Blake Dube's transformation from undergraduate engineering student into CEO of his own company, Aeronics, happened in a rapid-fire manner when he and fellow students Mark Spitz and Alec Kaija were encouraged by their professors to explore the commercial potential of their research. They took full advantage of the programs and resources available through the Innovation Institute and its Big Idea Center for student entrepreneurship. Aeronics won prizes in the Randall Family Big Idea Competition, the Michael G. Wells Healthcare competition, the Kuzneski Innovation Cup. They participated in the Blast Furnace accelerator and received guidance and support from several mentors and entrepreneurs in residence. They also received support from the greater Pitt innovation ecosystem, including winning a prize in the Pitt Innovation Challenge (PInCh).
Social entrepreneurship doesn’t necessarily mean an enterprise that does not make a profit. In the case of a Pitt student startup dedicated to unlocking solar power’s potential in the developing world, organizing as a Public Benefit Corporation is designed to help do well by doing good. We welcome Jay Murray, CEO of Solinius, to our blog to introduce his company and the Kickstarter campaign he and his colleagues have launched around the cellular IoT development board they created to drive their system.
Last year, Shuo Li stepped out of Dr. Kevin Chen’s lab donning a blazer and tie, not the everyday outfit for an electrical and computer engineering graduate student. Shuo and two other colleagues, Aidong Yan and Ran Zou, had created their team called “Airborne Laser” just six weeks earlier and were on their way to the final pitches of the Randall Family Big Idea Competition, an experience-based learning opportunity open to all Pitt students. What they did not expect was that they would reach the final round of the competition and end the night on stage clutching a giant check made out for $15,000.