Poplar Medical Business Plan Based on UCI Breakthrough Medical Research Wins Cash Prize, Equity Investment
Irvine, Calif., April 27, 2015 – The UCI Institute for Innovation announced today that the UCI team at California Dreamin’, Poplar Medical Systems, was a Finalist at Chapman University’s annual business plan competition held at the Leatherby Center for Entrepreneurship and Ethics in Orange, Calif., April 24-25. As a Top 5 finalist, Poplar will receive $7,000 in prize money and $7,000 in equity investment. Poplar’s business plan is based on innovative research from the UCI School of Medicine and UCI School of Physical Sciences that will improve patient care with non-invasive live sepsis monitoring.
“We are honored to be among the top winners at California Dreamin’ 2015. This award not only validates our business plan, it puts us on a path to deliver the best available medical diagnostic technology for patient care,” said Alex Artsyukhovich, CEO and Chairman, Poplar Medical Systems.
“Beyond the prize money, California Dreamin’ is an opportunity for student entrepreneurs to build companies,” said Richard Sudek, Executive Director, UCI Institute for Innovation, who also mentored the team. “This is a win not only for UCI and the Poplar Medical team, but for patient care, as it puts us a step closer to licensing another breakthrough technology from UCI.”
“This achievement is a great example of collaboration both on and off campus,” said David Ochi, Executive Director of the Blackstone LaunchPad at UCI who coached and mentored the team. “This team of students from the Beall Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship used technology invented by multi-disciplinary faculty at UCI and prepared tirelessly with the coaching and mentoring at Blackstone LaunchPad and the Institute for Innovation at UCI to achieve this milestone. We could not be prouder of the Poplar team and its potential.”
PRESS RELEASE
(L-R) David Ochi, Executive Director, UCI Blackstone Launchpad; and Ricardo Vanegas, CMO; Alex Artsyukhovich, CEO and Chairman; and Frank Yu, CTO, Poplar Medical Systems
The California Dreamin’ competition is a nationwide entrepreneurially-focused higher education competition featuring three tracks: Full Pitch, 90-second Fast Pitch, and Case Competition. The competition brings together students from top university entrepreneur programs around the country to prove that they have the best business plan. The event, by invitation only, featured 27 schools competing for $300,000 in prize money and potential equity investment, along with connections to venture capital firms.
For additional information, please visit:
www.chapman.edu/launch www.poplarmedical.com
For all media inquiries, please contact dsnow1@uci.edu
About UCI Institute for Innovation
Located at in University Research Park, the UCI Institute for Innovation was established by the University of California, Irvine to create a world class culture of entrepreneurship and innovation in Orange County, Calif. The Institute is building a strong partnership with the business community to drive the conversion of groundbreaking and life-enhancing discoveries into public benefit. At the Institute, inventors collaborate with angel investors, venture funds, accelerators, incubators, entrepreneurs, and community partners, as well as seek advice from Experts-in- Residence. For more information, visit www.innovation.uci.edu