LaunchPad Awards Six Student Start-Up Fund Grants

Oct. 27, 2024, noon

The Blackstone LaunchPad at Syracuse University Libraries has awarded six $2,500 Student Start-Up Fund grants, formerly the Innovation Fund, thus far this Fall 2024 semester. Grants are awarded on a rolling basis to undergraduate and graduate students who need help moving an idea from concept to commercialization. The six recipients are:

• Dominique Camp ’24 (David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics), founder of Camp Collective, a clothing brand, will use the funds for the organization’s first collection inventory, photo shoot and mockup designs.
• Olutosin (Tosin) Alabi G’25 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management), founder of Diabetech, will be using the grant to develop a proof-of-concept prototype for the smart sensor/bandage for diabetic foot ulcer monitoring.
• Aidan Turner ’25 (School of Architecture), founder of Grater Things, a clothing brand, will use the grant for legal services including project and membership agreements and privacy policy, as well as website development and product research expenses.
• Antonio (Tony) Goncalves ’27 (College of Engineering and Computer Science), founder of GymIn, a fitness app, will be using the grant to incorporate and other legal business processes.
• Lars Jendruschewitz ’27 (Martin J. Whitman School of Management and S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications), founder of Photos by Lars, will use the funds for equipment.
• Ania Kapllani ’25 (College of Visual and Performing Arts), founder of Sunset Music, will use the grant to register as an LLC and to create a logo and website.

Applications must specifically define the need with identified outcomes to be achieved within a set time. Initial money in the fund was provided by Jeffrey Rich ’67 (College of Law), partner at Rich Michaelson Magaliff LLP, and a member of the Syracuse University Libraries Advisory Board. Rich provided a multi-year pledge of $25,000 per year for five years from 2020 to 2025. “I wanted to contribute in a way that directly supports student new ventures and removes any obstacles to startup development,” said Jeffrey Rich.