photo provided

The state’s largest university-based business incubator, �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise partners with the university’s schools and institutes, big business, start-ups, and venture capital investors to advance a thriving ecosystem of entrepreneurship and economic growth. This contributed to making Virginia a top state for business, according to CNBC.

“George �鶹��Ƶ is powering Virginia’s future,” said George �鶹��Ƶ President Gregory Washington. “The university is preparing students for high-demand careers, supporting entrepreneurs at every stage, and driving the growth of small businesses across the state. We’re not just in the degree business, we’re in the success business.”

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise played a key role in Virginia’s new Lab-to-Launch initiative, the first of its kind in the nation. Developed through a statewide collaboration led by George �鶹��Ƶ and University of Virginia, with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and the state’s four other R1 research universities—Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary—the initiative is designed to double the number of start-ups that originate from Virginia’s research universities and accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough technologies.

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise leadership and impact highlights include:

$2.8 billion in bank loans, lines of credit, venture capital, angel investment, new revenues, and government contracts secured in 2024
65 invention disclosures by faculty last year—a 150% increase over five years
Growth from 300 to 2,000 supported tech start-ups in five years
One in six of the businesses served by �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise are veteran-owned
58,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, students and faculty participated in 2,600 workshops in 2024 (up from 19,000 attendees in 2020)
Helped in the formation of 409 new companies in 2024
Helped in the creation and retention of 6,351 jobs in 2024

“We’re proud to be building a culture of innovation that is reaping benefits for the region and beyond,” said Paula Sorrell, George �鶹��Ƶ’s associate vice president of innovation and economic development. “The blend of education, research, and public–private partnerships has created a steady pipeline of new ideas and investments that ensure our regional and national competitiveness.”

The �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise team, led by Sorrell, was recently recognized by the Virginia Association of Counties for its Accelerate Breakfast Series, which connects entrepreneurs and investors through curated pitch opportunities that strengthen the local start-up ecosystem and attract regional investment. In addition, the International Economic Development Council recognized �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise for its multiyear efforts advancing the region’s tech innovation economy with its Innovation Ecosystem Building award, the result of creating several high-impact, tech start-up focused programs to help diversify the regional economy.

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise provides small business and start-ups with affordable office space, legal and accounting assistance, free mentoring, access to investor networks, makers’ spaces, and tailored programs designed to help get ideas get off the ground or take the next step to get to market. Working closely with VIPC and nearby local officials in Prince William, Arlington, and Fairfax counties, the team also manages the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) network, called the Virginia Small Business Development Center and the Department of War’s (DOW) Virginia APEX Accelerator.

�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise will host its fifth annual Accelerate Investor Conference 2025 on November 5-6 at the new Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square in Arlington, Virginia. This year’s venture capital event will feature keynote speaker Sid Banerjee, chief strategy officer for Medallia, as well as a fireside chat co-hosted by Virginia BIO CEO John Newby and Jeff Conroy, managing director of Bayeux Ventures and former CEO of Embody, a successful Virginia start-up.

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WISE program launches to empower entrepreneurs in Fairfax County

Katelynn C Hipolito — Wed, 27 Aug 2025 14:13:11 +0000

WISE program launches to empower entrepreneurs in Fairfax County Katelynn C Hipolito Wed, 08/27/2025 - 10:13

On Saturday, August 9, the WISE program officially launched at the Hybla Valley Community Center in Alexandria, Virginia—marking a significant milestone in advancing entrepreneurship and workforce development for aspiring entrepreneurs in Fairfax County.

A key component of the SOAR Initiative, the Workforce Innovation Success through Entrepreneurship (WISE) program is spearheaded by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) within the Costello College of Business at �鶹��Ƶ. This initiative is made possible through a strategic partnership with Melwood, the W.I.S.H. Center, and the Fairfax County government. Thanks to this powerful collaboration, the WISE program is offered to participants completely free of charge.

Costello College of Business Dean Ajay Vinzé (left) chats with current RISE participants Fershta-Barakzai (middle) and Madina Barakzai (right). Photo by John Boal Photography.

Ajay Vinzé, dean of the Costello College of Business, opened the event by emphasizing the power of entrepreneurship to solve problems, build communities, and drive economic growth. “A successful entrepreneur takes an idea, builds a company around it, and makes it profitable,” he said.

The college, named after local entrepreneur Donald G. Costello, is deeply rooted in the belief that entrepreneurship is a vehicle for social impact and upward mobility.

With initiatives like the Patriot Ventures Program, the Honey Bee Initiative, and the Patriot Pitch Competition, CIE equips aspiring entrepreneurs with essential training, mentorship, and resources. The center is distinguished for its commitment to opening doors for those traditionally excluded from the entrepreneurship ecosystem through these core programs and the SOAR Initiative.

In addition to WISE, which supports Fairfax County residents, SOAR includes two other targeted efforts: one focused on building entrepreneurial ecosystems in rural and emerging communities, and the other supporting refugees and immigrants through strategic partnerships. The latter, known as the Shrivastava Family Refugee and Immigrant Success through Entrepreneurship (RISE) program, has already had 79 participants complete the entrepreneurship bootcamp training, with approximately 42 new jobs and 17 new businesses created so far.

WISE program leadership and implementation team celebrates ribbon cutting with RISE and WISE program participants. Photo by John Boal Photography.

Rodney Lusk, supervisor of the Franconia District within Fairfax County, was instrumental in envisioning the possibilities for the WISE program. His commitment to make Fairfax County a place where community members can truly thrive is deeply appreciated by the Costello College of Business and all the program stakeholders. On hand to give remarks, along with Dean Vinzé, were Larysa Kautz, CEO and president of Melwood; Yolonda Earl-Thompson, community expert and lived experience consultant; Eboni Borden, W.I.S.H. program director; Andres Jordan, WISE program entrepreneurship training instructor; and Rebecca Howick, director of operations and engagement at CIE.

“Our partnership with Melwood, the W.I.S.H Center, and Fairfax County is an incredible opportunity to expand our social impact within the region,” says Howick.

“The SOAR Initiative’s holistic approach to small business development creates new pipelines for community members that aren’t already part of the ecosystem. We are revitalizing hope, transforming lives, and boosting our economy."

— Rebecca Howick, director of operations and engagement at the Center of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The launch of the WISE program marks a powerful step forward in harnessing the transformative potential of entrepreneurship rooted in community. By uniting visionary leaders, strategic partners, and leveraging internal and external entrepreneurial resources, this initiative empowers individuals to shape their own futures while strengthening the fabric of the region. As the SOAR Initiative continues to expand its reach, it reaffirms a vital truth: when entrepreneurship is made accessible, it becomes a force for resilience and shared prosperity.

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Youngkin launches university commercialization initiative to fast-track startups and accelerate innovation

Colleen Rich — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:56:06 +0000

Youngkin launches university commercialization initiative to fast-track startups and accelerate innovation Colleen Rich Wed, 08/13/2025 - 12:56

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has launched a new Lab-to-Launch initiative to unlock innovation in Virginia by accelerating university research commercialization and technology transfer.

Developed through a bold statewide collaboration between Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and Virginia’s six R1 research university partners—�鶹��Ƶ, Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, William & Mary—this initiative aims to double the number of startups that spin out annually from Virginia’s research universities and propel technology breakthroughs into the marketplace.

Governor Youngkin joined by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura, VIPC President and CEO Joe Benevento, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, representatives of Virginia’s research universities, including George �鶹��Ƶ's Paula Sorrell, and business leaders at ceremonial MOU signing. Photo by Kaitlyn DeHarde/Governor's Office

The Lab-to-Launch initiative will create Virginia’s first-ever standardized Fast-Track License agreement to commercialize university research, while also expanding opportunities to connect with talent and capital from the private sector.

“Virginia is home to world-class research university institutions, and with Lab-to-Launch and the Virginia Fast-Track License, we are moving at the speed of business to accelerate commercialization pathways for university technology startups,” said Youngkin. “Since 2022, we’ve seen a record 15,000+ high-growth startups launch in Virginia, and we are now ranked top 10 in the nation for both technology and innovation and access to capital. Virginia is leading the way, and I look forward to seeing the transformative discoveries that go from ‘lab to launch’ and enhance people’s lives, not only in Virginia but throughout the country.”

Virginia Fast-Track License for Startups

Standardizes key terms in university intellectual property (IP) license agreements with startups and streamlines the university technology transfer process to make it easier, faster, less costly, and more transparent for scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs.
Offers some of the most founder-friendly, standard university license economic terms in the country for entrepreneurs.
Startups that spin off from universities using the Virginia Fast-Track License are eligible for a grant award of up to $50,000 from VIPC toward upfront out-of-pocket university commercialization costs.

Private-Sector Collaboration with University Commercialization

Launch Entrepreneur-in-Residence program to connect industry experience and business acumen with technical knowledge and scientific expertise.
Create digital database and online catalog for university IP to make it easier for industry partners to access and engage with university innovation pipelines.
Attract private-sector investment for university startup spin-offs by engaging with venture capital funds and investor networks and evaluating potential partnership opportunities through VIPC’s Virginia Invest platform.

“Once again, Virginia is at the forefront because Virginia is open for business,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura. “I cannot wait to see its impact from the extraordinary work, talent, and technology we have in our universities as we continue to unlock Virginia’s potential when it comes to innovation, technology, and everything it has to offer.”

“Virginia’s leading university hubs play an essential role in our innovation ecosystems and in catalyzing groundbreaking research discoveries,” said Joe Benevento, VIPC’s president and CEO. “Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of VIPC. This statewide partnership with Virginia’s R1 universities will elevate the commonwealth’s national leadership and launch a new frontier of innovation-driven growth and opportunity.”

As part of Lab-to-Launch, university partners will seek ways to identify and share best practices to grow research commercialization efforts in Virginia. VIPC will also measure and benchmark statewide university commercialization outcome metrics against historical baselines as well as national peers.

“Lab-to-Launch puts Virginia in a strong competitive position to connect business experience with faculty innovators, offer start-ups access to university technology with clear terms, and create a clear path to seed capital,” said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president of innovation and economic development at George �鶹��Ƶ. “It’s a win for tech start-ups, George �鶹��Ƶ, and the commonwealth.”

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Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square welcomes three new tech industry tenants

Katarina Benson — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 18:54:01 +0000

Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square welcomes three new tech industry tenants Katarina Benson Fri, 07/18/2025 - 14:54

Three more tenants have moved into �鶹��Ƶ’s state-of-the-art Fuse building at �鶹��Ƶ Square in the Rosslyn-Ballston Innovation Corridor of Arlington, Virginia.

JSI, Corvex, and Oasis Hill strengthen Fuse as a center for collaboration between industry leaders, government, university researchers, and students. All three tenants moved into Fuse this spring.

Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square is a 345,000-square-foot technology-focused facility designed to be an innovation community that fosters partnerships and opportunities that accelerate research outcomes into real-world solutions. The private commercial suites, which are adjacent to George �鶹��Ƶ’s Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) and academic programs in disciplines like computer science and engineering, provide immediate access to leading-edge labs, collaboration zones, and convening spaces, as well as highly activated and curated programs, day and night, for the building’s occupants, visitors, and the wider community.

The new tenants represent diverse sectors crucial to the digital economy:

Based in Chantilly, Virginia, JSI is a trusted provider of AI-enabled digital intelligence solutions deployed in more than 40 countries. JSI’s software is used to expand awareness, surface patterns, and simplify data complexity in support of mission-critical operations. Purpose-built for the evidential requirements of law enforcement, JSI has been helping protect what matters, both domestically and abroad, for more than 45 years.

“Quality and speed matter, and Fuse will accelerate our momentum with academic partners to close today's most pressing mission-critical gaps,” said Josh McKenna, president of JSI USA. “It’s more than a collaboration space; it’s a launchpad for practical, cost-effective innovation that helps clean streets, secure borders, and protect communities.”

Corvex provides accessible computing infrastructure for the entire AI lifecycle. The Corvex AI Cloud enables innovators to train, fine-tune, and inference AI models using the latest generation of supercomputers paired with white-glove support to ensure client success.

"Fuse at �鶹��Ƶ Square is thriving with innovation. It’s not just the technology focus of the building, but the community of innovators it is attracting," said Jay Crystal, Corvex Co-CEO.

Corvex operates at the absolute cutting edge of hardware and software that powers third-party developers' AI applications. The Corvex team's background in large-scale distributed computing and enterprise-grade software development infuses our community with a unique perspective in the fastest growing segment of the technology industry.

Oasis Hill is an innovation hub that will host pitch competitions, networking events, and accelerate start-ups in the tech marketplace and healthcare AI world. Co-founder Shy Pahlevani has been recognized as one of D.C.’s Top Young Entrepreneurs and Washington Business Journals’ 40 Under 40. He is also the founder of two Arlington start-ups: LiveSafe, which crowdsources safety intelligence, and HUNGRY, an office catering service.

JSI and Oasis Hill are collaborating with George �鶹��Ƶ colleges and programs to offer mentorship to student entrepreneurs, mentorship/internship opportunities, and joint research projects.

“�鶹��Ƶ’s �鶹��Ƶ Enterprise is excited to be partnering with Oasis Hill on a series of tech accelerators focused on vertical markets, including artificial intelligence, biomedical, and more,” said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president for innovation and economic development at George �鶹��Ƶ. “�鶹��Ƶ Enterprise will bring its expertise in running effective technical field accelerators that bridges universities and the community, while Oasis Hill will bring their entrepreneurial energy and subject matter experts to deliver programs based in Fuse in Arlington at �鶹��Ƶ Square.”

“JSI's tenancy in Fuse will accelerate our ability to collaborate on existing and new research endeavors, provide a direct line of tech talent to JSI and facilitate JSI's efforts to create project-based learning opportunities for George �鶹��Ƶ students at �鶹��Ƶ Square,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement at George �鶹��Ƶ.

"The latest cohort of tenants will drive innovation at Fuse, and each brings unique solutions to the market,” said Brian Naumick, managing director at Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate. “Fuse allows them unparalleled opportunities and tailored amenities designed to foster greater innovation and collaboration. The experience at Fuse is different, driven by its one-of-a-kind space and unique curated events and experiences planned every day for the benefit of our collaborators."

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Costello MBA students are turning their ideas into successful companies

Greg Johnson — Mon, 07 Jul 2025 13:55:26 +0000

Costello MBA students are turning their ideas into successful companies Greg Johnson Mon, 07/07/2025 - 09:55

“I wanted to start my own business,” says Patcharaporn Adchariyavivit, a Costello MBA student, “It seemed like this course was going to help me start it. But I didn’t expect it be this good, you know?”

Skip West

Skip West, founder of MAXSA Innovations and adjunct faculty at the Costello College of Business at �鶹��Ƶ, offers the course Turning Ideas into Successful Companies once a year to MBA students. The concept for the course came from West’s own entrepreneurial experiences of turning his ideas into companies. He has co-taught the MBA version of the course with Suresh Shenoy, an engineer, senior business executive, and philanthropist.

When he was in graduate school at Stanford, West took a course that was attended by both engineering and business students, working together to turn their ideas into companies. Several years later, he reconnected with his partner from the class to build upon their ideas from school. Together, they founded DesignTech International, where they pioneered remote car starting and keyless entry, among other automotive safety accessories and wireless home automation products. The successful launch of the business took many years, but it really began in the collaborative environment of a classroom.

Now, Skip West has designed the curriculum for his course at the Costello College of Business so that students can realize their own success.

“It’s all about the students coming up with their passion. It’s not what I care about. It’s what they care about and developing a business that they’re interested in," says Skip West, founder of MAXSA Innovations and adjunct faculty at the Costello College of Business at �鶹��Ƶ.

Ramel DuPree. Photo provided

Ramel DuPree entered the course with his idea for a men’s special skincare brand that is primarily targeted to Black men. “Once I was presented with the possibility to actually take a graduate level course, to actually learn more and go into details with it, and also have some guidance, I just jumped at the opportunity.”

Adchariyavivit also entered the course with a concept already in mind. Inspired by observing all the processes in her family’s restaurant business—combined with her previous professional experience as a project manager in an IT startup—she had been working on an AI-powered restaurant consultant application.

“In today’s digital world, where AI makes market research, competitive analysis, and business plan writing almost mundane, the real skill is learning how to learn,” says Shenoy. “That means teaching students to validate, verify, and seek relevant information to bring their ideas to life.” Throughout the course, the students examined every facet, from manufacturing to marketing and everything in between. “In the end, they develop a business plan, and it’s a lot of pitching to the class, feedback from your classmates, feedback from us,” says West. “It’s a discovery class.”

Patcharaporn Adchariyavivit. Photo provided

The class has made a significant difference in the business ideas from both Adchariyavivit and DuPree. “With Skip, the guy’s more practical, and he is a real investor and a real entrepreneur,” says Adchariyavivit. DuPree appreciated how the feedback loop kept him on his toes and focused on eliminating any blind spots. “Once I was able to get that feedback,” he says, “I had to come back. I had to readjust. I had to restructure. It was super beneficial to allowing me to do an outside-looking-in perspective for myself.”

The course was tailor made for students to turn their passionate ideas into successful companies, but it’s beneficial to all business students. “Even if you’re developing your business conceptually, it forces you to look at everything holistically,” says West. “You get to see all the aspects of a business.”

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George �鶹��Ƶ and Fairfax City leaders visit Korea to advance entrepreneurship

Katarina Benson — Tue, 20 May 2025 18:33:25 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ and Fairfax City leaders visit Korea to advance entrepreneurship Katarina Benson Tue, 05/20/2025 - 14:33

A senior delegation from �鶹��Ƶ’s Office of Advancement and Alumni Relations and Costello College of Business, along with Fairfax City Economic Development, recently visited �鶹��Ƶ Korea for a weeklong strategic engagement to promote entrepreneurship education and business development.

The Korea–U.S. Business Cooperation Delegation included Trishana E. Bowden, vice president for advancement and alumni relations and president of the �鶹��Ƶ Foundation; Lauren Bird, associate vice president for corporate and foundation relations; J.K. Aier, senior associate dean for academic affairs and global engagement at Costello; Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at Costello and commissioner of the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority; and Chris Bruno, CEO and director of the Fairfax City Economic Development Authority.

Startup Park presentation. Photo provided

The delegation met with internal and external partners during their visit. Alongside Campus Dean Joshua Park, they presented business collaboration opportunities to organizations including the Korea Data Industry Promotion Agency, Seoul Fintech Lab, and Incheon Startup Park. Their goal was to support local companies interested in expanding to Fairfax.

Park also signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the Global Digital Innovation Network (GDIN), an international platform promoting digital entrepreneurship and startup ecosystems.

The agreement establishes an internship program with GDIN to provide students valuable global work experience, while offering GDIN access to George �鶹��Ƶ’s student talent. Additional plans include joint startup incubation programs, collaborative research, curriculum development, and co-hosting international events.

“The Costello College of Business is a nationally ranked R1 research university business school that leverages its prime location in Northern Virginia, near Washington, D.C., to provide governments, businesses, and students with the best possible opportunities for industry-academic collaboration, internships, and career networking,” said Aier. “This agreement marks an important milestone in our continued efforts to position ourselves as a global hub for the rapidly evolving business environment.”

“Through this agreement, we will further strengthen our global connections with the U.S. campus and Fairfax City, providing students both domestically and internationally valuable experiences in the innovation ecosystem and real growth opportunities,” said Park. “We are also committed to enhancing Korea–U.S. collaboration in education and research, serving as a trusted bridge that helps students, businesses, and government agencies advance on the global stage through innovation, expertise, and entrepreneurship.”

Fairfax City presentation. Photo provided

The delegation also engaged with �鶹��Ƶ Korea leadership, faculty, students, and staff, and the Costello deans connected directly with business students and faculty during their visit.

"Our goal in coming here was to strengthen international connections and explore opportunities to expand access to the transformative global experiences this campus offers,” said Bowden. “What we see emerging is exactly that—a dynamic ecosystem where education and industry converge to prepare students to lead and solve the challenges of tomorrow. It’s inspiring to witness how our students, faculty, and partners are advancing George �鶹��Ƶ’s global mission—bridging innovation, education, and culture in ways that truly reflect the spirit of the �鶹��Ƶ Nation.”

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George �鶹��Ƶ bioengineering team’s start-up is the next wave of athletic rehabilitation and performance

Shayla Brown — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 21:09:36 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ bioengineering team’s start-up is the next wave of athletic rehabilitation and performance Shayla Brown Tue, 04/22/2025 - 17:09

Based on their years of research studying how student-athletes move, �鶹��Ƶ bioengineering professors Parag Chitnis and Siddhartha Sikdar have created a start-up called Myokinetics LLC with the goal of providing personalized rehabilitation programs for injured athletes that can help them recover faster and prevent them from getting injured in the future.

Erica King (left) and researcher testing the Myokinetics device. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

This effort builds on more than $5 million in funding from the Department of Defense for developing wearable ultrasound technologies that help rehabilitate musculoskeletal injuries through a Congressionally Directed Medical Research Programs grant, and two Medical Technology Enterprise Consortium awards, which is a funding mechanism that supports fast translation and development of new technologies relevant for military health.

For the past 10 years, Chitnis and Sikdar have been developing the Myokinetics device “to understand not only when musculoskeletal injuries occur, but to help track the recovery process from the injury as well as prevent re-injury,” said Chitnis, who along with Sikdar, co-directs George �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation (CASSBI), formerly the Center for Adaptive Systems of Brain-Body Interactions.

Their device personalizes the treatments and rehabilitation that's provided so that users can recover in the most optimal manner. Chitnis and Sikdar are also working with multiple collaborators including George �鶹��Ƶ PhD students, George �鶹��Ƶ Athletics, and the College of Education and Human Development (CEHD).

Margaret T. Jones is the director of the Patriot Performance Lab within CEHD’s Center for Sport Management. The lab conducts research and provides services that focus on athlete health and performance.

Margaret T. Jones (center right) with student athletes. Photo provided.

“The wearable ultrasound allows you to look at what the muscles are doing underneath the skin when they contract and what the contraction looks like,” said Jones, who has been working with the George �鶹��Ƶ men’s and women’s volleyball teams since August 2024.

“The research methods vary based on the sport, but [the volleyball players] wear the ultrasound device and we go to their practice facility once a week. Since the sport involves a lot of jumping, we have them jump on what's called a force plate, which is sort of a fancy scale, and collect data to share with the bioengineering team that way,” she said.

In addition, Jones and the team monitor the athletes during their practices and games via the wearable microsensor, which assist in the interpretation of their findings from the weekly jumps and ultrasound tests.

As the team’s research scientist, fourth-year PhD bioengineering student Erica King, BS Bioengineering ’21, works closely with Jones and the Patriot Performance Lab.

“I’m using the device for specific applications and testing and validating against other gold standards that are currently in the market,” said King, who spent all four years of her undergrad on George �鶹��Ƶ’s women’s swim and dive team.

“I've seen my fair share of injuries as an athlete, either my own or my friends, and it’s a continuous cycle. You'll rehabilitate the injury, feel better, and then when you go back to your sport or activity, you'll get injured again,” said King, who was in the Honors College.

“Being able to have a device to help understand what's going on at the muscle level during your rehabilitation to ensure that you're doing the exercises correctly to get the desired results and perform your sport while mitigating the risk of reinjury is so beneficial,” she said.

Partner collaborators include North Carolina State University, Cephasonics Ultrasound, and Infinite Biomedical Technologies (IBT). IBT CEO Rahul Kaliki is also a co-founder of Myokinetics LLC.

A close up of the device. Photo by Evan Cantwell/Office of University Branding.

“At CASSBI, different people and resources are pulled in to work on multidisciplinary projects like this one. This collaboration enables a lot of iterative prototyping efforts, which would not have been possible without the center,” said Abhishek Aher, MS Bioengineering ’24.

“I would like to see the Myokinetics device being used nationwide on the fields of major sports leagues. This should enable more metrics for the players,” said Aher, who is the Myokinetics team’s research engineer.

“For example, metrics such as how many points a player scored or how many minutes they ran are discussed pregame or postgame, but with our device, Myokinetic metrics can become an essential conversation point. That’s where I would like to see this go in the next five years,” he said.

King hopes to continue researching human performance after injury and focus on the most safe and effective ways that athletes can get back to their optimal performance.

“I hope to stick with Myokinetics and implement the devices and the metrics that we're currently developing into the rehabilitation setting. This is for the general population, but athletes will always have a special place in my heart,” said King.

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Siddhartha Sikdar

Parag Chitnis

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Center for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation (CASSBI) takes on a new focus

Martha Bushong — Sat, 29 Mar 2025 11:51:21 +0000

Center for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation (CASSBI) takes on a new focus Martha Bushong Sat, 03/29/2025 - 07:51

Marvel superheroes use their superpowers to leap tall buildings and break through walls. Heroes at �鶹��Ƶ's Center for Advancing Systems Science and Bioengineering Innovation (CASSBI) heroes use their "superpowers" to break through disciplinary silos and improve human health.

“It’s very unique the way CASSBI brought so many disciplines together,” said Amy Adams, executive director of the Institute for Biohealth Innovation. “Their human-centered approach has attracted faculty from all over the university, leveraging the expertise from so many fields of study.”

Professor Siddhartha Sikdar. Photo by Office of University Branding

CASSBI leaders have always understood research efforts don’t take place in a vacuum—the more collaboration, the better. And since its inception in 2019, CASSBI has leveraged faculty from disciplines as diverse as mathematics and social work, or kinesiology and mechanical engineering, all to improve human health.

Professors Siddhartha Sikdar and Parag Chitnis, both from the Bioengineering Department in the College of Engineering and Computing, are co-leaders of the center that recently refreshed its mission and zeroed in more tightly on its translational research. They say that the new vision of CASSBI is advancing system science and integrating innovation with medical technologies.

“Our work has always been translational,” said Sikdar, “In our earlier version, the translational focus was more on centering the priorities of our community partners and addressing their needs through research and creating and disseminating tools that would benefit them directly right now. For example, one success story is a nonprofit we created called iConnect, which works with our community partners to support individuals in recovery from substance misuse. Now we are also working on supporting translation of technologies from the lab to the marketplace, and we will prioritize that equally," he said.

The center will emphasize spin-offs and start-ups from the technology developed at CASSBI in addition to community-engaged research.

Parag Chitnis. Photo by Office of University Branding

Sikdar and Chitnis are off to a good start with a new company that grew out of a Department of Defense grant on tendon and joint injury prevention and reduction using wearable ultrasound systems. In this case, the researchers saw that what they had developed for the military had a broader use and could improve more people's lives by marketing it to a civilian population.

“We’re trying to pursue research of consequence in a way where we are trying to understand the entire pipeline A-Z and how the activities that can be pursued at the academic level and the research lab or center level can eventually be brought to real world,” said Sikdar.

To the CASSBI team, this means all aspects of translation including preclinical, translational studies, clinical trials, commercialization, development of patents, and intellectual property.

Another important aim for CASSBI is to create a support structure for faculty, staff, and researchers to engage in these additional activities. Sikdar and Chitnis want to build out the enhanced support system for devise fabrication, and for navigating the regulatory pathway when working with federal agencies, or for obtaining grant funding that is not traditional academic grants. “We’re becoming more geared towards translational, entrepreneurial, and industrial activities,” said Chitnis.

Chitnis summarizes the new direction: "We're looking at a more holistic approach and how the impact of our science, research, and development can be felt outside of the university.”

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Siddhartha Sikdar

Parag Chitnis

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George �鶹��Ƶ alumnus launches AI software startup for law enforcement training

Greg Johnson — Wed, 26 Feb 2025 16:05:48 +0000

George �鶹��Ƶ alumnus launches AI software startup for law enforcement training Greg Johnson Wed, 02/26/2025 - 11:05

Delivering immersive, voice-driven simulations for law enforcement through building skills, gaining real-time feedback, and preparing for real-world scenarios, Kaiden AI is a software startup co-founded by its CEO Ali Aldubaisi, BS Neuroscience ’21.

Ali Aldubaisi

Aldubaisi had begun studying neuroscience at George �鶹��Ƶ with the intention of going to medical school. However, the distance learning forced upon by COVID led him to think outside of the box and start his first company vRealm, an online tutoring platform.

After a few years working on the project, he co-founded Kaiden AI with his vRealm partner, Ali "AJ" Aldjaei. “When we first started, we were focused on the higher education market,” he says. “We initially built the AI platform for grading and evaluation. Like most startups, you build where you initially think is the right fit, and that’s going to be the market for you.” Throughout the process of building his startup and attracting investors, he would find each day bringing surprises.

After seeing limited traction in higher education, Aldubaisi and his team built a small-scale simulation demo to test a new direction. Among the first to see it was Steve Gladis, a senior scholar at George �鶹��Ƶ’s Center for the Advancement of Well-Being and a former FBI special agent. He immediately recognized its potential for law enforcement training and encouraged Aldubaisi to explore that path.

“We put the MVP [minimum viable product] in front of police chiefs and academy directors, and their reaction was completely different from our earlier demos,” says Aldubaisi. “That’s when we knew we had to double down.”

Now, Aldubaisi and his team partner with law enforcement agencies and regional academies to implement their simulation platform, with organizations like the Northern Virginia Criminal Justice Academy currently piloting the technology. Recently closing a $1 million pre-seed round, Kaiden AI’s investors are venture capitalists largely outside of the law enforcement space.

Ali Aldubaisi (right) at the 2024 Patriot Pitch competition. Photo by John Boal Photography

Even though his current work does not appear directly related to neuroscience, Aldubaisi recognizes the value of his degree. In fact, he still keeps up with neuroscience journals, seeing the relevance between that field and running his company. Developing hypotheses and constantly experimenting has helped Aldubaisi and his team refine and optimize Kaiden AI, from its initial concept in January 2024 to its current phase today.

“A lot of the concepts mirror each other,” he says. “What goes into marketing, how to understand people, how people learn.”

In 2024, Aldubaisi led the keynote discussion at the Patriot Pitch Competition, an event organized by the Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship to support ideas and early-stage business ventures from George �鶹��Ƶ students and recent alumni. He is now in talks with Rebecca Howick, the center’s director of operations and engagement, about getting more involved with their efforts.

“Having a center where somebody in whatever discipline that they’re studying can articulate or put together an idea or experiment on ideas is so crucial,” says Aldubaisi. He knows there are many intelligent people with brilliant ideas who may be hesitant to pursue their ventures because they don’t know how they’re going to get the funding or backing.

Having gone through that process, Aldubaisi offers crucial advice to aspiring entrepreneurs that reflects his scientific background. “Having the courage to focus on that one thing that you’re trying to prove out is probably the biggest thing,” he says. “Second thing is always look at what your idea is as an experiment, and the goal is to prove or disprove as soon as possible.”

By following these guidelines, Aldubaisi and his team have surpassed fundraising milestones and are excited to put Kaiden AI into the hands of many more law enforcement students and officers.

Learn more about AI research at George �鶹��Ƶ

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Rebecca Howick

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