Focus
Entrepreneurship
As a University located in Charlottesville with one of the fastest-growing venture capital ecosystems in America, UVA contributes to the city’s culture of collaboration and innovation and supports entrepreneurs throughout the Commonwealth.
University of Virginia School of Medicine professor Lee Ritterband created SHUTi (Sleep Healthy Using the Internet) – a digital therapeutic that uses cutting-edge technology to administer cognitive behavioral therapy for people suffering from insomnia. Ritterband's goal is to increase access to effective and affordable behavioral health care
UVA's Batten Institute seeks to improve society by creating knowledge about the transformative power of entrepreneurship and innovation and by cultivating principled, entrepreneurial leaders.
The W.L. Lyons Brown III Innovation Laboratory, or i.Lab at UVA supports entrepreneurs and innovators both on and beyond the UVA Grounds. The i.Lab provides programs, funding, workspace, mentors, community, and additional resources to support new entrepreneurs and accelerate new ventures.
Local biotechnology industry leader Nikki Hastings, PhD, has been named the first Executive Director of the CvilleBioHub, a non-profit that connects and supports the Charlottesville-area biotechnology sector. CvilleBioHub will receive strategic planning assistance from Denise Hubbard, program director for UVA’s Office of Economic Development, and Grant Tate, of the Bridge Ltd. consulting firm.
The UVA Licensing & Ventures Group helps discoveries reach their full potential in the marketplace. In 2018 there were 213 invention disclosures filed, 59 U.S. patents issued and 77 transactions with commercial partners.
As the entrepreneurial offerings at the University of Virginia Darden School of Business continue to grow and mature, funding for ventures started by Darden alumni is skyrocketing. Darden's cultivation of the entrepreneurial ecosystem has created broad-based impact in Virginia and beyond.
PsiKick is utilizing revolutionary ultra-low-power technologies from the Universities of Virginia and Michigan to build completely self-powered sensing systems that do not require batteries, can be deployed nearly anywhere, and unlock new data streams that generate significant value in Virginia and beyond. The company also creates jobs in the Charlottesville region.
UVA, Albemarle County, and the City of Charlottesville pledged support for a program aimed at accelerating the growth of local startups. The proposed Catalyst Accelerator Program would provide a longer form of support for entrepreneurs seeking funding to advance their companies. UVA applied for a grant through GO Virginia, a state-funded initiative encouraging regional collaboration, to launch the program.
A WMRA podcast alludes to UVA's role in the biotechnology industry in Central Virginia. Grounded in UVA research and support from UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group (LVG), companies like Contraline and TearSolutions are making exciting advances and nurturing the biotechnology ecosystem in the region.
Insulin delivery technology developed at UVA and commercialized by TypeZero Technologies, Inc. received initial support from UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group (LVG). Now, LVG has exited from TypeZero following acquisition by DexCom, the leader in continuous glucose monitoring for diabetes. The news highlights UVA's cultivation of research and entrepreneurship that ultimately improves lives and stimulates our economy.
The UVA Licensing & Ventures Group (LVG) has invested in three Charlottesville-based ventures that grew out of University research. TypeZero Technologies Inc., TearSolutions Inc., and Mission Secure Inc. all have the potential to make an impact and to drive the local and regional economy. The LVG Seed Fund offers UVA-affiliated startups capital to advance opportunities often considered too early for investment by traditional sources.
Mission Secure Inc. recently announced the closing of an $8 million Series A financing round led by Energy Innovation Capital and Chevron Technology Ventures. The company spun out of UVA research and intellectual property developed by UVA's Licensing and Ventures Group. Mission Secure Inc. supports jobs in Charlottesville and plans to double their workforce going forward.