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Message from our Executive Director:
It’s with a great mix of feelings that I write the introduction for our December newsletter, since it is not only a farewell to 2019, it is a farewell to you as executive director of Capital City Innovation. As many of you know, I have accepted a role that will take me to Singapore, and so I’ll be leaving CCI on December 31. But don’t worry – CCI is in good hands with the executive committee of the board.
I’ve greatly appreciated my time at CCI, and the deep spirit of collaboration that is part of Austin’s culture. CCI’s partners are too many to name all, but it is on the foundation of these partnerships that the innovation district is emerging.
They include CCI’s Central Texas Affinity Network, Magnet Group, and District Steering Committee. Collaborators at Health Tech Austin, Capital Factory, Impact Hub, BioAustin, Texas Medical Device Alliance, Austin Healthcare Council, and Texas Healthcare and Bioscience Institute. Academic partnerships at UT Austin and Dell Medical School, Huston-Tillotson, Texas State University, Austin Community College, Concordia, and St. Ed’s. Innovators at Ascension Seton and Central Health. The Austin Chamber and minority Chambers, and the Downtown Austin Alliance. And companies, large and small, including WuXi AppTec, Husch Blackwell, Ford, J&J, ClearCam, HiPR, Sempulse and others.
Together these partnerships are networking Austin’s health and life science innovators, providing access to experts in our industry sector, funding new health technologies at their earliest stages, and beginning to create pathways for Austin’s new generation of health and life science talent.
Soon the health innovation district will have a home – starting at the site of the former Brackenridge campus. The flagship building is breaking ground. An RFI has been released for additional potential developments on the site. And there are commercial, residential, and hotel projects underway in the surrounding blocks.
By the end of next year, one of Austin’s largest downtown public spaces, Waterloo Park, will open right in the district. And one of the city’s most exciting and vibrant music and cultural corridors along Red River Street connects the Innovation District to the convention center.
It won’t be long before Austin’s health and life science Innovation District has achieved a critical mass, placing it among the nation’s most significant creative hubs. It is already being recognized by leading organizations including the National League of Cities, the Global Institute on Innovation Districts, and the Association of University Research Parks. A study by HR&A, sponsored by the Downtown Austin Alliance and Capital City Innovation, predicts more than $2.5B in annual regional economic impact from the Innovation District by ten years.
I’m excited for my next role as Senior Associate Dean for Innovation and Entrepreneurship at the Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School. There I will have the opportunity to lead the development and growth of an innovation ecosystem driven by Duke-NUS and its partner, SingHealth, Singapore’s largest system of healthcare institutions. The academic medical center will anchor the newest health and life sciences innovation district in a city state which has already built a reputation as a global biopharmaceutical and digital health hub.
But I will miss Austin. Great things are happening here, and I plan to be back often. I hope to see many of you at our end of year social at Scholz Garten on December 17 – you can RSVP here. And I’d like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday and new year! And don’t be strangers – if you find yourself in Singapore, please look me up!
- Christopher Laing, MRCVS, PhD
Stay in touch! tweet me, or connect with me on LinkedIn.
Around The District
Austin’s Innovation District Named Emerging District by AURP
The AURP 2019 International Conference brought together more than 250 research/science/tech park and innovation district leaders from around the world for high-impact knowledge exchange and networking with the industry’s experts and leaders. At the conference, CCI Executive Director Chris Laing, accepted the Emerging Innovation District award for Austin, Texas.
Capital City Innovation was recognized as a consortium of academic and civic stakeholders and place-makers, sharing a common purpose, core principles and a drive to spark innovation that inclusively supports community health and economic well-being. The consortium includes: The University of Texas at Austin, Central Health (Travis County’s health district), Ascension Seton, The Downtown Austin Alliance and Opportunity Austin.
City:One Challenge Finalists Refine Solutions
In case you missed it, mid-November City:One Finalist were chosen for the Austin City:One Challenge! The 12 finalists are as follows:
Good Apple - Produce-delivery for Austinites facing food insecurity
Austin - Inclusive City on Wheels
SendaRide
State of Health: Using State of Place's urban design analytics to deliver equitable access to healthy living in healthy places.
Smart City Technology for Individuals with Disabilities
Hippo - the UK's and probably the World's 1st dedicated technology-driven, safe, hygienic, comfortable & affordable transportation services
A family carpool solution that creates community
Equidad Express
HealNow
SKOOP - Free Rides Initiative
Providing safe & reliable transportation for kids ages 6-17, including those in foster care, while creating employment opportunities.
RideConnect, A better way to give rides, get rides and make money
Last week, the finalist went through refining workshops to help better craft their solutions for the challenge Select phase. We look forward to following and supporting their success!
You can leave comments and like some of the current finalist on the City:One web page and keep your eyes peeled for an upcoming opportunity to mix and meet with the finalist and others that have contributed to the City:One process this far in January.
Austin Impact Accelerator Wraps Up
Austin Impact Accelerator by Impact Hub Austin wrapped up at the 2019 Community Showcase. This was the first year that the Accelerator combined their focus areas so that innovators in workforce and affordability(which included housing and transit) could work side by side rather than siloed.
At the showcase we heard from 9 accelerator participants, all having various asks for continued support of their mission to make Austin a more accessible and livable place. We look forward to continuing to support these innovators out in the community.
Across The Affinity Network
Our Affinity Network is comprised of six of the region’s premier hosted programs for health and life science companies in Central Texas. They provide wet and dry lab space, office and coworking, access to specialized equipment, mentorship and access to professional services, workforce support, and a sense of community.
ClearCam Receives Inaugural Health Innovation Award
November 20th, the recipients of the 2019 INVENT+INNOVATE Awards were announced at the ninth annual inventor program by the UT Austin’s Office of Technology and Commercialization. Awards that were given out included: Startup of the year, Commercial Success of the Year, Invention of the Year, and Health Innovation. Award recipients were chosen based on the impact that their discoveries have on society and the economy along with their scientific or technological breakthroughs.
ClearCam took home the the inaugural Health Innovation Award. We first shared the ClearCam story and early successes in our 2018 Annual Review and again in our #AustinInnovates blog post. They’re a startup to watch! We’re happy to share that ClearCam’s has worked in varying capacities across CCI’s Affinity network with ACC Bioscience Incubator, Austin Tech Incubator, Texas Health CoLab at Dell Medical School, and MedtoMarket. The continued support and growing collaboration with these organizations will help to create and sustain more health innovators solving challenges in Texas and around the world.
STAR One, Sempluse Takes Home Innovation Award
Early November, Sempulse received the Innovation Award from the Association of University Research Parks (AURP) for developing a non-invasive vital signs sensor that adheres to the back of the ear and acquires patients’ five major vital signs. The annual award is given to a company within a university research park that is commercializing a substantial and meaningful technology.
Sempulse moved into Texas State University’s Science, Technology, and Advanced Research (STAR) Park in January of 2019. The device they created acquires cuffless blood pressure, pulse oximetry, heart rate, respiratory rate, and core body temperature, plus GPS and related vital signs information. Originally developed for military triage, Sempulse technology can be applied in athlete performance training, mass casualty, telemedicine, and more.
“The award acknowledges that Sempulse is a technology that is needed and viable,” said Matt Barrera, Sempulse’s Director of Medical Operations and Texas State alumni. Sempulse is the second company at STAR Park to win the AURP Innovation Award. In 2017, Paratus Diagnostics was recognized for developing a point of care diagnostic platform to detect infectious disease pathogens.
Valtari BIO Wins Pistoia Alliance 2019 President's Challenge Award
Late October, Valtari Bio won the Pistoia Alliance 2019 President's Challenge Award. Valtari Bio is developing a blood test to aid in the rapid triage of suspected stroke patients and is a member of the Workspaces @ Texas Health CoLab. The award included $15,000 and 6 months of mentorship. The Pistoia Alliance is a global, not-for-profit members’ organization made up of life science companies, technology and service providers, publishers, and academic groups working to lower barriers to innovation in life science and healthcare R&D.
Temple Health & Bioscience District Strengthens STEM Pipeline
THBD hosted middle school students from Temple Independent School District (TISD) for a tour of the office and laboratory facility. During the tour, students experienced real-life bioscience activities in a lab from THBD Executive Director Tami Annable and THBD tenant companies including SiMMo3D, a 3D-printed medical device replica company. In addition to learning to pipette, students used the incubator’s microscope to examine cancer cells and witness applications of 3D printing in healthcare. THBD partners with TISD to encourage future generations of students to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields.
Most recently, THBD Executive Director Tami Annable attended BIOMEDevice on Dec. 4-5, 2019 in San Jose, California. As an exhibitor, THBD highlighted advancements made by current and alumni tenants, resources in Temple, Texas, and recruited companies to join in the growth of biotechnology in Central Texas.
WorkSpaces @ Texas Health CoLab Celebrates 2 Years and 2 company wins
The Workspaces @Texas Health CoLab have been supporting the health innovation ecosystem for 2 years! Their space has served startups both local and international and their programming and resources has helped a community of health innovators here in Austin and across Central Texas. Currently the CoLab is home to about 30 startups under Verena Kallhoff’s leadership at Dell Medical School. We celebrate their continued support of the community.
And speaking of celebrations, two CoLab companies have advanced in notable ways. ForteMedical received their Medicare reimbursement code and 4E Therapeutics Inc. announced that it has been awarded a National Institutes of Health (NIH) Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) award as part of the NIH HEAL Initiative.
Texas Health Catalyst Hosts 2019 Demo Day
On November 7th, The Texas Health Catalyst program hosted their yearly Demo Day. At Demo Day a variety of program participants presented their solutions to health challenges via quick-fire pitches.
Top pitches at the event included:
Drug-Eluting Surgical Drainage Tubes for Enhancement of Patient Comfort
Alternate Communication for the Suddenly Speechless
Programmable Graphene Resonant Gas Sensor for Breath Analysis
Mini Kahlon, Ph.D., vice dean of health ecosystem at Dell Med, Dell Med Dean Clay Johnston, and others spoke at the event to emphasize Austin’s growing health ecosystem, the work being done at Dell Medical School, and the importance of the program.
Ready to explore joining our network with one of these partners? Learn more on on ‘For Companies’ page. You’ll be in great company!
Opportunities
From leadership development to funding, don’t miss these opportunities.
Office Hours for Health Care Startups
Office hours continue at the Texas Health CoLab. Startups that need regulatory advice can learn more and sign up online. Upcoming dates are December 16th with office hours from 1 pm-5 pm.
Apply for the Texas Venture Labs Accelerator
The Jon Brumley Texas Venture Labs Accelerator (JBTVL) pairs graduate students with local startups from all industries, offering assistance in writing business plans, forecasting financials, performing competitive research, developing pricing and marketing strategies and more. Graduate students from the MBA, law, engineering, pharmacy and natural sciences programs participate in semester-long consulting projects and work alongside the company founders to earn academic credit in exchange for high-quality consulting work and real-world experience.
Applications are accepted all year (rolling) but Spring 2020 cohort applications were requested by December 8. Late applications will be considered on a space-available basis.
Get more details and apply with your startup here.
Resources
Discover the latest findings from our community and beyond.
Nothing this week. Feel free to reach out to share something with us at howdy@capitalcityinnovation.org
What We're Reading & Watching
A round-up of articles and videos to spark insight and innovation.
Gift to UT Austin Will Advance Programs in Biodiversity and Ecology (UT College of Natural Science)
Visualizing Science 2019: Revealing Hidden Splendor in College Research (UT College of Natural Science)
How to Build an Innovation Ecosystem (They Are All a Little Different, and This Is Good) (Mass Challenge)
ATI and Austin Community College announce new manufacturing incubator at ACC Highland (ATI)
Events
Opportunities to meet, learn, and celebrate with our network and the broader community.
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Victoria O'Dell, Program and Communications Manager, Capital City Innovation
As program and communications manager of Capital City Innovation, Victoria facilitates channels for collaborative work around Austin's emerging Innovation district in downtown Austin and beyond. Previously, she was a freelance designer working with non-profits, small businesses, and startups across Austin.
Follow Victoria on Twitter @victoria_odell
