Cornell’s Ignite Innovation Acceleration program supports inventors, early-stage innovations

Six Cornell inventors have been selected for the spring 2025 cycle of the Ignite Innovation Acceleration program, a gap funding initiative that helps researchers advance early-stage technologies to the next inflection point on the path toward commercialization, bridging the gap between academic research and real-world application.

Managed by Cornell's Center for Technology Licensing (CTL), the program provides funding to prepare early-stage technologies for licensing, startup formation or industry collaboration. Since its launch four years ago, the Innovation Acceleration program has helped execute 29 licenses and options for technology advancement.

"Too often, high-potential technologies stall before reaching the marketplace because of a lack of gap funding for translation," said Alice Li, executive director of CTL. "The Ignite Innovation Acceleration program provides that critical boost at just the right moment, helping our inventors build protypes for potential impactful products."

This spring's cohort includes projects in robotics, advanced materials, agriculture, biotechnology, AI for medical education and veterinary medicine. The awardees and their projects include:

1. Innovative approaches to synthesizing rare compounds used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals from modified gut bacteria

Elizabeth Johnson, associate professor of nutritional sciences at the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS), is working on a technology to increase the production of bioactive compounds used in cosmetics and pharmaceuticals for their ability to strengthen cell membranes and regulate biological functions. The proposed biosynthesis method could create more effective compounds to enhance anti-aging properties of topical applications. Currently, there are multiple barriers to creating these molecules that may be solved using innovations created in the Johnson lab. The funding will help the team refine the technology for specialized applications.

1. AerAI

Gregory Falco, assistant professor at the Sibley School of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, and his team led by Ph.D. student Cameron Mehlman, developed two capabilities: Magpie, a low-cost, autonomous system designed to help drones and satellites operate safely in unpredictable environments, and EVADE, a compact, efficient autonomy algorithm for maneuvering in non-cooperative environments. Together, these systems provide autonomous capabilities for drones and are currently being tested in a custom-built indoor drone testbed. When combined, these innovations create AerAI, which supports fast, on-device AI computing that is highly scalable. AerAI also offers seamless capabilities at half the cost of existing systems. The market for this technology lies in the autonomous drone sector, with potential applications in the space industry. The funding will be used to improve hardware and further develop these algorithms.

1. Scaling up access to a delicious processing butternut squash

Michael Mazourek, associate professor in the School of Integrative Plant Science, Plant Breeding and Genetics Section in CALS, and his group have developed a larger version of the 'Honeynut' butternut squash. This new variety offers concentrated flavor and nutrition and is suitable for soups, canned and frozen purées, and cubed, ready-to-cook forms. Restaurants and direct consumers seeking packaged goods, including baby food, will benefit from this new variety once it reaches the market. The funding will support the breeding team in improving current production capacity and connecting with commercial partners.

1. Multi-objective AI for patient simulation and formative feedback generation to enhance deliberate practice in medical education

Yann Hicke, a Ph.D. student at the Ann S. Bowers College of Computing and Information Science, developed MedSimAI, an AI-driven simulation system that allows medical students to learn, train and communicate with AI standardized patients (AI-SPs) in realistic, two-way conversations. The AI-SPs are trained using a large language model that allows them to simulate clinical scenarios and behave in a pedagogically appropriate manner, emphasizing consistency, realism and adaptability over extended conversations. The program also provides personalized feedback and supports long-term learning. Initial results from pilot programs for students preparing for the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) show high engagement, strong face validity and a reduction in faculty time spent on standardized patient training. The funding will support prototype validation and product scaling.

1. Transcatheter cardiac implant clip for canine valve regurgitation

Jonathan Butcher, the Joseph Newton Pew Jr. professor in engineering at the College of Engineering, and his team designed a minimally invasive cardiac implant to treat mitral valve disease (MVD) in canines, the most common cause of death in small breeds. MVD is a condition where a leaky valve causes blood to flow backward or regurgitate, putting strain on the heart. Over time, this can lead to heart enlargement and, eventually, heart failure if untreated. Butcher's implant adapts the transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (TEER) method - currently used in humans - which clips the mitral valve leaflets together at the edges to reduce leakage and improve blood flow, helping extend and improve the lives of dogs with MVD. The implant features a novel mechanism that is gentler on the patient and can be scaled down for intravascular delivery and deployment. The funding will support the development and refinement of the prototype and conduct initial testing.

1. Electronically actuated microvalves for on-demand drug delivery

Yanxin Ji, a Ph.D. student at the College of Arts & Sciences, created an improved device for drug delivery by fabricating and integrating tiny valves - often smaller than a grain of rice - that open and close in response to electrical signals. These signals control microfluidic channels to release drug molecules at high flow rates. This technology advances an existing platform developed at Houston Methodist for remote-controlled drug delivery. While effective in increasing, decreasing or stopping the drug release rate, the current system faces challenges in reliably controlling positively charged molecules. When combined, these technologies enhance drug delivery with real-time, adjustable dosing tailored to the patient's needs. The funding will support the device's fabrication and proof of concept.

Each project selected received a grant of up to $50,000. The program offers milestone-driven support to help inventors reach key technical or business development goals. Past awardees have used the funding to develop proof-of-concept data, build prototypes, conduct early market research or prepare for FDA submissions.

"With each award cycle, we're seeing more impact and results, from new licensing agreements to new startup launches," Li said. "It's a testament to the strength of Cornell's innovation ecosystem."

By supporting these critical steps, the Ignite Innovation Acceleration program helps move Cornell discoveries beyond the lab. The initiative is part of CTL's broader Ignite portfolio, which also includes programs like the Fellow for New Ventures and Startup Projects, geared toward entrepreneurial innovators.

The Fall 2025 application cycle for Ignite Innovation Acceleration opens September 22. The deadline is November 7 at noon Eastern time. Cornell innovators seeking funding to bring their ideas to the next inflection point for commercialization are strongly encouraged to apply.