MSU Research Foundation Podcast

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Jeff Smith , Executive Director of Research Parks at the MSU Research Foundation, about the Rosenberg Center , a new headquarters and innovation hub designed to support researchers, startups, and industry partners at Michigan State University. Jeff discusses the vision behind the project, the growing demand for flexible startup space, and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Lesley Millar-Nicholson , Executive Director of the Technology Licensing Office at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, about university commercialization, startup creation, and the differences between innovation ecosystems in the Midwest and Boston. Lesley reflects on her career in technology transfer, including her time at the Univers...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Pete Martin , Director of Portfolio Management at the MSU Research Foundation , about the PitchMI competition—from the quarterfinal events held across Michigan to the championship in Lansing, where Adrenaline Interactive received a $1 million investment. Pete reflects on the scale of the competition, which drew 375 startup applications fr...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Dr. Mairi Gibbs , CEO of Oxford University Innovation , about how Oxford approaches commercialization, company creation, and ecosystem development. Mairi shares her path from chemist to CEO and reflects on how university tech transfer has evolved—from traditional licensing to a broader model of knowledge exchange that includes entrepreneu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, guest host Pete Martin talks with Parker Boundy , Co-Founder and CEO of General Orbit and a PitchMI Championship finalist, about advancing navigation and sensing technology for space and Earth-based applications. Parker shares how General Orbit spun out of University of Michigan research to commercialize a new approach to magnetometers—using software to filter out...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, guest host Pete Martin talks with Lindsay A. Joseph , Co-Founder and CEO of BedConnect and a PitchMI Championship finalist, about improving how hospitals connect patients with post-acute care providers after discharge. Lindsay shares how BedConnect helps hospitals and nursing facilities coordinate patient placements more efficiently by matching clinical needs, bed...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, guest host Pete Martin talks with Max Albert , Founder and CEO of Adrenaline Interactive and a PitchMI Championship finalist, about transforming how brands and video games work together to create more immersive, measurable advertising experiences. Max shares how Adrenaline Interactive uses AI to integrate branded products directly into game environments—making ads...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, guest host Pete Martin talks with Josef Hjelmaker , Founder and CEO of Electric Outdoors and a PitchMI Championship finalist, about building sustainable, off-grid infrastructure that unlocks new possibilities for landowners and communities. Josef shares how Electric Outdoors developed the EO Canopy—a self-sustaining, solar-powered platform that enables energy inde...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Jeff Wesley , Executive Director of Ventures at the MSU Research Foundation , about the rapid growth of venture creation and early-stage investing across Michigan. Jeff shares updates on the Conquer Accelerator’s 10-year milestone, recent sector-based and regional cohorts, and partnerships with Henry Ford Health, Michigan Virtual, and MSU...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Michigan State University Provost Dr. Laura Lee McIntyre about her path to MSU and how her experiences in research, fundraising, and innovation are shaping her leadership at the university. Dr. McIntyre shares lessons from helping launch the Ballmer Institute for Children’s Behavioral Health and Launch Oregon, and how those efforts inform...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn and Jeff Wesley talk with Michigan State University President Kevin Guskiewicz about how research, policy, and partnerships drive economic growth and improve lives across Michigan. Kevin reflects on his career in concussion research and how federally funded science led to major changes in NCAA and NFL safety standards. He also discusses the importan...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Craig Wesley , Executive Director of 20Fathoms in Traverse City, about how northern Michigan is cultivating a vibrant entrepreneurial community and expanding opportunities for early-stage founders across a 10-county region. Craig shares his path from Michigan State University to two decades in Silicon Valley and back to Traverse City, and...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn talks with Lisa Prasad , Vice President and Chief Innovation Officer at Henry Ford Health , and Jeff Wesley , Executive Director of Ventures at the MSU Research Foundation , about how Michigan State University and Henry Ford Health are accelerating healthcare innovation through collaboration and venture investment. Lisa shares how Henry Ford Innovat...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn interviews Pete Martin , Director of Portfolio Management at the MSU Research Foundation , about the launch of PitchMI—a new statewide startup pitch competition awarding up to $1.25 million in investment. Pete shares his journey back to Michigan after building a tech career across New York, Chicago, Florida, and Austin, and how reconnecting with the...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn interviews Jeff Wesley , Executive Director of Ventures at the MSU Research Foundation , to recap a high-impact fourth quarter of venture activity. Jeff shares highlights from 20 new investments and financial transactions completed between April and June 2025, including support for startups tackling everything from microbiome therapeutics to plant h...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, David Washburn interviews Chad Bassett , Chief Operating Officer of BAMF Health , a precision medicine company transforming how cancer is diagnosed and treated. Based in MSU’s Grand Rapids Innovation Park, BAMF Health combines advanced imaging, targeted radiopharmaceutical therapy, and artificial intelligence to deliver highly personalized care and accelerate clin...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Jon Barada , vice president of IU Ventures , about how Indiana University is building a thriving startup ecosystem powered by alumni engagement and early-stage venture funding. Like the MSU Research Foundation, IU Ventures supports faculty, student, and alumni-led startups through a mix of philanthropic venture funds, an angel network, and community-b...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Peter Falzon , president and CEO of Ripple Science , a clinical trials software company that spun out of the University of Michigan and now serves researchers around the world. Ripple’s platform helps academic institutions, healthcare providers, and industry sponsors recruit and retain participants in clinical studies, tackling one of the top reasons...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Dr. Tom Guarr , founder and CTO of Jolt Energy Storage Technologies , a Michigan-based startup developing organic compounds for redox flow batteries. Tom shares his journey from academia to industry—first leaving a tenured faculty role to join Gentex, where he helped develop dimmable windows for the Boeing 787, then returning to research at the MSU Bi...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Nick Farina and Dr. Johannes Pollanen of EeroQ , a quantum computing startup with roots at Michigan State University. Johannes is a physics professor at MSU and co-founder of the company, while Nick serves as EeroQ’s CEO. Together, they’re working on a unique approach to quantum computing that uses electrons floating on helium and connects with today’...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Dr. Mark Frohlich , CEO of Indapta Therapeutics , a biotech company working to make cancer treatment safer, more effective, and more accessible. Indapta is developing natural killer (NK) cell therapies—an emerging form of immunotherapy that uses the body’s own immune system to fight disease. Mark shares his path from clinical oncology to biotech leade...

Send us Fan Mail In part two of our conversation with Bruno Basso , professor at Michigan State University and co-founder of CIBO Technologies , we explore what it takes to scale scientific innovation into a venture-backed company. Bruno discusses his role as Chief Scientist, pitching to investors like Al Gore, and the importance of grounding technology in rigorous, transparent science. We also di...

Send us Fan Mail In part one of this two-part episode, we talk with Bruno Basso , professor at Michigan State University and co-founder of CIBO Technologies , a company using advanced modeling to help farmers make smarter decisions that improve both productivity and environmental outcomes. Bruno shares his journey from Naples, Italy to MSU, where he helped pioneer crop modeling techniques that hav...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we talk with Mike Klein , CEO of Genomenon , a genomics intelligence company helping researchers and clinicians make sense of vast amounts of genetic data. Mike shares his journey from electrical engineering to leading a genomics startup, discussing how Genomenon’s AI-driven platform, Mastermind , is accelerating precision medicine by making genomic information ac...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode we talk with James Klausner, professor of mechanical engineering at Michigan State University and co-founder of Redoxblox, a startup developing thermochemical energy storage solutions. James shares his journey from academic research to entrepreneurship, discussing how his work in energy storage led to the founding of Redoxblox and its mission to decarbonize industr...