The University of South Florida Foundation and the USF Research Foundation have awarded Foundation Bull Ring Accelerator Grants to three early-stage start-ups affiliated with the Tampa Bay Technology Incubator. Following a rigorous and competitive process, MediMirror, QuantumSilicon Clocks and SPKL have been selected to each receive up to $25,000 in BRAG funding for the following innovations:
Medimirror
Founder: Katharine Hanlon (MediMirror)
The MediMirror enables the early detection of skin issues.
Innovation: A split polarized light mirror that provides views of the skin’s surface and subsurface layers, enabling early detection of skin issues, treatment tracking, and enhanced visibility for cosmetic and medical applications. Pigment concerns and spider veins may be easier and less expensive to treat when detected early. MediMirror is in the prototype phase, with a product launch planned for late 2025.
“My background is in skin imaging, where I spent over a decade working in dermatology,” said Katharine Hanlon, who served as a senior research clinical associate at USF Health before founding MediMirror in 2024. “Through that work, I became fascinated by the potential of polarized light photography to reveal features of the skin not easily seen with the naked eye. The idea for MediMirror came from wanting to make that capability accessible at home, in a format that empowers people to spot early skin concerns and better understand their skin health.
“Receiving BRAG funding is an exciting milestone in the development of MediMirror,” she added. “This support helps bring forward a new way for people to see and understand their skin—combining science and simplicity in a tool designed for everyday use.”
Silicon-based atomic Clock
Founder: Denis Karaiskaj (Quantum Silicon Clocks)
The silicon-based atomic clock is smaller, cheaper and more energy efficient than the chip-size atomic clock used in current electonic navigation devices.
Innovation: This silicon-based, solid-state, miniaturized atomic clock is a smaller, cheaper, and more energy efficient alternative to the chip-size atomic clock that is currently used in electronic navigation devices. It has applications for oil and gas exploration, space navigation, military GPS, and high-end automotive and watch manufacturing.
“Atomic clock devices are very precise timekeeping units that far exceed the accuracy of conventional clocks. Current portable atomic clocks take advantage of the properties of an atomic gas kept in a heated cell,” said Denis Karaiskaj, associate professor in the Physics Department in the College of Arts & Sciences. “The goal of this project is to develop a physics package prototype based on impurity atoms that can be introduced into silicon either by ion implantation or diffusion. Silicon is a material used in most electronic devices, which would lead to much smaller and lighter clock devices, which consume less power and would be more easily integrated into existing electronics.”
Emergency Stroke Assessment Device
Co-Founders: Arnold Estrada and Ashwin Parthasarathy (SPKL)
This device detects the onset of a stroke by comparing blood flow between the brain's hemispheres.
Innovation: A portable, low-cost device that detects artery blockages at the onset of a stroke by comparing blood flow from the left and right hemispheres of the brain. This device can significantly reduce the time between stroke occurrence and treatment, resulting in less damage to the brain and better physical and cognitive outcomes following the stroke.
“We are very excited to have been selected for the BRAG award and for USF Research Foundation’s support of our company. SPKL was founded on the vision to build an affordable and accessible wearable blood flow monitor; this award will help us realize our vision,” said Ashwin Parthasarathy, associate professor in the Department of Electrical Engineering. “Both Arnold [Estrada] and I believe in the power of technology to improve people’s health. We are motivated by our desire to see new methods and techniques be used by people in the field. This was a driving factor in our development of an emergency stroke assessment device; we want to build a device that is robust and easy to use, but helps deliver value in triaging stroke patients to get treatment faster."