Innovation Insider

DECEMBER 2023

UK, PARTNERS AWARDED 'BUILD TO SCALE' GRANT TO SUPPORT KENTUCKY STARTUPS, DIVERSIFY INVESTORS

The University of Kentucky and its partners are one of 60 programs awarded “Build to Scale” grants from the U.S. Department of Commerce.

UK, in partnership with Keyhorse Capital, the investment arm of Kentucky Science and Technology Corporation (KSTC), is a 2023 Capital Challenge Grant recipient. The project “Invest Blue — Supporting Kentucky Startups, Developing Venture Capital Managers” was awarded nearly $1.5 million in total, including the federal award with a local match from UK and Keyhorse Capital.

“The Invest Blue team is excited about this opportunity to engage and empower a new legion of individuals with affinity to support Kentucky startups in this effort to diversify and democratize access to capital,” said Eric Hartman, the project’s principal investigator and senior associate director of commercialization, UK Office of Technology Commercialization.



Invest Blue is a partnership between UK’s startup accelerator Launch Blue and Keyhorse Capital. 

KENTUCKY INNOVATOR CHALLENGE 2024

REGISTRATION OPEN

We are excited to announce our Kentucky Innovator Challenge (KIC) 2024 is scheduled for April 11 at the Gatton Student Center.

Mark your calendar to join us for keynote speakers, industry and federal funding program presenters, networking and more.

Details coming soon!

SAVE THE DATE:

UK WOMEN INNOVATORS NETWORK (UKWIN)

The UK Women Innovators Network (UKWIN) program aims to increase the number of UK women participating in innovation.

Save the date for our annual event on March 19, 2024.

UK INNOVATE DECEMBER WEBINAR RECORDING: NEW INDUSTRY PARTNERING RESOURCES AND PROGRAMS FOR UK RESEARCHERS

If you missed the Innovation Connect team presenting on the new industry partnering resources and programs for University of Kentucky researchers, you can still watch it on our UK Innovate YouTube Channel.

You can meet the team and learn more about their work and available resources through the recording.

KYNETIC CYCLE 9 IS OPEN

If you have an idea or product to improve patient care or enhance human health, apply for funding through KYNETIC.

Pre-Application Deadline is February 13, 2024, 5:00 pm ET.

KYNETIC is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and offers entrepreneurial education and proof-of-concept/product development grants to accelerate the translation of academic innovations into biomedical products by investigators throughout Kentucky.

KYNETIC is led by the University of Kentucky, University of Louisville, Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development and Kentucky Commercialization Ventures.

U.S. PATENTS ISSUED

NOVEMBER 2023

LAUNCH BLUE TECH SHOWCASES

Launch Blue's Tech Showcase highlights Launch Blue innovators, founders and teams. Check out University of Kentucky and other innovators to learn about their stories featured in these tech showcases.