{"id":17263,"date":"2026-03-23T17:41:20","date_gmt":"2026-03-23T21:41:20","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/?p=17263"},"modified":"2026-04-22T13:13:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-22T17:13:36","slug":"innovation-pathway-mid-spring-semester-recap","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/innovation-pathway-mid-spring-semester-recap\/","title":{"rendered":"Innovation Pathway Mid-Spring Semester Recap!"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/programs-competitions\/innovation-pathway\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Innovation Pathway<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is Boston University\u2019s comprehensive entrepreneurship program for building scalable, innovation-driven ventures. The program supports founders from initial idea validation through venture launch and is built for students from all schools, majors, and education levels up to a year after graduation.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">So far this spring semester, ten new teams have joined the program and seven have advanced to a new stage. Congratulations to the following student teams on their Innovation Pathway Milestones!<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">New teams<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/cantena\/\"><b>Cantena<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Cantena helps estimators calculate building costs from early drawings and specs, fast-tracking the process with artificial intelligence. The venture is led by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/ernesto-rivera\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ernesto Rivera<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CAS\u201926), Estiven Lezama, Mohamed Mohamed, and David Santana.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/edok-technologies\/\"><b>eDok Technologies\u00a0<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Founded by graduate student <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/samuel-amoako-kusi\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Samuel Amoako-kusi <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(SPH\u201927), eDok Technologies is a healthcare platform that connects urban Ghanaians with timely medical and mental health consultations while enabling newly qualified doctors to remain clinically active during the government posting gap.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/kintahood\/\"><b>KintaHood<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Kintahood is a women-centered platform that connects intimate wellness products, educational content, and community to help women\u2014especially those in relationships with other women\u2014build language, understanding, and communication skills around their bodies, desire, and boundaries. The venture is founded by graduate student <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/ruihan-gao\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ruihan Gao<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Questrom\u201927).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/lyberna\/\"><b>Lyberna<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Lyberna is a company founded by graduate student <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/ajeeth-adhikari\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ajeeth Adhikari <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Questrom\u201926) that develops delivery technologies that enable genetic medicines like CRISPR therapeutics to reach their target cells in the body. Lyberna then works with partners to commercialize these delivery solutions for biomedical applications.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/sarais-soirees\/\"><b>Sarai\u2019s Soirees<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Sarai\u2019s Soir\u00e9es is a boutique event planning company, created by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/madison-judd\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Madison Judd<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (SHA\u201927), that turns customers\u2019 niche interests, such as music, movies, books, and media, into unforgettable events. The venture is based in Boston and rooted in the vibrant energy of college life, with a mission of celebrating milestones with style and creativity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/speedy-mints\/\"><b>Speedy Mints<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Speedy Mints is a functional wellness breath mint built for health-conscious college students and young professionals who experience low energy or high anxiety in high-pressure moments. The brand is run by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/ethan-elijah-calaguas\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ethan Elijah Calaguas<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (SHA\u201929) and promotes healthy living with science-backed wellness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/splittap\/\"><b>SplitTap<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/splittap.com\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">SplitTap<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> uses AI-powered receipt scanning and smart itemization to automatically split bills, assign items, and settle payments instantly \u2014 reducing friction, social tension, and wasted time in group payments. The venture is co-founded by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/simon-sandoval\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Simon Sandoval<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Questrom\u201929) and Babson College student Diego Higueras.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/tracebridge-ai\/\"><b>TraceBridge AI<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">TraceBridge AI prevents costly FDA 510(k) rejections before they happen, giving medical device teams a predictive view of regulatory risk using Al trained on real FDA outcomes. The venture is led by graduate student <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/james-hardison\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">James Hardison<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (CAS\u201926).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/uscripts\/\"><b>UScripts<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Founded by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/zuzanna-ziolkowska\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Zuzanna Ziolkowska<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (COM\u201926), UScripts is an app that builds a community for student screenwriters to connect with other writers across Boston University, and creates a space for feedback.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/vya\/\"><b>vya<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">vya offers a streamlined way to discover high-quality vintage and resale items without endless searching while helping stores increase their visibility, new customer acquisition, and traffic. Vya is run by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/hana-elster\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hana Elster<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Questrom\u201926).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Advancements\u00a0<\/span><\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/arcue-inc\/\"><b>Arcue<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 to the Run stage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Arcue, Inc. is a platform that enables filmmakers, studios, and creators to produce consistent, legally safe video content with AI, offering clear IP ownership, licensing, and professional-grade creative control. The venture is led by graduate student <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/john-brocker\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">John Brocker<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Questrom\u201926).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/attorneyalert\/\"><b>Attorney Alert<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 to the Fly stage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Founded by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/brian-namnoum\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brian Namnoum<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (MET\u201926), <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.attorneyalert.net\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">AttorneyAlert<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> is a platform that connects criminal defense attorneys with defendants in need of legal representation, streamlining client acquisition for attorneys and providing defendants with quick, reliable access to qualified counsel.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/bendi\/\"><b>Bendi<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 to the Run stage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Bendi is a digital wellness app led by graduate student <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/madison-dent\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Madison Dent<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (COM\u201926) that offers pregnancy-safe fitness, mindfulness, and support resources tailored for pregnant and postpartum women, with the goal of making holistic maternal health accessible and convenient.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/gursha-foods\/\"><b>Gursha Foods<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 to the Run stage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gursha Foods, led by<\/span> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/mikias-wondwosen\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mikias Wondwosen<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (Questrom\u201926), <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">brings authentic Ethiopian Berbere spice blends to mainstream American grocery and online retail stores, offering high-quality product with modern packaging and clear usage guidance for home cooks.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/nervara\/\"><b>Nervara<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 to the Run stage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Nervara addresses the current limitations of neuromodulation devices with their miniature wireless neuromodulation implant, which is small, simple, and injectable, making the procedure quick to implement and mitigating potential for malfunction. The venture is led by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/carolyn-marar\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Carolyn Marar<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ENG\u201925) and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/yueming-li\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yueming Li<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ENG\u201924).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/project-horizon\/\"><b>Project Horizon<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 to the Run stage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Project Horizon is a luggage solution that adapts in size to fit varying packing needs, eliminating the need for multiple suitcases and ensuring travelers have the right amount of space for their trip, both at departure and return. This venture is headed by graduate students <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/max-lopez\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Max Lopez<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ENG\u201925) and <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/yuchan-luo\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yuchan Luo<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> (ENG\u201925).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/tunul\/\"><b>Tunul<\/b><\/a><b> \u2014 to the Run stage<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tunul is a financial app that helps people, especially those living paycheck to paycheck, build savings through interactive, social features and tools designed to address both the practical and mental challenges of managing limited funds. The venture is managed by <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/profile\/jake-lenef\/\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jake Lenef <\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(Questrom\u201928).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The Innovation Pathway is Boston University\u2019s comprehensive entrepreneurship program for building scalable, innovation-driven ventures. The program supports founders from initial idea validation through venture launch and is built for students from all schools, majors, and education levels up to a year after graduation.\u00a0 So far this spring semester, ten new teams have joined the program [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":23122,"featured_media":17266,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[113,119],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17263"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/23122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17263"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17263\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17280,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17263\/revisions\/17280"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17266"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/innovate\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}