FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 14 Bruce Tromberg · Share Fast Pitch Mixer. At this seasonal event, Cove Share teams gave a 90-second pitch on their startups and products to a diverse audience

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UCI Applied Innovation

UCI Applied Innovation

A UCI Applied Innovation Publication

SEPT 2016

FOUNDERS LETTERTom Yuen

PAST TIDES 1 • Summer Cove Share Fast Pitch Mixer

• WordCamp OC

• The Past, Present, and Future of Virtual & Augmented Reality

• Tech Trek

• Tech in Motion: Data Science - TrustedRelationships&ScientificInnovations

• Youngry Event - The New Wave of Investment - Title III, Equity Crowdfunding

SPECIAL FEATURE 8ISSUP 2016

STARTUP SPOTLIGHT 11Middle School Moguls

EIR SPOTLIGHT 20• Dionne Mischler• Joe Stafford• Marc Belloti• Monica Jan

ChromaDexITG FEATURE 17

Bruce TrombergBeckman Laser Institute

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 14

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Founders Letter

Founders Letter

Founders Letter

Guiding university research and ideas to market and market intelligence back to the university, are two of the primary functions of UCI Applied Innovation. This cycle has a transformative impact in many areas, including jobs. From supporting UCI startups to developing relationships with corporations looking for exceptional research, UCI Applied Innovation plays a critical role in cultivating opportunities for more jobs. These jobs lead to more innovation as part of a virtuous cycle, where value is continually created through deeper university-industry ties. As a UCI alumnus who co-founded a startup that grew into a Fortune 500 company, I am very pleased to support the next wave of promising UCI research and ideas that are bringing jobs both on campus and in our broadercommunity.Icouldn’tbemoreexcitedwith all the great work UCI Applied Innovation is doing to make this virtuous cycle even stronger.

Past Tides

Tom YuenFounders Advisory Board

Contributors: Past Tides: Lilia Abecassis Karena Phan Hai Truong

Special Feature: Alyxandra Spikerman

Startup Spotlight: Karena Phan

Faculty Spotlight: Lalisa Stutts, Ph.D.

ITG Feature: Lalisa Stutts, Ph.D.

EiR Spotlight: Crystal Sanchez

Making Waves: Hai Truong

Editors in Chief: Matt Bailey Nick Miede

Managing Editor: Vanessa Chavez

Copy Editors: Vanessa Chavez Ryan Eshaghi Andrew Jabara Nick Miede Karena Phan Cambria Shockley Lalisa Stutts, Ph.D. Hai Truong

Design Director: Ryan Mahar

Designer: Kelsey Thornton

Photo & Video: Matthew Morris Shan Jiang Eden Bailey

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Andrew Ninh founder of Docbot

Summer Cove Share Fast Pitch Mixer

July 7th

On July 7th, the Cove hosted its Summer Cove Share Fast Pitch Mixer. At this seasonal event, Cove Share teams gave a 90-second pitch on their startups and products to a diverse audience. Cove Share teams included UCI students, researchers, faculty, and alumni working on startups with the support of UCI Applied Innovation. The fast pitch mixer consisted of 29 groups from the Cove Share program.

The event began with opening remarks from Matt Bailey, Director of Collaborative Venturing for UCI Applied Innovation. Following his introduction, each team presented their pitches. Experts in Residence (EiRs) were also in attendance to observetheirmentees’progressbyseeingthem in action, incorporating the training and guidance they have received while working at the Cove.

After the pitches concluded, Cove Share teams went to their respective booths that were set-up for the audience to visit and interact with. Attendees engaged in product demonstrations and spoke with the teams behind each venture.

“I thought this event was great for Cove Share teams to connect with people who have experience inthefieldtheywishtoenter.Itwasalsoafantasticway to network,” said Crystal Sanchez, CEO of Guardian Locket, one of the participating Cove Share teams that pitched at the event.

WordCamp OC

July 9th/10th

On the weekend of July 9th and 10th, the Cove hosted WordCamp Orange County. At WordCamp OC, guests networked, collaborated, and immersed themselves in everything WordPress. Attendees varied in experience, background, and discipline. They included designers, developers, bloggers, business owners, writers, and people brand new to the platform.

To accommodate the diverse mix of attendees, WordCamp OC provided two tracks of sessions and workshops. Almost every conference room intheCovewasbuzzingwithenergyandfilledwith people eager to learn. Workshops varied in complexityandincludedabeginner’sintroductionto WordPress Security and Plugins by Logan Kipp, product evangelist at WordPress for SiteLock and a design-centric workshop titled Beyond Whitespace: Designing for Complex Content by Michelle Schulp, independent graphic designer and owner of Marktime Media.

Blog-centric workshops included The 50 Day Blogging Challenge by Scott Buscemi, founder and UX director of Luminary, a development agency focused on eCommerce and web systems. Attendees looking for guidance on business concepts attended workshops such as Controlling Your Contracts by Karim Marucchi, CEO of Crowd Favorite and Chairman of The VeloMedia Group.

“Everyone can publish their content and create a website. WordPress is a great platform that gives everyone a voice,” said David Margowsky, theevent’sleadorganizerandfreelanceprojectmanager for WordPress development shops.

Past Tides

Forest Agostinelli founder of WeGroove

David Margowsky, theevent’slead organizer, providing opening remarks

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TechTrek

July 14th

On July 14, 2016, the Cove hosted 118 eighth grade girls from TechTrek for a series of workshops focusedoninventionandinnovationinSTEMfields.

TechTrek is a week-long summer program held at eight campuses across California. The goal is to increase female involvement in math and science with an emphasis on fostering a sustained interest inthesefieldsintheirlateryears.OrganizedbytheAmerican Association of University Women, they hostedtheirfirstprogramatStanfordin1998.

Each participating school nominated several high-achieving girls who were able to choose which campus program to attend. The program demographic is comprised of primarily low-income,

Amused participants listen to trivia clues.

Teams work together in pitching their ideas.

Past Tides

The Past, Present, and Future of Virtual and Augmented Reality

July 13th

On July 13th, the Cove hosted the Orange County chapter of the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) to discuss the past, present, and future of Virtual and Augmented Reality. Theevent’shostwasDr.JacquelynFordMorie,founder of All These Worlds, LLC, a virtual reality project that incorporates storytelling and stress relief for veterans and soldiers. Dr. Morie is a recognized authority in using Virtual Reality (VR) to deliver meaningful experiences that enrich people’slives.Sheisanartist,scientist,andeducatorwithadvanceddegreesinbothfine arts and computer science.

Since 1990, Dr. Morie has been developing multi-sensory techniques for VR that can predictably elicit emotional responses from participants. As an example of this concept, imagine a collar emitting different scents to a participant within an immersive experience. Most recently, she has started a company to focus on Augmented Reality travel experiences.

The event began with discussing the history of VR including the key people and contributors that have made VR what it is today. According to Dr. Morie, virtual reality was created as a result of precedentsestablishedinsciencefiction,literature,spectacle events, and theme parks. She noted that earlyapplicationsofVRdatebacktothe1960’sasaDoDtrainingtoolandthe1980’swithNASAexperimenting with it for telerobotic operations and training.ShedescribedVR’sdeclineuntilrecentyears as a result of negative perceptions by the media and a lack of access to the technology due to the high costs of the equipment.

Dr.Moriealsosharedherfirstexperiencewith VR from 1989 at the Institute for Simulation Training in Orlando, Florida. At the time, she wanted a person to experience her artwork and be able to walk around in it. During her time working at the Institute, Dr. Morie collaborated with scientists to study visual acuity and worked with a computer science student to design VR that evoked an emotional response. She shared the result of her work at the Florida Film Festival in 1992 and 1993. According to Dr. Morie, “VR is now less expensive with more systems that are easier to use and a growing audience of interested people. VR is more malleableandbeneficialinsomanyareas.”

Following the history of VR, the discussion transitioned to the history of Augmented Reality (AR) and its importance. According to Dr. Morie, “Augmented Reality is a much newer concept.

In fact, AR is an offshoot of earlier VR technology.” Dr. Morie shared some examples of AR currently inusesuchassmartfieldviewsforplanningand remodeling buildings, and as a means for interacting with products, and live events.

The event concluded with Dr. Morie sharing that VR and AR are “forcing functions for new generations to think about not only what constitutes our reality, but how all realities can, do, and will affect us as human beings.”

Title-1 schools. TechTrek is entirely funded by Verizon and other donations to ensure no girl is unabletoattendduetofinancialreasons.

Throughout the week of the program, the girls take classes, visit different company sites, and participate in workshops and events geared towards their interests. At the Cove, there was a focus on problem-solving along with perspectives shared from David Ochi of the Blackstone Launchpad and Esosa Agbonwaneten of Cove Share startup Bulletin, among others.

Sylvia Fath, Camp Director of TechTrek UCI, believes the Cove is a great place for the girls to seetheimpactofinnovationfirsthand.“Itserves

as a space for inspiration for the girls, and it germinates a seed for them to continue to think about the world around them and how to improve it.” She hopes a visit to the Cove will become a permanent part of the TechTrek UCI curriculum.

Dr. Jacquelyn Ford Morie, founder of

All These Worlds, LLC, a virtual reality project that incorporates storytelling and stress relief

for veterans and soldiers, discusses her experiences with VR

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Past Tides

Youngry Event - The New Wave of Investment - Title III, Equity Crowdfunding

August 4th

Youngry, a multimedia news startup focused on covering the latest news to meet the needs of entrepreneurs, brought together experts from the local startup and investment ecosystem to educate and answer questions from the audience on Title III as it pertains to Equity Crowdfunding on Thursday evening.

A diverse mix of entrepreneurs, investors, and future startup founders poured into the Cove to learn about Title III of the JOBS Act. The policy went into effect May 2016 allowing startups to raise up to $1 Million dollars every twelve months from a wider mix of investors than previously available. Before Title III, those who earned less than $200,000 and had a net worth of less than $1 Million dollars were unable to invest in private companies for equity.

Ash Kumra, founder of Youngry and organizer of the event, shared the following when asked about the goals of the night, “This evening is all about celebrating entrepreneurship. We launched

TheconversationbeganwithinitialdefinitionsofData Science for the diverse audience comprised of data scientists, entrepreneurs, investors, andthosenewtothefield.Whenaskedaboutthe difference between Data Analysts and Data Scientists, panelist Xuan Zhao, Data Scientist at Cylance, responded, “What we learn from data can be categorized into the following four levels: data, information, knowledge, and wisdom. Data Analysts workwiththefirsttwolevels,analyzingthedatatopull meaningful information or patterns from it. Data Scientists try to learn from the data and generalize the knowledge obtained to predict trends that go beyond the initial data gathered using machine learningandartificialintelligence.”

On the topic of the origins of data scientists, panelists shared that Data Scientists are born out of a need for research scientists who know more about software engineering. Data Scientists today incorporate domain expertise and business experience with their knowledge of statistics and software engineering. Chris Walker, CTO of Illuminate Education stated, “Data scientists are scientists, but a big part of being a scientist is engaging with people and having the ability to relate to people.” Panelist Amir Zia, Data Scientist at Hart, added, “The profession of data scientists is going to be more fragmented as the discipline continuestogrowinitsdefinition.However,the

Tech in Motion’s Tech Panel: Data Science – Trusted Relationships and Scientific Innovations July 20th

On July 20th, the Cove hosted Tech in Motion for an Orange County tech panel titled, “Data Science –TrustedRelationshipsandScientificInnovations.”Tech in Motion is a national event series with the goal of bringing local tech communities together to meet, learn, and innovate. The moderator for the evening was Sean Goodwin, a serial entrepreneur with experience in analytics at several private financefirms(TDInvestmentFunding&Datacom)and technology in several mobile app startups (DealAppSeo & Fitness Super Pass). The panel discussionexploreddatascience’sapplication,advancements, and its societal impact.

philosophy that data scientists must have a working knowledge of algorithms, statistics, business, and computer science will remain the same.”

PaneltopicsalsoincludedAI’sroleindatascienceand the challenges with gathering data. Regarding AI, panelists shared that as the size and complexity of running algorithms increase, issues arise that existing platforms cannot address right now. As AI continues to develop, these issues may be solved intime.Whenaskedaboutfindingmeaninginlargedata sets, panelist Chris Walker explained, “This is asignificantchallenge.Whencapturingallofthisdata, you need to ensure you are not inadvertently catching bias or other systemic problems.”

The panel concluded by discussing the future of data. Panelist Reza Sadri, Chief Executive OfficerofLevy,stated“Datascienceisgoingtobe something very pervasive and become much more than it is right now. There is a growing need to process larger amounts of data. New algorithms, fast networking, and processing power make it possible for everyone to use data science.” Amir Zia shared, “There is always another thing coming out and it is usually open source. It is amazing how rapidly people are building tools and putting it out there for everyone to use.”

Youngry to celebrate the entrepreneur lifestyle and spirit with an emphasis on early stage startups that may not get as much attention. We started our equity crowdfunding campaign to invite the communitytobeapartofourjourney.Tonight’sgoal is sharing our experience as an example of Title III in action and educating people on why they should care about Title III and the opportunity available with this new outlet to raise money.”

Kumra kicked off the event with opening remarks and a thank you to the sponsors which included UCI Applied Innovation, The Orange County Business Journal, Tech Coast Angels, and Republic. A presentation on Title III then followed from Republic: a SEC and FINRA-approved investment platform enabling startups to raise money from new investors under the new legislation. Highlights of the presentation included the concept of democratizing investment for groups and communities who may have previously had less exposure or historically were not known for high rates of funding. The presentation also

describedthefinancialdisclosuresandprocessesrequired of startups to participate in the new investment channel.

Following the presentation, a Q&A was moderated by Richard Reisman of the Orange County Business Journal. Panelists included Kevin Valsi of Republic, Amit Singh of Stradling Attorneys at Law, Grant Van Cleve, President of Tech Coast Angels, and Matt Bailey, Director of Collaborative Venturing for UCI Applied Innovation. Questions varied from the viability of the platform to barriers of entry and investor protections. Given the newness of Title III, panelistsrespondedthatitwouldtakesignificantsuccess stories before momentum builds. Additionally, panelists also gave different perspectivesonwhereTitleIIIfitsinthelargerecosystem of investment options as early seed funding or a marketing vehicle to empower supporters withatangiblestakeinthestartup’ssuccess.

The event ended in a networking mixer and provided an opportunity for the audience to engage withpanelistsindividuallytoaskmorespecificquestions. When asked about what the audience could do after attending this event, Kumra shared, “I would like them to support Youngry and also share the opportunities around equity crowdfunding. This event is a representation of the potential of the OC entrepreneurship eco-system.”

Panelists (left to right)

Bryan Smith, Lead Data Scientist at Payoff Amir Ziai, Data Scientist at Hart

AlexBates,ChiefTechnologyOfficeratMtell ChrisWalker,ChiefTechnologyOfficeratIlluminateEducation

Xuan Zhao, Data Scientist at Cylance RezaSadri,ChiefExecutiveOfficeratLevyx

Ash Kumra, Youngry (Speaking) Panelists (left to right) Richard Reisman of the Orange County Business Journal Kevin Valsi of Republic Amit Singh of Stradling Attorneys at Law Grant Van Cleve, President of Tech Coast Angels Matt Bailey, Director of Collaborative Venturing for UCI Applied Innovation

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16Imagine spending a summer inside a microcosm of innovation surrounded by industry professionals, investors, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Three months focused solely on exchanging ideas, sharing knowledge, and working together to build the future. This summer, 15 student-interns explored this concept at the Cove through the Intercollegiate Summer Start-Up Program (ISSUP).

ISSUP, an initiative of UCI Applied Innovation, brought students from top universities across the country to work alongside a select group of UCI undergraduatesintheCove’suniqueentrepreneurialsetting.Studentsapplied to one of three program tracks depending on their interests.

ISSUP 20Participants

Alyxandra Spikerman Computer Engineering and Computer Science Northeastern University

Andrew Jabara Economics with an Education Minor Stanford University

Crystal Sanchez Business Economics University of California, Irvine

Darian Gibson Exercise Science Willamette University

Daylee Richards Business Administration University of Oregon

Dylan Rouda Song Writing Berklee College of Music

Eden Bailey Film Production with a Business Administration Minor Chapman University

Jack Mangiola Economics The Ohio State University

Jonathan Skolnik Intended: Economics and Math Wesleyan University

Karena Phan Literary Journalism University of California, Irvine

Lilia Abecassis GVPT and Art History, adding a minor in Entrepreneurship and Innovation University of Maryland, College Park

Sebastian Luna Neuroscience and Economics Claremont McKenna College

Shea Rouda Eastern Asian Languages and Cultures, Mandarin Emphasis University of Southern California

Spencer Ma Economics Harvard University

Wing Ung Business Economics University of California, Irvine

INTERCOLLEGIATE SUMMER START-UP PROGRAM

Special Feature

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Special Feature

Track 1: UCI Applied Innovation Internships Students engage directly in supporting the entrepreneurial ecosystem and gain experience and insight into the commercialization process at UCI Applied Innovation, while building relationships with entrepreneurs, mentors, venture funders and business partners.

Track 2: Co-Working Team Experience Students work directly with startup companies, gainingfirst-handknowledgeofwhatittakestolaunch a new product or service.

Track 3: Business Incubator Student teams maintain and advance momentum over the summer on their own startups. In addition to the hands-on experience, students participated in the July experiential learning component of ISSUP which consists of panel discussions with industry leaders and entrepreneurs, expert speakers, and site visits to leadingcompaniesinthefieldsofDigitalMediaEntertainment and Med Tech. As part of the site visits, ISSUP participants had the opportunity to seefirst-handhowthesecompaniesoperateandhear from their executives.

“I get hands-on experience helping them start their business which is a rewarding feeling. It is an opportunity to hone my skills and learn new things every day.”

Whether working directly with startups or gaining knowledge through interacting with professionals, thestudentsattheISSUPprogramaresettofilltheir summers with invaluable experiences. As a newschoolyearapproaches,thisyear’sISSUPinterns will take what they have learned back to their universities and serve as ambassadors fortheprogram.UCI’scommunityofinnovationcontinues to grow, and programs such as ISSUP will continue to develop and teach a new generation of entrepreneurs.

It is an opportunity to hone my skills and learn

new things everyday.– Daylee Richards, ISSUP Intern, Track 2

Daylee Richards from University of Oregon delivers a summation of her experience in the ISSUP Program.

One of the Track 1 interns, Andrew Jabara, describes “it is incredible, walking around UCI Applied Innovation. You have Tech Coast Angels, the largest Angel VC network in the country. You also have a variety of startups and startup incubators.” Interns have access to the wisdom of industry professionals before pursuing opportunities intheirchosenindustryforthefirsttime.

AnotherTrack1intern,CrystalSanchez,findsthetalksandworkshopsmostbeneficial.Crystalshares “I have been able to apply my newfound knowledge to my venture, Guardian Locket,” which hopes to prevent sexual assault on college campuses. Track 2 intern, Daylee Richards, who is working with Cove Share team Angarus.io, says

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Gina Heitkamp, CEO and co-founder of Middle School Moguls, strives to create examples for young women interested in technology and entrepreneurship. The origins of the startup began with Gina and her sister/business partner Jenae Heitkamp. Together they developed Middle School Moguls, a multimedia brand that inspires young girls from ages 6-10 to become entrepreneurs and foster an interest in technology. In 2014, Gina and Jenae developed Middle School Moguls as their startup entry in the Business Plan Competition at the Paul Merage School of Business.Theybecamethefirstall-femaleteamto win. Additional awards and accomplishments include being featured in the “Top 10 Toys” lists from Toy Fair 2016, beating out hundreds of thousands of products in addition to winning the Geek Girls Pitch Competition.

Gina shared the following when asked about her passion for entrepreneurship, “I think I have always had that drive and hustle. I have also had the patience to wait for that one idea to hit.”

Before Middle School Moguls, Gina worked in marketing for Red Bull. She then moved on to the tech sector doing marketing for tech companies throughaconsultingfirmshestarted.ThetimeGina spent in tech sparked her interest in pursuing additional entrepreneurship opportunities. She also pursued her MBA at the UCI Paul Merage School of Business.

During her time as an MBA student at UCI, Gina noticed the gender disparity among the attendees at technology and entrepreneurship events. “Iftherearen’texamplesinthehomethengirlsshould see it in their toys and media,” Gina shared. Gina and Jenae learned through their research that few options for entrepreneurship and STEM existed for young girls. They combined forces, leveragingGina’smarketingandtechexperiencewithJenae’sbackgroundasachildtherapisttocreate characters and short stories about young girls in tech and entrepreneurship. For each character, they developed dolls to accompany eachone’spersona.

“These girls, they are all story driven product. Each doll comes with a book, and it tells a story of their adventures. Storytelling is how we aim to inspire little girls that are reading the books and playing with the dolls,” Gina shared. Each doll has personality traits of the inspiring women Gina and Jenae have met throughout the course of their lives; the characters have evolved in complexity andtandemwiththetwosisters’experience over the years.

ReflectingontheimpactUCIhashadontheirentrepreneurship path, Gina shared “UCI has been a big part of our journey. We developed this startup while I was pursuing my MBA at UCI. After we had won the Business Plan Competition we had the opportunity to become a Cove Share team.” One year after winning the Business Plan Competition, they launched their Kickstarter which was successfully funded and raised a little over $50K at its end. The Cove Fund also awarded additional funding at the conclusion of their crowdfunding campaign.

Recalling her experience with Kickstarter, Gina shared, “Kickstarter was probably the hardest thing we have done, primarily because dolls were not popularforKickstarter’stargetmarketwhichispredominantly males between 18-35.” When asked if she had any advice for those who want to start a Kickstarter campaign, Gina shared, “My advice would be to prepare for the Kickstarter as if it is your product launch. In my opinion, it is a bit harder than a traditional product launch because you are askingpeopletopurchasesomethingthatdoesn’tyet exist. For every $10,000 you want to raise, you should be putting in a month of time to prepare, market and promote.”

Sharing her experience raising money for her startup, Gina stated, “It was not easy going out there and getting investment for a doll company because it is not traditional for Orange County. There are primarily tech investors in the area.” What helped Middle School Moguls was John Kensey who is the manager of the Cove Fund and alsooneofthefirstproductmanagersatMattel.John heard their pitch at an event and took an interest in them. Gina shared the following about John’simpact,“Hehasgottenuswherewearetodayasfarasfundinggoes.Ithinkfindingthatoneinvestor who understands your product is crucial. If they believe in you, they are also willing to reach out to their network.”

Through resources such as the Cove Fund in addition to advice and mentorship from Experts-in-Residence (EiR), the Cove has been an integral partofMiddleSchoolMoguls’growth.Asadvisorsand guides for business, EiRs have also joined their team. Jim Klinger serves as CFO along with two attorneys who are EiRs actively contributing to the startup. Advisors also include organizations

ranging from Disney and DreamWorks to consultants from Hasbro and Mattel. When asked about how the relationships with her advisors started, Gina responded, “Much of it was just cold calling and reaching out. Sometimes you just have to ask and try to grow those relationships.” An example of how the sisters met one of their primary advisors dates back to two years ago when they attended a presentation he was giving to an audience of 300 people. They waited until thepresentationwasfinishedandtookachanceby engaging him directly at that event. Today, he is an equity shareholder in Middle School Moguls and works with them to help grow their

business. Through their persistence, Middle School Moguls now has a team of people who are experts in the toy industry helping with sales and licensing development.

Middle School Moguls plan to launch in stores on October 2016 in 120 Target locations across the US and online through websites such as Walmart, Amazon, and Zulily for the holiday season. To prepare for the launch they are focusing on marketing and releasing short format CGI animations introducing the characters and the world where the dolls live. “We envision this as a mass market product. We have had interest

internationally from countries ranging from New Zealand to Saudi Arabia. Our desire is for Middle School Moguls to grow into an international product over the next couple of years. Hopefully, that momentum will lead to the development of a cartoon on a programming channel such as NetflixorNick.”

Middle School Moguls

Gina Heitkamp, CEO and co-founder of

Middle School Moguls

14 | Faculty Spotlight


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Faculty Spotlight

Director of the Beckman Laser Institute (BLI) and Medical Clinic

BLI-affiliated faculty have disclosed to the Invention Transfer Group over 300 inventions, with many of these going on to be granted U.S. or worldwide patent rights, and be licensed to startups or established companies.

Principal Investigator of the Laser Microbeam and Medical Program (LAMMP)

The Dynamic Cooling Device, developed by BLI researchers J. Stuart Nelson, M.D., Ph.D., Thomas E. Milner, Ph.D., and Lars O. Svaasand, Ph.D., and licensed to Candela, has generated the biggest proceeds from a license to UCI – nearly $50 million to date.

Professor, School of Medicine, Department of Surgery

Prof. Bruce Tromberg has been listed as an inventor on 66 disclosures and currently has 17 cases that are actively being marketed, achieved or are in negotiations for licenses, or are undergoing patent prosecution.

Prof. Bruce Tromberg founded or facilitated the formation of a number of startup companies, including Modulated Imaging, spotlighted in Cove Currents, July 2016.

Notable Achievements in Advancing Technology:

Bruce Tromberg



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works better and better, understand it more, make it move towards a more mature technology, a mature platform, then the rest of the world will catch up with it.” The knowledge gained in the recent decades has produced light-based technologies thataresmall,portable,andmoreenergyefficient,accurate, and precise than what was imagined when the BLI was formed.

Occurring simultaneously with the growth of the photonicsandopticsfields,TrombergmadesignificantadvancesinhiscareerandfortheBLI. Following his postdoctoral work, Tromberg maintained his ties with UCI, becoming a professor at the Institute. He eventually became the Director in 2003, leading with the same optimistic perspective seeded in the early years of the Institute. For this reason, BLI continues to be a center of innovation in optics and photonics, especially for biological and medical applications. He describes the tradition of collaboration at BLI and how scientists with disparate backgrounds in biology, chemistry, engineering, medicine, and physicscancometogetherandfindsuccess;“Everybody is here with a slightly different perspective andpointofviewfromthetypesofproblemsthey’reinterested in solving, but are banded together in their excitement and passion for optics and photonics technologies to solve a variety of different problems.”

Tromberg propels the success of his and BLI’sresearcheffortsbeyondthebenchtopbyensuring that the Institute ultimately has its eye on translating technologies to the clinic and the market.ThefirststeptowardthisgoalistheBLI’srelationshipwithUCI’stechnologytransferoffice,dubbed the Invention Transfer Group (ITG). ITG,previouslynamedtheOfficeofTechnologyAlliances, is now a unit of Applied Innovation and

is charged with managing the intellectual property portfolios of UCI inventors. This responsibility involves assessing patentability and commercial potential of inventions, and facilitating their licensing to industry.

The most recent developments to transition out of the Tromberg lab and be licensed to a company is a medical device used for diffuse opticalspectroscopicimaging(DOSI).Infit&Co., a start-up company incubated at LG labs, is interested in revolutionizing medical care by employing new imaging techniques for diagnostics. Thisyear,InfitfinalizedagreementswithUCItoexclusively license inventions relating to a DOSI device developed by Prof. Tromberg, along with Prof. Michael Berns and electrical engineer Prof. Pai Chou. The instrument allows researchers and clinicianstomeasuremoleculesinsideaperson’sbody in a non-invasive manner. Doctoral candidate and BLI researcher, Robert Warren, describes the unique capabilities of the device as being able to “turn the human body into a cuvette.” Rather thantakingfluidsamplesortissuebiopsiesfromapatient, the instrument uses light-based methods to obtain signals from molecules inside the body. By shining light through the skin at rapid intervals, up to 500 million times per second, the device and accompanying software can mathematically separate the light scattering events from the light absorbing events. This renders the noise signals from the tissues “transparent”, and yields just those from the chemicals within.

The success of BLI technologies can also be attributed to the collaboration from the business communities local to Southern California, a region rich in business ventures concerning pharmaceuticals and biomedical devices. Prof.Trombergexplainsthat“it’snotjustbeinginnovative;it’srecognizingtheinnovationsthatwe’redrivingherecouldhaveabroaderimpact.”This recognition requires input from both the researchers, university, and leaders in business and industry. Applied Innovation serves as a bridge to foster the connections between campus researchers and the entrepreneurial and corporate communities. From these relationships, the commercialization processisstreamlinedtothebenefitofthepartnersinvolved, and ultimately, the public.

To learn more about the Beckman Laser Institute, please visit: bli.uci.edu

If interested in licensing UCI technologies, please visit: innovation.uci.edu/tech

At the time Bruce Tromberg began his academic career at UCI as a postdoctoral scholar in 1988, the market for his research, lasers and optics in biology and medicine, was extremely small. Despite the apparent low market value for such work, the University and BLI founders, Prof. Michael Berns andProf.ArnoldBeckman,sawthesignificanceandworthininvestinginthefieldsofopticsandphotonics. The founding researchers knew that lightcouldbeaverypowerfulandelegantscientifictool for studying the human body. It can be both a means for taking measurements in tissues, as well as a therapeutic input for addressing diseases and cancer. Tromberg explains that chemicals insidethebodyhave“spectralfingerprints,”whichabsorbandsubsequentlyreflectlight,noninvasively providing precise measurements of naturally occurring molecules, such as molecular oxygen, sugars, and proteins, as well as structural and functional information. Conversely, if these molecules are exogenous therapeutic agents, they can be modulated with light to controllably drive chemical reactions or generate heat or force in the body.

Theconfidenceandpersistenceoftheearlypioneers in photonics and optics paid off. The research areas have grown tremendously since thelate1980’s,whentheworldwideworkforceinthefieldscomprisedofjustacouplehundredresearchers, building their own microscopes and equipment. Currently, photonics and optics are a $3 trillion industry just in the U.S., employing thousands of researchers in many different countries. Tromberg recalls that technologies, including those developed at BLI, “when they were firstdeveloped,didn’thaveanobviousmarketoran obvious application…but if you can establish the company and advance the technology so that it

Professor Bruce Tromberg, Director of the Beckman Laser Institute and Medical Clinic (BLI)

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ITG Feature | 19

ITG Feature | 19

UCI

UCI

THE COVE

THE COVE

ITG Feature

Frank Jaksch, CEO, ChromaDex

FrankJaksch,ChiefExecutiveOfficerofChromaDex, an innovative natural products company, challenges his employees to always be looking for the next crucial discovery, connection, and ultimately, game-changing molecule. Pterostilbene is one such molecule for the company, with advancements that can be tracedbacktoChromaDex’scultureofencouraginginnovation. Pterostilbene, a structural relative of resveratrol, was of interest to ChromaDex as an antioxidant ingredient. It was not until a chance meeting at a wedding, when a ChromaDex employee got to talking to a UCI researcher, that the molecule was considered as a potential skin therapeutic. This casual conversation turned into an Industry Sponsored Research (ISR) project betweenChromaDexandProf.FrankMeyskens’research group at UCI. Today, the company has licensed the work from the university and continues to develop it as a novel and healthy topical sun protectant.

ChromaDex is a unique company that has investedinearly-stageinnovationwithscientificresearch institutions. The goals of the company are to identify, develop, and commercialize novel

ingredient technologies. These ingredients have applications in nutritional supplements, foods and beverages, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals. Their current ingredient pipelines include natural components derived from plants, fruits, and nuts that demonstrate positive effects on cognitive, immune, and heart and circulatory functions. Pterostilbene, for example, through the course of theuniversity’sISRprogram,wasfoundtopreventskin damage caused by ultraviolet light. In mice, topical treatment with pterostilbene resulted in decreased skin hyperplasia, in which skin cells begin to enlarge and overgrow, hallmarks of the early stages of skin cancer. The treatment was also found to maintain barrier function of the skin, keeping it hydrated and strong. This important work waspatentedbyUCI’stechnologytransferoffice,the Invention Transfer Group (ITG), and licensed to ChromaDex. Additionally, the UCI researcher whochampionedthisworkintheMeyskens’lab, Dr. Ryan Dellinger, transitioned from Project ScientistattheuniversitytoChromaDex’s DirectorofScientificAffairs.

Headquartered in Irvine, ChromaDex is well-positioned to address the needs of the biotech and

pharmaceutical industries, while taking advantage of the exciting and emerging culture of innovation in Orange County. Jaksch points out that in addition to an ideal location in the center of biotech and pharmaceutical markets, ChromaDex is comfortably situated in the sand and sun of Southern California, a locale that both produces and attracts top talent. UCI alumnus Napoleon Greene is just one example of a successful local student that graduated and now works in one of the burgeoning markets in Southern California. Greene studied engineering and biology as a UCI undergraduate and is now the Sales Operations Manager at ChromaDex. He thrives in an environment that, he states, is the “perfect marriage of science-based research and business.” While he enjoyed working in the lab as a student, at ChromaDex,hefindsvalueinnotbeinglimitedtooneor two narrowly focused research projects at a time; instead, he is afforded opportunities to work on a diversity of research pipelines and collaborate across various sectors of industry with scientists, business professionals, and consumers. With the success of ChromaDex and innovative companies like it in Orange County, we will likely see the continued rise in highly-skilled and diversely-thinking students and professionals, like Napoleon, in the future.

ChromaDex

Napoleon Greene, Sales Operations Manager, ChromaDex, and UCI alumnus

20 | EiR Spotlight

20 | EiR Spotlight

EiR Spotlight | 21

EiR Spotlight | 21

UCI

UCI

THE COVE

THE COVE

EiR Spotlight

Dionne Mischler

A nearly 20-year Inside Sales veteran and executive, Dionne specializes in teaching leaders and organizations how to establish and grow teams through engaging, informative workshops and seminars.

Who or what has been your greatest inspiration in life?

Wow, what a question. There are almost too many to list!Iwouldsaymychurch’ssmallgroups,husband,family,andspendingtimewithmykids.Also,thefineart of slowing down to observe, learn and serve.

As a strong Type A, I study to have all the answers. This is great, except nobody likes a know-it-all. As the recipient of some very useful advice and coaching (and probably age), I have learned the value of curiosity and the power of attention combined with a willing heart to help others. This combination has been groundbreaking. It has taken many of my relationships to new levels and has allowed me to pay it forward providing inspiration to others. The results of applying that advice have been fantastic because life is all about relationships.

What is one piece of advice you would share with a new entrepreneur?

My advice to a new entrepreneur is keep moving forward,evenifyoudonothaveitallfiguredout.My second piece of advice is to work on having a heightened sense of self-awareness. To elaborate, when the feelings of anxiety or stress come up, and they will, having the wherewithal to step back and ask yourself and your trusted advisors some probing questions comes in handy. It helps you get unstuck.

Why did you decide to become a Cove Expert-In-Residence?

I decided to become a Cove EiR to give back to the community, to new companies, and learn from others as well. I have been, and continue to be, blessed with amazing friends, coaches, and advisors. It would be remiss of me not to share and give back. Becoming a Cove EiR provides an excellent way to do that and learn from others at the same time.

If you could pick any fictional world to live in, which would you select and why?

Great question! We have just introduced our kids to the Chronicles of Narnia movies, so that is at the top of my mind right now. I would say Narnia. How cool it would be to be a part of that world, as a good guy, of course. Learning life lessons from Aslan and so many others in that realm could spark creativity and inspire work that could form our character.

Joe Stafford Joe Stafford is an avid entrepreneur in the information technology, cloud hosting, and electronics industries with a successful history applyinghisfinancialandstrategicplanningskillscoupled with sales management and marketing to help companies drive earnings, growth, and value.

Currently,JoeistheChiefFinancialOfficerforDataResolution, a leading provider of managed hosting services. He is also the founder and Managing Director of Trinity Business Advisors, a consulting firmthatprovidesmanagementconsultingandoutsourced CFO/Controller services to small and mid-sized companies.

Joe’sisalsothefounderandCEOofICTrends, a multimillion-dollar company servicing electronics manufacturers with supply chain risk management andICSolutions.Forfiveyears,JoewasChief FinancialOfficerofNewMomentum,asubscription- based software solution targeting the electronics, pharmaceutical, and luxury goods industries.


Winston Churchill. In some of the darkest hours in human history, he never gave in and fought for what he believed to be right against incredible odds–and he triumphed in the end.


Never give in if what you are doing is true to yourvalues.Don’tsacrificeyourvaluestoget what you want.


I see it as an opportunity to give back to others and share some of the knowledge that I have gained along my journey. Hopefully, I can help someone avoid some of the bumps and bruises that I have experienced.

What superpower would you choose and why?

That is a tough one because many superpowers involve changing the present or future by altering pastevents.Idon’tthinkthatisright.TobecompletelyselfishwiththisoneIwouldsaythegiftof flight.Itwouldbecooltowalkoutsideandtakeoff!

Dionne Mischler

Joe Stafford

22 | EiR Spotlight

22 | EiR Spotlight

EiR Spotlight | 23

EiR Spotlight | 23

UCI

UCI

THE COVE

THE COVE

Marc Bellotti

Marc is a Senior Executive in Biomedical Systems Product Development with broad experience in regulated, life-sustaining systems such as dialysis, plasmapheresis, combination drug and device systems, sterilization, area decontamination, proteinmodifications,anddelipidation.

He has more than 35 years of medical device development experience working in both large and small companies including senior positions at Baxter Healthcare both as Director of Renal Dialysis R&D and Director of Advanced Engineering and Design. Additionally, Marc has led organizations such as Johnson and Johnson where he was Worldwide VP of R&D for Advanced Sterilization Products. Concerning startups, Marc has held VP of R&D roles for a startup specializing in lipoprotein modificationsandvaccinesinadditiontoanotherstartup focused on Endodontics.

Marc holds both undergraduate and graduate degrees in Biomedical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and has over 100 patents and patents pending in addition to several publications. He served as Chairman of Operations for the Georgia Tech Corporate Consortium for Rapid Prototyping and Manufacturing. Additionally, Marc has been a consultant to the medical device and pharmaceutical industry for several years.

Currently, Marc is a partner at Fuel Source Partners, a management consulting and development execution company for the medical device industry.


Leonardo De Vinci! The Renaissance was an explosion in human learning and spirit. Great thinkers and doers gifted in many different disciplines transformed the dark ages. This exponential growth continues to some degree

today. The idea of “jack of all trades but master of none” certainly did not apply to these great thinkers. I wish I could be as talented in any one area as they were in many.

This inspiration has driven me to pursue medical innovationthroughengineering.Artificialorgans,life-sustaining systems, cures for debilitating diseases are all within our grasp. We are living in a dynamically changing time. We need to charge forward like the great thinkers did in the past.


Steven Alexander Wright said, “Experience is something you do not get until just after you need it.” Unfortunately, in the entrepreneurial game, thiscanbeaseriousissue.Don’tbeafraidtoaskfor help and get advice. Research what has been donebeforeandlearnfromothers’mistakes.Youmay believe what you are doing is so unique no one is in a position to offer advice. However, as we know, “Those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it.” (George Santayana paraphrased by Winston Churchill)

Remember, it is never the snake you see that gets you! Always try to uncover all the snakes any way you can. Then change directions, if necessary, to avoid getting bitten.


For all the obvious reasons. Paying it forward, sharing the experiences I have had, hopefully, to help others avoid the same mistakes I have made. I enjoy staying involved with innovation, medical development, and continuing to learn. I am also interested in developing new relationships. Never forget that life is about relationships. It is the thing that matters most to all of us.


Definitelysomethinginthefuture!Notanapocalypticfuture,butafuturefilledwithpositiveoutcomes that are a result of the human race getting to a better place. That is why I like Star Trek. As optimistic as the original concept was, the theme was the triumph of the human spirit. I also like the gadgets and techy stuff.

Someone once asked me where I would go if I could take a vacation anywhere regardless of cost. My answer was, “I would sign up for the Mars Mission”. They responded back, “that would be a one-way trip,” I replied, “life is a one-way trip; just go for it.”

Monica Jan Monica brings over 22 years of experience in the technology and aerospace industries. Her expertise ranges from space, robotics, to consumer electronics. She’sbeeninvolvedinresearchanddevelopmentinartificialintelligence,networkingarchitecturesand hardware, telematics systems, and space systems. During her tenure at Northrop Grumman, her architecture and implementation of a satellite switchingsubsystemwontheChairman’sInnovationAward. In her consulting career, she has worked with both entrepreneurs and corporations on technical and product development, business development, strategic partnerships, operations and cross-functional process improvement, and supply chain alignment. She currently advises high-tech startups on their business and technology strategies. As part of the steering committee for the Wharton Angel Network and Wharton Aerospace Ventures, she works actively with investors and entrepreneurs.

Monica holds BSEE and MSEE degrees from the University of Southern California, a Systems EngineeringcertificatefromtheCaliforniaInstituteof Technology, and an MBA from The Wharton School. She currently holds a faculty position at The Wharton School with the Global Consulting Practicum Program.

Monica is a partner at LightSpeed Innovations, an aerospace accelerator venture. When not busy buildingtheaerospaceecosystem,youcanfindher coaching triathletes or teaching adaptive skiing on the slopes.

Who or what has been your greatest inspiration in life? My grandmother has always been my inspiration in life. She instilled in me that anything is possible if you put your mind to it, and that you need to fightforwhatyoubelievein;thestatusquoisn’talways right or just. She grew up in China during a time when girls were not allowed to go to school. She fought against her family, culture, and traditional values so that she could attend school. Despite being the only girl in her school and getting bullied by her classmates, she not only succeeded by consistently placing at the top of her class but also eventually won over the respect andsupportofherclassmates.IonlywishI’mhalf as courageous and as cool as my grandma. Becauseofher,educationandwomen’srightsaretwo areas near and dear to my heart.


Talk to your customers and listen. It is crucial to understand what your customers need and value,

tolistentoallthevoicesinthemarketplaceyou’rein. Too often we meet technologists who created solutions looking for problems to solve. To create value, you need to be solving real issues that your customers are facing. Help take away major pain points, or create huge advancements in a particular revenue generating area for them. Once you understand your customer needs and the industry, think outside the box and stay open to pivot your company to meet those needs.


IwasthrilledwhenIfirstfoundoutabouttheCove.It’sbeenalongtimecomingforourlocalcommunity to have an entrepreneurship hub. EiR is just one of the many awesome programs and opportunities that the Cove brings to our community. I love the opportunities that the Cove EiR program brings for me to work with other entrepreneurs. It is a great environment to meet like minded and ambitious entrepreneurs and investors. Being part of their journey has been a privilege and it helps me learn and grow both personally and professionally. I often meet interesting people at the Cove and have fascinating discussions with them on a wide variety of topics. It has been a great experience and personally satisfying to be able to help others achieve their dreams.


I’maHarryPotterfan,soIwouldlovetotakea train to Hogwarts and learn how to use all the magic spells, travel through chimneys, and flyaroundonmybrandnewFireboltplayingQuidditch.Asasciencegeek,I’mconstantlyanalyzing and looking for explanations to make senseoftheworldaroundme.Sothere’ssomething about living in a world of magic, accepting that sometimes there are things you justcan’texplain.Actually...Ireallyjustwanttobuy a wand and play magic tricks on people and race around the sky on broomsticks. Ha!

24 | Making Waves

24 | Making Waves

Making Waves | 25

Making Waves | 25

UCI

UCI

THE COVE

THE COVE

Interview with Angarus.io Expert-in-Residence Mentor Dane Shackleford

As an EiR, Dane Shackleford brings over 20 years of experience as a Growth Specialist, Strategic Leader, and Senior Executive for medical, surgical, and technology companies ranging from small to Fortune 500. With an analytical approach and data-driven leadership style, Dane has successfully turned around under-performing enterprise organizations and positioned startups to scale annual revenue with rapid growth. Bringing a seasoned perspective on what issues businesses of every size face and need to consider to be successful in the market space, Dane was a perfect fit for Cove Share startup Angarus.io. Angarus.io is a secure, HIPAA-compliant cloud platform powering services to enable healthcare & wellness providers to better engage their patients.

For the past two months, Dane has begun mentoring Angarus.io and serving as a guide as they ramp up their startup efforts and prepare to engage their early customers. The conversation below spotlights Dane’s perspective on his experience working with them thus far.

In what ways have you been guiding the Angarus.io team?

What I have talked to them about is the importance of those first impressions and staying very close to those initial test sites as they get going with using their software. In my experience, the first customers are crucial in the early stages. You have to do a lot of hand-holding in the beginning and be diligent in your responsiveness. This can make all the difference to your business in the long run.

Making Waves

How has your expertise and relationships come into play with Angarus.io’s first sales?

I have brought my overall experience in dealing with similar customers they are pursuing. Whether it is a hospital, clinic, or coordinating physicians, I can help them focus on the main things to consider and prepare when dealing with these types of accounts.

Has your experience with Angarus.io given you any new perspectives on mentoring?

New perspectives only in that it is so much fun to do. I have been in the business for over 20 years, and through the EiR experience, I get to work with eager, smart people interested in building technology or filling a gap in the industry. We get to help push forward a paradigm shift in how clinicians are doing things today.

What would you encourage other startups to do when working with a mentor to put their best foot forward?

Be comfortable in your dynamic with your EiR and exercise full transparency. Bring up all the issues you are facing. We don’t know what we don’t know, and we cannot help without being made aware of the challenges you are experiencing.

If there are concerns from those we mentor–places where they may be uncomfortable on how to proceed, or not sure if they are covering all their bases–those are the kinds of issues we can help them navigate. For example, if I do not have the answers to something for someone I am working with, I have resources to get the information and help move things forward.

5141 CALIFORNIA AVENUEIRVINE, CA 92697-7700949-824-COVE (2683)[email protected]

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SEPTEMBER TIDES

9.1.2016 Thursday 8:00 am 3rd Annual SoCal Micro & Nano Symposium

9.2.2016 Friday 12:00 pm Lunch & Learn

9.2.2016 Friday 8:00 am 3rd Annual SoCal Micro & Nano Symposium

9.7.2016 Wednesday 8:00 am One Million Cups Irvine

9.8.2016 Thursday 6:00 pm TCVN Workshop Event

9.9.2016 Friday 8:00 am Yoga at the Beach


9.9.2016 Friday 7:00 pm Inventors Forum

9.12.2016 Monday 12:00 pm Blackstone Launchpad’s Phroogal Lunch & Learn


9.14.2016 Wednesday 6:30 pm ACM OC: An Intellectual Property Primer For Software Developers

9.15.2016 Thursday 5:00 pm Thursday Night Football

9.15.2016 Thursday 10:30 am JLABs: Sanderling Ventures Presentation


9.19.2016 Monday 3:30 pm TriTech Workshop


9.21.2016 Wednesday 6:00 pm OC Tech Happy Hour

9.23.2016 Friday 8:00 am Yoga at the Beach


9.23.2016 Friday 2:00 pm UCI Postdoctoral Research Symposium


9.29.2016 Thursday 5:00 pm Thursday Night Football


Documents

FACULTY SPOTLIGHT 14 Bruce Tromberg · Share Fast Pitch Mixer. At this seasonal event, Cove Share teams gave a 90-second pitch on their startups and products to a diverse audience