Propel June 2020 Newsletter

Impact of Mandatory Participation in PSU Work Share Program

Beginning the week of June 1, 2020, Portland State University implemented a mandatory work share program that reduces the workload of non-instructional staff by 20% per week. This program affects Propel PSU employees, including those in the Center for Entrepreneurship, the Portland State Business Accelerator, and Innovation & Intellectual Property. The Business Accelerator and Innovation & Intellectual Property will remain open Monday - Friday with reduced staffing levels. The Center for Entrepreneurship will be open Tuesday - Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 PM.

Female-led rocket team earns top prize at PSU Cleantech Challenge

Female-led Team Earns Top Prize at PSU Cleantech Challenge

Now in its 8th year, the PSU Cleantech Challenge hosted seven teams with inventions designed with the environment and sustainability in mind. But things looked a little different this year as the challenge got underway with more than 70 people gathered over Zoom to listen to the teams present and ultimately name a winner. This year, Open Source Rocket Academy took home the top prize of $2,000 for their stand designed to allow for liquid engine system testing and a certification program to better prepare future rocket scientists.

Let Knowledge Serve a Better Learning Environment

The SAGE Classroom, designed by Portland State architecture professors Margarette Leite and Sergio Palleroni and students in the School of Architecture and Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science, provides schools a healthy and affordable alternative to traditional modular classrooms. Thanks to non-exclusive licensing agreements, over 141 SAGE classrooms have been deployed to seven school districts across the Northwest.

Captis Biotechnology: Dr. Robert Strongin

Business Accelerator Company Highlight: Captis Biotech

Captis Biotechnology, Inc. is a diagnostics company with the mission of commercializing discoveries that address significant challenges in disease detection. Developed at Portland State University by chemistry professor, Robert Strongin and colleagues, their patented technology could revolutionize how diseases like ovarian cancer are diagnosed.

Business Accelerator Company Spotlight: iFlipd

iFlipd, a Portland State Business Accelerator company-in-residence, began as an online textbook subscription service, but in the last year, the company has emerged as a surprising new fintech authority on pay-as-you-go video game rentals.

Events & Announcements

How to Leverage Market Research and Customer Outreach to Successfully Launch Your Idea

Please join OHSU for an engaging discussion with four outstanding panelists as they share tips and tricks from their 60+ years of combined experience successfully launching and commercializing healthcare technologies. Our panelists include three CEOs leading thriving Portland-based startups and a professional healthcare market strategy consultant. Come learn what strategies you can employ to gain an understanding of your market and customers, and to best position your idea or technology for the next stage.

Thursday, June 25, 2020
1 - 2:30 p.m.
Virtual Panel: https://zoom.us/j/96096452237
Meeting ID: 960 9645 2237
Open to the public at no cost
RSVP

Funding Opportunity: DoD Broad Agency Announcements

The Department of Defense (DoD) Broad Agency Announcements (BAAs) Release 20.2 and 20.B are now open in the Pre-Release stage. This is the time to talk to the topic authors (listed in respective BAA).

The timelines are as follows:

May 6, 2020: Pre-release begins
June 3, 2020: BAA opens, begin accepting proposals in DSIP
June 18, 2020: Topic Q&A (formerly SITIS) closes
July 2, 2020: BAA closes, full proposals must be submitted in DSIP

Nine components are participating in SBIR BAA #2 with the largest number of topics from the Army this time. Cleantech topics include advances in batteries in electric vehicles (EV), beyond Li-ion, wireless power transfer, Li-ion battery programming, battery recycling, solar-powered generation of hydrogen from seawater, toxic chemical sensors, and more. Info on topics and submitting here.