Key Points
- The IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo highlighted research commercialization during Florida State’s 4th annual Discovery Days.
- IGNITE Tallahassee serves as FSU’s business incubator, offering specialized labs and mentorship to launch new high-tech companies.
Florida State University showcased regional innovation and student entrepreneurship Wednesday during the IGNITE Tallahassee Open House + Innovation Expo, part of the fourth annual FSU Discovery Days celebration.
The event brought university leaders, community partners, regional investors and student innovators together at IGNITE Tallahassee to highlight how the business incubator helps turn university research into commercial products and supports emerging technology companies across Florida’s Capital Region
IGNITE Tallahassee provides laboratory space, resources and mentorship to help entrepreneurs develop and launch new businesses. The incubator currently supports 22 member companies working in life sciences, engineering and AI. Its programs help researchers and entrepreneurs bring new technologies to market while creating opportunities for students and businesses throughout the region.
“Unless you come and witness it firsthand, talk to the scientists or see a prototype, you don’t really realize the impact these innovations can have on everyday lives,” said Alissa Costabile, IGNITE Tallahassee program director. “Some of these folks are really motivated by the idea of getting their product to market faster to help people and better humanity.”
Companies based at IGNITE showcased technologies ranging from advanced energy solutions to artificial intelligence and digital health applications. During the Startup Spotlight at IGNITE! session, founders explained how access to specialized laboratory space and mentorship has helped them move their ideas closer to market.
Among the featured founders was Ciara Butler, founder of Prism and Sable. Butler is developing SafePath, an application built to help emergency management personnel and residents respond to disasters such as hurricanes and floods.
“I look at IGNITE like the Oracle in The Matrix — they’re a direct landline of knowledge and information,” Butler said. “They are so giving with their support and mentorship, sitting down with you to help guide you toward whatever goal you’re trying to achieve.”
Undergraduate students also showcased their work during the iCREATE segment, led by Robert Wandell, director of engineering innovation at the FAMU-FSU College of Engineering. Student entrepreneurs delivered three-minute pitches and participated in a panel discussion about their experiences developing new technologies. Among the featured student innovators was Riyad Rzayev, a second-year computer engineering student developing Brailability, a device that uses vibration motors and speakers to teach Braille. Rzayev received the TiE Tampa Bay ARTISAN Student Pitch Award, presented by TiE Tampa Bay President Sara Hand, after competition that evaluated customer validation and strategies for bringing products to market.
“It was very inspiring seeing all these people talk about their projects,” Rzayev said. “As an undergraduate in college, seeing people out in the real world solving problems and working with companies really inspires me for what’s coming in the future.”
Isabela Steed, a junior biomedical engineering student, shared how caring for her father inspired her to develop a LiDAR-based sensor to assess chronic wounds beneath the skin.
“I didn’t think that as an engineer, I could actually be an entrepreneur as well, so it’s really nice to have that combination of skills going forward,” Steed said. “It feels like a step forward, not just for me, but for all caregivers out there who have a patient that they can’t appropriately attend to because they don’t have that medical background.”
The event also explored how entrepreneurs can secure funding to grow their businesses. During the “Capital of Florida” panel, venture capital and angel investment experts discussed strategies for attracting investors, expanding operations and keeping high-tech talent in Florida.
The afternoon Innovation Experience and Innovation Expo featured technology demonstrations, working prototypes and opportunities for visitors to speak directly with entrepreneurs developing their businesses in Tallahassee.
For more information about IGNITE Tallahassee and its programs, visit the IGNITE Tallahassee webpage.