UND innovations prepare for Lift-Off
Inaugural showcase on Aug. 20 highlights 10 research teams working to move university discoveries toward the marketplace
Thursday, Aug. 20, from 4:30–7:30 p.m. in the Gransberg Community Room of the Gorecki Alumni Center at UND.
The University of North Dakota Center for Innovation (CFI) will host its inaugural Lift-Off Showcase on Thursday, Aug. 20, highlighting the progress of UND faculty, researchers and innovators participating in the Innovation Moonshot Summer Accelerator.
The event will take place from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Gransberg Community Room at the Gorecki Alumni Center. The showcase marks the culmination of a Summer Accelerator focused on university intellectual property; the Summer Accelerator program is a key component of UND’s broader Innovation Moonshot initiative, which centers on moving university research toward commercialization.
Throughout the summer, participants worked to evaluate market opportunities, test business assumptions, test business model ideas and better understand industry challenges surrounding their technologies. The program is designed to help researchers take steps toward translating promising research into solutions with real-world applications.
At Lift-Off, 10 teams will take the stage to pitch their technologies, share what they have learned throughout the accelerator and ask for support to support next steps they are preparing to take toward commercialization.
The featured projects span a range of fields, including health care, aviation, energy, artificial intelligence, advanced materials and unmanned aircraft systems. Presentations will include:
- PT EMR, a health care workforce simulation solution to train students for real-world clinical experiences, presented by Dan Stone
- Quantum Optics, a service for customized, small batch optical thin-film coatings, presented by Markus Allgaier
- Virvac, developing a novel host-cell-targeting approach to treat RSV and viral bronchiolitis, presented by Masfique Mehedi
- Invisiscale, focused on continuous weight monitoring through smart bed technology, presented by Lina Bouakkaz
- Pilot Training, developing a standardized, data-driven system for modeling expert flight instruction, presented by Hyungwoo Jo
- Detectology, developing small-volume blood samples for cancer screening, presented by Bappa Ghosh.
- Volare, presented by Puja Roy, developing a centralized solution to identify UAS materials that meet blue and green certification requirements in the United States
- ESAS, focused on improving airspace safety through real-time conflict detection and automated compliance records, presented by Paul Snyder
- Smart FracOp, using physics-informed AI to optimize horizontal frac completion and support smarter real-time decisions presented by Hadi Jabbari.
- ND Vocal, developing AI-powered vocal training with personalized coaching at scale, presented by Justin Montigne
“The Lift-Off Showcase is an opportunity to see the progress of innovative research working its way through a commercialization process,” said Amy Whitney, director of the UND Center for Innovation. “These teams have spent the summer asking important questions to understand customer challenges, the markets where their technologies are aligned, and reflecting on how their solution can solve the pressing needs they discovered. Lift-Off gives them a platform to share that progress and connect with people who can help them take the next step.”
The showcase will feature opening remarks from UND President Andrew Armacost, pitches from the Innovation Moonshot teams, a fireside chat with Sarah Louise, director of Gener8tor’s 1889 fund, and an announcement of the showcase winners, who will receive awards to help advance their technologies. The evening will conclude with a networking reception from 7 to 7:30 p.m., providing attendees an opportunity to connect with researchers, entrepreneurs, industry professionals, community leaders and fellow innovators.
The event is open to the public and is intended for anyone interested in innovation, entrepreneurship, research commercialization and the future of technology developed at UND. A virtual option will also be available for those unable to attend in person.
Lift-Off Showcase
Thursday, Aug. 20, 2026
4:30–7:30 p.m.
Gorecki Alumni Center, Gransberg Community Room
University of North Dakota
Media Contact:
Haylee Bjork, marketing outreach coordinator, UND Center for Innovation
haylee.bjork@und.edu | 701.777.3281
