December 2025

2025 Highlights

• Three new startups transforming cancer therapy, chemical screening, and brain health
• 10 UWM research teams awarded $350,000 in grant funding
• A fireside chat with Sprecher CEO and UWM alum Sharad Chadha
• 20 patent applications driving discovery and shaping the future

From Lab to Market: New Startup Ventures

Three UWM innovations transformed into startup ventures this year, driving commercialization forward:


• SynXT Therapeutics – Targeted cancer therapies
• Built-N-Bioassays – Tools to decode chemical contaminants
• NeuroSolis Therapeutics – Novel molecules for treating neurological diseases
  

The UWM Research Foundation supports an expanding portfolio of startups launched by UWM researchers—guiding innovation, creating jobs, and improving lives.

Catalyst and Bridge Grants Accelerate Impact

Catalyst Grants

Six faculty-led projects received $250,000 to develop early-stage research in cancer diagnostics and treatment, rehab robotics, clean energy, environmental monitoring, and equitable decision-making.

Bridge Grants

Four UWM startups earned $100,000 to accelerate technologies in women’s health, robotics, drone components, and cancer therapy—positioning founders for market readiness and investor traction.

Sharad Chadha: From Lubar MBA to Sprecher CEO

On November 18, over 50 students, faculty, staff, and community members gathered at UWM’s Lubar Entrepreneurship Center for a fireside chat with Sharad Chadha—CEO and owner of Sprecher Brewing Company and proud Lubar MBA alum.

Sharad shared his journey from global leadership roles at Samsung and GE Healthcare to revitalizing an iconic Milwaukee brand. Since acquiring Sprecher in 2020, he has tripled sales, expanded nationwide, and grown the team from 50 to 160 employees—all while preserving its craft heritage.

Sharad credited his Lubar MBA for the strategic and leadership skills that guided Sprecher’s transformation. His advice for aspiring entrepreneurs? Take the plunge, build core skills, ask for help, learn from failure, and stay rooted in your “why.”

Thank you to our campus partners for making this conversation possible: Lubar College of Business, Collegiate Entrepreneurs' Organization (CEO), and Minority Women in Entrepreneurship (MWE).

Latest Patent Innovations Drive Discovery

From concept to creation, UWM researchers are shaping tomorrow’s technologies. In 2025, the UWM Research Foundation filed four provisional patent applications in the following areas:

• New drug design for mental health therapies
• Smart biosensors for cleaner water and safer agriculture
• A tool to monitor cell temperature in battery packs
• Advanced coatings for copper protection

Beyond this year’s new breakthroughs, UWMRF filed 16 additional patent applications to protect earlier discoveries—strengthening our intellectual property portfolio, expanding global reach, and opening doors to industry partnerships.