Four startup companies have been selected to receive awards through the Syracuse Center of Excellence in Environmental and Energy Systems (SyracuseCoE) Innovation Fund. Designed to support projects that help companies overcome research and development (R&D) barriers to commercialization of potentially transformative innovations, the Innovation Fund is funded by SyracuseCoE Partner Program members.
This year’s winning companies are Hydronic Shell Technologies, M3 Innovation, ThermoVerse and tomPhyzx.
Each awardee will receive $10,000 to support product development and technological innovation. The companies were selected from a competitive pool of applicants who pitched their projects to a panel of external reviewers. Partner companies were invited to submit proposals aligned with SyracuseCoE’s key focus areas of indoor environmental quality, clean and renewable energy and water resources. The selected projects are:
Hydronic Shell Technologies: “Optimization of Hydrobox Terminal Units”
In this project, Hydronic Shell Technologies will work with its fabrication partners to further develop the HydroBox, a proprietary terminal unit that is key to the hydronic shell system. The funding will be utilized towards overall optimization of the HydroBox design, including air filtration, throw and distribution as well as development of the anchoring and support of the HydroBox to Hydronic Shell’s facade system.
M3 Innovation: “Autonomous Optimization of Energy Usage through IoT Wireless Control System”
This project involves the development and demonstration of Autonomous Optimization Energy Usage through an IoT Wireless Lighting Control System that utilizes a secure IoT platform at 915 MHz and enables long-range communication to remote sensor nodes. The system autonomously adjusts energy consumption, monitors power conditions and integrates with existing infrastructure to minimize energy usage and provide real-time data analysis.
ThermoVerse: “Smart Insulation Material System (SIMs)”
The SIMs project deploys ThermoVerse’s innovative smart insulation drop-ceiling panels in a quarter-scale test bed to reduce HVAC energy consumption by 40% or greater, without compromising the thermal comfort of building occupants. This work forms part of a larger project on grid-interactive smart building envelopes funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Building Technologies Office (BTO) and the American-Made Lab MATCH Prize.
tomPhyzx: “Validation, Visualization and Optimization of Air Flow Analysis in Digital Twins of Hospital and Exam Rooms to Reduce Hospital-Acquired Infections with Minimal Energy Impact”
This project will extend initial Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) studies conducted through SyracuseCoE’s EPIC Buildings program to validate and improve air flow models in Upstate Medical Simulation Center’s single-patient hospital room and a medical exam room. The goal is to reduce hospital-acquired infections (HAIs) while minimizing energy consumption.
The external reviewers who evaluated applicant pitches included Marco Adolph of TROX; Scott MacBain of Carrier Corp.; Cindy Oehmigen of the Manufacturers Association of Central New York; Kate Oja of the Workforce Development Institute; and Dan Rickman of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
“The quality and creativity of these project proposals speaks to the strength of the innovation ecosystem that SyracuseCoE fosters,” says MacBain, director of compression module engineering at Carrier Corp, and chair of SyracuseCoE’s Industry Partners Council.
“SyracuseCoE is uniquely positioned to connect startups with academic experts,” says SyracuseCoE Executive Director Jianshun “Jensen” Zhang. “Through partnerships with Syracuse University faculty and students, these Innovation Fund projects will advance energy-efficient technologies and intelligent systems for human health, comfort, resilience and sustainability.”
Created in 2014, the Innovation Fund has invested more than $640,000 in more than 60 projects, many of which are based in New York State. Participating companies have reported more than 264 jobs created and over $49,000,000 in additional public and private funding leveraged from the Innovation Fund projects.
All current members of the SyracuseCoE Partner Program are eligible to apply to the Innovation Fund. To join the Partner Program or learn more, contact Tammy Rosanio, associate director of partner programs, at tlrosani@syr.edu.
Syracuse University Libraries awarded seven Orange Innovation Fund grants to student start-up businesses in 2025. From launching a clothing line for neurodivergent individuals to creating artificial intelligence (AI)-powered tools for industries as diverse as health care, computing and drone operation,…
When junior Ava Lubkemann, an environmental engineering major in the College of Engineering and Computer Science, was growing up, her parents taught her the sensibility of re-using goods, thrifting what she needed and making the best use of everything she…
With many students heading back to the classroom over the next several weeks, what should parents expect as they begin back-to-school shopping for their kids? Patrick Penfield is a professor of practice in supply chain management and director of executive…
The WISE Women’s Business Center, in collaboration with the Whitman School of Management, announced the renewal of WISE as an Entrepreneurial Assistance Center (EAC) through the Empire State Development EAC program. This award ensures WISE’s continued designation as one of…
Did you cultivate your entrepreneurial skills as a student at Syracuse University and either founded or currently own your own business as an Orange alumnus? If so, you’re encouraged to apply for the University’s third annual ’CUSE50 Alumni Entrepreneur Award,…
If you need help with your subscription, contact sunews@syr.edu.
