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USF researcher develops CaseyMD, an AI platform transforming clinical education through
virtual patient encounters
November 2, 2026
New AI-powered mosquite trap could help curb dengue outbreaks
October 23, 2026
As Florida continues to face one of its worst dengue outbreaks in nearly a century, an innovative mosquito trap created by USF startup Digitomy is helping curb the spread of the virus and other mosquito-borne diseases. The smart trap contains patented AI technology and has achieved more than 98% accuracy in identifying mosquito species during laboratory testing. Dr Sriram Chellappan was a Principal Investigator (PI) on a Fall 2024 USF I-Corps team.
Dog cognitive decline treatment: USF Health develops new gene therapy
October 19, 2026
A new hope for dogs with dementia: USF Health researchers explore gene therapy
October 7, 2026
Aurelie Joly, a research associate in the Morsani College of Medicine Department of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology, is working to advance a gene therapy to treat canine cognitive decline, a condition similar in many ways to Alzheimer’s disease in humans. The project is being advanced through Blue Zone Therapeutics, a company Joly co-founded with colleagues Kevin Nash, Dr. Christian Brechot and Marselina Levis-Rabi, to help move the technology from the laboratory toward real-world veterinary applications. Dr. Kevin Nash was a Principal Investigator (PI), Dr. Aurelie Joly-Amado was an Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) and Marcelina Levis-Rabi was an Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) on a Fall 2024 I-Corps @USF team and Dr. Aurelie Joly-Amado was the Principal Investigator (PI) on a summer 2025 national NSF I-Corps team.
Cade Prize for Inventivity names 2026 finalists
August 26, 2026
Judges for the 17th Annual Cade Prize for Inventivity have named this year's 15 finalists, who are invited to compete for over $100,000 in equity-free cash prizes. Converstation.AI (Wildcard category) is led by Dr. Gerald Imaezue, a Principal Investigator (PI) on a Spring 2026 I-Corps@USF team. He has developed CaseyMD, an AI-native clinical simulation platform for healthcare students and their instructors. It delivers realistic, adaptive patient and caregiver simulations across multiple clinical fields following a structured six-stage clinical workflow with immediate, evidence-based feedback.
USF researchers earn innovation fund support to advance healthcare training, EEG technology
and veterinary medicine
August 19, 2026
Four University of South Florida researchers have received the latest round of Early Stage Innovation Fund Awards, which provide up to $25,000 in seed funding to advance technologies toward market readiness. Dr. Gerald Imaezue was the Principal Investigator (PI) on a Spring 2026 I-Corps@USF team, and Dr. Aurelie Joly-Amado was an Entrepreneurial Lead (EL) on a Fall 2024 I-Corps @USF team and the Principal Investigator (PI) on a summer 2025 national NSF I-Corps team.
We are excited to participate in the NobleReach Foundation and National Science Foundation's Innovation Corps Science to Venture pilot program. This 2-year initiative is designed to strengthen vital ecosystem resources for sustained acceleration of high-potential university research out of the lab and into new technologies that benefit U.S. national and economic security. The program will directly support 10 translation projects in our region and engages with ecosystem partners to connect to critical translation resources, while also strengthening access to talent and early-stage capital. We look forward to supporting our faculty and student researchers in transforming breakthrough research into real-world, high-impact solutions.
syGlass earns national recognition at HarvardXR Conference
May 4, 2026
syGlass, an immersive data visualization company, recently received two top honors at the HarvardXR Conference 2026 in the Boston innovation corridor: Best Emerging XR Startup and Best Applied XR Product. Dr. George Spirou was a Principal Investigator (PI) on a Spring 2019 USF I-Corps team.
USF-led innovations tackle cybersecurity and health challenges with early-stage funding
May 4, 2026
The Florida High Tech Corridor and USF Research continue to accelerate the translation of bold ideas into real-world impact through the Early-Stage Innovation Fund, announcing a new cohort of faculty-led projects poised for commercialization. Designed to support promising research at a critical inflection point, the program provides up to $25,000 in seed funding to help advance technologies toward market readiness. The evergait Go™ is a wearable device that helps stroke survivors relearn to walk by using a unique, battery-free wheel mechanism that attaches to the shoe, allowing effective rehabilitation at home without clinic visits. Dr. Kyle Reed was the Principal Investigator (PI) for a 2014 national NSF I-Corps team.
USF Venture chosen for the Venturewell spring 2026 e-team program cohort
April 7, 2026
Eighteen teams will kick off their entrepreneurship journey in Pioneer, the first stage of the E-Team Program, where they’ll receive $5,000 in grant funding and intensive entrepreneurship training to help identify the right market for their products. USF Team CapCycle Creations is upcycling plastic waste into higher-quality products to create a circular system of waste management. Melina Korovessi of CapCycle Creations participated in the USF Student Innovation Incubator I-Corps cohort in Spring 2026.
CyberBay Innovation Challenge awards $70,000 grant to emerging cybersecurity innovator
March 13, 2026
CyberBay today announced the winner of the CyberBay Innovation Challenge, awarding a $70,000 non-dilutive grant to Actualization.ai and its SquarePact solution for its innovative approach to making cybersecurity more accessible, usable and effective for small and mid-sized organizations. Dr. John Licato was a Principal Investigator (PI) on a Fall 2023 USF I-Corps team.