Event Details:

• Date: Tuesday, October 15, 2024 
• Time: 3:00 PM – 5:00 PM EST (Doors open at 2:00 PM, followed by Code and Cocktails reception at Tinjune) 
• Location: Newark Museum of Art, 49 Washington St, Newark, NJ 07102 
• RSVP: Register here to save your spot

What to Expect at Newark Demo Day

This exciting event will showcase 10-12 innovative startups from the New Jersey and New York City regions, selected from nominations across the co-hosts’ extensive networks. Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from local entrepreneurs and explore groundbreaking solutions across industries. The day will kick off with opening remarks by New Jersey’s top tech leaders, followed by startup presentations. Networking cocktails and exhibition booths will feature key investors and stakeholders from the region’s vibrant tech ecosystem. 

Demo Day aims to drive investment opportunities for the participating startups, helping to activate downtown Newark as a thriving hub for tech innovation. Our goal is to foster connections that spur partnerships, investment, and business growth throughout the region. 

Spotlight on NJII Ecosystem Startups

Three of the featured startups are part of the NJII ecosystem, each participating in one of our programs.  

• OculoMotor Technologies: Specializing in neurotechnology, OculoMotor is developing advanced tools for diagnosing and treating eye movement disorders using artificial intelligence and machine learning. 
• Portable Diagnostics Systems: This startup is transforming healthcare with portable diagnostic devices, offering fast and accurate results ideal for both remote and point-of-care settings. 
• PureNanoTech: Innovators in nanotechnology, PureNanoTech is developing breakthrough applications in healthcare, energy, and environmental technology. 

NJII Expert Tom Villani Judges

The event is centered around a spotlight pitch competition, simulating real investment pitches that attendees can spectate. The judging panel will include leading experts and investors from across the tech and venture capital space, including NJII’s Tom Villani, AVP of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, who brings a wealth of experience in entrepreneurship and startup scaling. 

Conclusion

Demo Day is one of many events hosted during Newark Tech Week. Check out the other amazing opportunities and events that are taking place during the week throughout the city by clicking here. We hope to see you at demo day! 

The post Join NJII and Industry leaders for the Inaugural Demo Day at Newark Tech Week!  appeared first on NJII.

The companies featured at the showcase—Aperture Bio, DeepSeq.ai, Serinus Bio, VCreate, Ascent Bio, E9 Genomics, Prism.bio, Providentia Technologies, Brainify.ai, dannce.ai, Orbits Oncology, and Readout AI—each brought unique and disruptive solutions to the forefront of digital biopharma. Their innovations ranged from advanced genomic software systems to AI-driven drug discovery and the development of novel cancer therapies. Over the 10-month program, the MDS Studio accelerator provided these startups with mentorship, coaching, training, support, community, and investment. The program offered investment via a $150,000 SAFE (Simple Agreement for Future Equity) and access to Microsoft’s Founders Hub resources, including up to $150,000 in Azure compute credits. 

Throughout the event, the startups not only presented their pitches but also engaged in mini panels grouped by their current development stage: Discovery, Acceleration, or Clinical. This allowed for deeper discussions and insights tailored to their specific growth challenges and opportunities. 

Following the formal presentations, a reception allowed for further networking and relationship-building, providing an opportunity for deeper engagement and potential collaborations. The atmosphere was one of excitement and optimism, with many attendees expressing enthusiasm about the prospects of the showcased companies. The showcase was not just a celebration but also a testament to the collaborative environment fostered by the MDS Studio. NJII Vice President of Entrepreneurship, Michael van Ter Sluis noted, “the MDS Studio has created such a rich ecosystem of innovators. It was a treat to see that network come to life and our teams thriving…” 

The MDS Studio Graduation Showcase highlighted emerging technologies poised to impact digital drug discovery and development. As the participating startups continue their journeys, they carry the potential to transform the biopharma landscape with their innovative solutions.  

NJII is a proud partner of MDS Studio and shares a profound interest in building a future for small businesses in the biotech and biopharmaceutical industries. To learn more about how NJII is assisting startups and small business, you can view our Entrepreneurship Division webpage.  

The post Innovative Minds Shine at Merck Digital Sciences Studio Graduation Showcase appeared first on NJII.

About NJECC 

NJECC, an NSF ADVANCE Partnership, addresses gender equity issues in academic technology commercialization (patenting, licensing, and startup creation) by focusing on the elimination of systemic institutional and entrepreneurial ecosystem barriers. NJECC partners with universities and institutions throughout New Jersey as part of its systemic change initiative to increase the diversity of STEM faculty researchers who participate in New Jersey’s entrepreneurship and innovation ecosystem. 

What is the goal of the conference? 

The conference aims to create sustainable connections between various participants in the New Jersey innovation ecosystem, targeting female inventors and commercialization gatekeepers: investors, service providers, and tech transfer & venture development staff.  

Project co-PI and conference organizer Judith Sheft, Executive Director of the New Jersey Commission on Science, Innovation and Technology noted, “This conference is bringing together stakeholders from all sectors – innovators, tech transfer personnel, incubator/accelerator managers, investors and government to discuss increasing participation by women and under-represented minorities in the commercialization eco-system to ensure that innovations can result in positive societal impact.” 

NJECC PI Treena Arinzeh, now a professor of biomedical engineering at Columbia University, said, “This conference is an opportunity for academics to learn more about the commercialization process and to engage and network with investors. We are encouraging women faculty and faculty from underrepresented groups who may have an interest in commercialization or may be experienced in the process to attend.” 

What will it include? 

The conference will include educational panel discussions for both new and experienced innovators addressing commercialization options and pathways, as well as keynote presentations from successful academic innovators. A showcase and networking session is planned to provide opportunities to develop connections among gatekeeper and inventor participants. 

Registration is now open and free for all! 

Entrepreneurs and those who are “commercialization curious,” as well as investors, tech transfer and academic entrepreneurship staff are all invited to attend. Registration for the conference is free and currently open. 

To learn more: 

For more information about NJECC and to register for the conference, please visit: New Jersey Equity in Commercialization Collective (njeccadvance.com). Also contact NJII for more info!

The post NJECC Will Be Hosting a Statewide Commercialization Conference  appeared first on NJII.