Latest news with #InnovateWithIN
Chicago Tribune
18-06-2025
- Health
- Chicago Tribune
Munster High team in state 'Innovate' finals
Three Munster High students, who created an infection-detecting bandage, earned a spot in the Innovate WithIN business entrepreneurship state finals Friday at Butler University. They qualified at a competition sponsored by the Society of Innovators at Purdue Northwest. The team of Alexis Karahalios, Abigail Mena, and Jocelyn Aguirre created a project called Septo, a plant-based smart bandage designed to detect infections early, a release from the school district said. Septo uses a plant powder pigment embedded in the bandage to change color when detecting early signs of infection. It offers a low-cost, non-invasive alternative to lab testing, making it a practical and accessible solution for patients and healthcare providers alike. 'We created Septo because we've seen how fast infections can turn dangerous,' said Karahalios. 'Our goal is to give people a simple way to catch infections early — and maybe even save lives.' Septo uses a plant powder pigment embedded in the bandage to change color when detecting early signs of infection as a practical alternative to lab testing. It offers a low-cost, non-invasive alternative to lab testing. The Munster team will compete for $25,000 in seed funding and a $10,000 scholarship to any college or university in the U.S.
Axios
07-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Meet the Maker: Isaiah "Izzy" Branam
Meet Isaiah "Izzy" Branam, a Zionsville native who wants to fight substance abuse with virtual reality. The inspo: Branam, an IU junior studying organizational and business psychology, is a tech entrepreneur who founded his first company at 17. Called Fia, or Find Ideal Applicants, the startup was a talent acquisition platform that leveraged machine learning to streamline the hiring process. The Fia Technologies team won a 2021 Elevate Ventures pitch competition, receiving $20,000 in funding and $1.5 million valuation. It made Branam one of the youngest venture-backed CEOs in the nation. What he's making now: Branam's latest venture is Relate XR, which he co-founded with IU assistant professor Brandon Oberlin and digital arts graduate Andrew Nelson. The company combines psychology with virtual reality technology to treat substance abuse disorders. For example, it creates "digital doubles" that allow patients to interact with their life choices and visualize their impact. The latest: The team has raised nearly $5 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health, and Branam said Relate XR should be ready for launch following ongoing clinical trials. "It looks like it's gonna be about two to three years for FDA clearance so we can get it in the hands of those who really need it," Branam said. "One in six Americans meet the diagnosis criteria for substance use disorder." Zoom in: Branam is an alum of the STARTedUP Foundation's Innovate WithIN pitch competition and was among the students who helped launch Indiana's Youth Innovation & Entrepreneurship Caucus in January. Check him out: On LinkedIn and the Relate XR website.
