From Lab to Market, TSU Secures First Faculty Research Licensing Deal

Big news out of hub partner Tennessee State University (TSU): the university just landed its first faculty research licensing agreement. Dr. Ankit Patras, professor of food and biosystems engineering, co-founded FloUV Technologies to commercialize his UV-based system for disinfecting milk, juice, and other liquids without heat.

A $25,000 TTAC proof-of-concept grant in 2024 enabled Patras to build a larger prototype, while a subsequent Launch Tennessee event connected the venture with global investor SOSV, securing $200,000 in funding. Today, FloUV has commenced field testing.

Patras came through two regional I-Corps programs at TSU and Vanderbilt in Summer 2024. TSU's Alancia Wicks, director of technology transfer and innovation, has been championing this kind of work on campus, helping faculty navigate intellectual property and rebranding rigorous programs like NSF I-Corps into accessible innovation “boot camps” to show researchers that they belong in the commercial sphere.

Read the full story from TSU here: https://tnstatenewsroom.com/from-lab-to-market-tsu-secures-first-faculty-research-licensing-deal/