Recipients of the Presidents’ Innovation Award are determined by the presidents of
Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center.
Texas Tech University has partnered with Market Lubbock Inc. to establish the Presidents’
Innovation Award, an effort supporting entrepreneurs through seed-stage funding and
seed grants for startups at the Innovation Hub at Research Park.
This program is designed to give early-stage startups space and critical access to equipment to become revenue-generating companies. The Presidents’ Innovation Award creates new technology jobs and increases the tax base with innovative companies in West Texas.
A committee reviews all the applications to narrow the field, identifying candidates that exemplify innovation and commercialization. Final decisions for the prestigious awards are made by the presidents of Texas Tech University and the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC).
TTUHSC President’s Awards
VxMED: A company that transforms medical education by creating virtual-reality training experiences for medical students.
CEO Founders – Anthony Betteridge and Nathan Lloyd
$25,000 awarded
Performance Fasteners, LLC: A company that manufactures and markets styling accessories and custom one-off parts for the discriminating automotive, motorcycle and motorsports enthusiast.
CEO Founder – Toby Brooks
$15,000 awarded
PCOS Diet: A company that developed a novel dietary approach to managing polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS) that has resulted in successful weight loss and improved metabolic parameters with no caloric restriction, carb counting, fat counting, portion limitation or exercise.
CEO Founder – Dr. Jennifer Phy
Awarded $5,000 plus an additional $5,000 to develop app
Texas Tech University President’s Awards
NemaLife: A company that developed a platform technology for high throughput drug discovery and toxicology in small animals.
CEO Founder – Siva Vanapalli
$25,000 awarded
BaoNano: A company that will significantly downscale the power circuit profile and enhance the lifetime and functionality of electronic devices.
CEO Founder – Zhaoyang Fan
$15,000 awarded
iNoon: A company with a novel diagnostics method of detecting eye diseases using a smartphone.
CEO Founder – Jo Woon Chong
$10,000 awarded
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