University at Buffalo School of Management

2018 Winner: Aviate Audio Team: Ryan Jaquin, BS Engineering/MBA '18; Shane Nolan, BS Engineering/MBA '18; and Alex Schwartz, BS Engineering '17 HOW IT STARTED: Nolan wanted guitarists to be able to control all their sound effects right from their instruments, so he partnered with Jaquin and Schwartz to build a prototype of an ultra-compact digital pick guard. WHERE IT WENT: Aer founding Aviate Audio, the team launched its first product—Airpatch, a wireless switch that adds effects to an instrument—on Indiegogo in 2019, with a major debut at the National Association of Music Merchants trade show in Nashville, Tennessee. Now, they are working toward an expanded product line. WHAT WE LEARNED: "Entrepreneurial thinking taught us to follow our passions in music and technology while embody- ing the persistence and adaptability we needed to succeed," says Nolan. "We gained the confidence to fully commit to our venture and the support that has taken us from an idea to launching a product and securing follow-on funding." 2019 Winner: Livandala Ogechi Ogoke, PhD '21 HOW IT STARTED: Ogoke turned his PhD research focus— developing functional liver tissue from stem cells—into a startup to commercialize an alternative to liver transplants. WHERE IT WENT: Shortly aer the competition, Livandala rebranded to Ovana Life Sciences and strengthened its busi- ness and technology plan for the near future. The company pivoted toward the development of a microcapsule to help restore, regenerate or mitigate organ failure. WHAT I LEARNED: "I now understand what the road to entre- preneurship entails, including how to pivot through your ideas and strengthen your presentation to potential investors through the startup phase," says Ogoke. Graphene Devices Ltd. – 2010 Winner • New York State Energy Research and Development Authority, 2010 ($466,000) • U.S. Navy Small Business Innovation Research program, 2010 ($80,000) • U.S. Army Small Business Innovation Research program, 2010 ($70,000) • UB Center for Advanced Biomedical and Bioengineering Technology, 2010 ($22,000) diMien LLC – 2013 Winner • Finalist, 43North startup competition, 2018 • More than $2 million in funding from federal, state and local agencies, and angel and venture capital funds Pop Biotechnologies (formerly Photozyne) – 2015 Winner • Contract for vaccine development, National Institutes of Health, 2019 ($600,000) • First place, Rise of the Rest 4.0 Pitch Competition, 2015 ($100,000) • Second place, New York Business Plan Competition, 2015 ($5,000) Onward and upward The Panasci Technology Entrepreneurship Competition has been a launching pad for its participants, who have gone on to raise additional funds and thrive at other competitions. Here's just a sample. 18 Buffalo Business Spring 2021 From left, Nolan and Jaquin at the 2019 National Association of Music Merchants trade show. Ogoke

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