($200,000) Cofounded by Truman Pierson, founder and CEO, and alum of UChicago’s College,Theta Neurotech is developing a near-invisible EEG patch that predicts and alerts patients of epileptic seizures before they occur. Using a proprietary machine learning model trained on an extensive internal data corpus, the company is building a seizure prediction system to provide patients with advanced notice of seizures and reduce the unpredictability of their condition.

“Theta Neurotech is grateful for the support provided by the George Shultz Innovation Fund,” said Pierson. “The provided capital will allow us to scale our machine learning models with a large data corpus we have built internally. It will also contribute to the remaining R&D of our EEG patch, enabling a prospective study of our seizure prediction system.”

“Multiple millions of Americans are struggling with seizures that strike without warning. This capital decreases the time-to-solution for these patients,” he added.

// CavilinQ ($150,000) Founded by Shankar Menon, graduate student at the Pritzker School of Molecular Engineering, CavilinQ is developing a scalable quantum computing architecture based on precisely controlled arrays of neutral atoms interconnected via optical cavities. This modular approach aims to overcome key technical barriers in scaling quantum computing systems for both industry and academic research.

“CavilinQ is honored and excited to be recognized by the George Shultz Innovation Fund. This support comes at a critical time as we work to scale our platform for modular quantum computation. The funding will help us advance our technical milestones, deepen our IP strategy, and engage early partners in both industry and academia as we move toward commercialization,” said Menon.

“We appreciate the Polsky Center’s commitment to transforming cutting-edge research into impactful ventures — this support is instrumental in helping us turn our quantum interconnect technology into a scalable product that can power the next generation of quantum computing,” he added.

To date, the Innovation Fund has invested in more than 90 companies. Notable companies launched with the fund’s support include ExplORer Surgical, acquired by Global Healthcare Exchange; Super.Tech, acquired by ColdQuanta; OrisDx, which won the 2022 New Venture Challenge and recently and closed a $4 million seed round; Flow Medical, which recently secured $5 million in seed funding; and Alnair Therapeutics, which closed an oversubscribed $1+ million pre-seed funding round.

The core mission of the Innovation Fund is to help scientific founders turn their innovations into ventures that advance cutting-edge technologies, generate significant financial returns, and create lasting impact for humankind.