June 2019
RIT Venture Creations works with high-potential, technology-based startups to develop them into successful companies
Top News:
The RIT Venture Creations Technology Business Incubator Graduates Four Companies
This March, Venture Creations hosted a Graduation Ceremony for four of our amazing companies. Shannon Chevier, whose startup IMSWorkX was a 2015 Venture Creations graduate, was our keynote speaker and had some inspiring words for the attendees on the growth of a business and recovery from failure. Attendees were able to get up close and personal with their products and learn more about everything from eye tracking, to thermal cooling and all things mushrooms. Empire Medicinals (d.b.a. Leep Foods), SkyOp, ThermApparel and Positive Science will all move on to continue the growth of their businesses. The total number of companies launched through Venture Creations now stands at 42, with 559 jobs having been created.
New Company Spotlight

Three New Companies Added to the Incubator
Rochester Institute of Technology’s Venture Creations business incubator has announced the recent inclusion of three new companies to its client list: BOT Links, RemWell and Lux Semiconductors, bringing our number of client companies to 23.
BOT Links
Founded by Isabelle Roberts, BOT Links has developed and is commercializing an environmentally friendly alternative for hazardous chemicals and blasting operations that are currently used to remove paints and other coating types during re-manufacturing operations. Its product line of automated machinery uses lasers to remove paint and other coatings safely, quickly and without toxins.
RemWell
Co-founded by Clarkson University engineering professor Michelle Crimi and Clarkson University graduate student Fiona Laramay, RemWell provides users with technology that destroys the man-made chemicals per- and polyfluoroalkyl in groundwater. Founders estimate that the on-site reactor they have created to treat these contaminants can save customers up to 40 percent in annual operating costs. The company also offers design consulting and treatability testing services.
Lux Semiconductors
Co-founded by Graeme Housser and Shane McMahon, Lux Semiconductors is developing a flexible thin-film alternative to the silicon wafer to enable a new class of lightweight and low-cost electronics. On-board computation, communications, displays, batteries and solar power can all be patterned directly onto this new platform to create affordable, multifunctional system-on-film devices.
Other News
Venture Creations at Imagine RIT
Thank you to everyone who stopped by our booth at Imagine RIT. We love being able to inform the public of our start up activities and entrepreneurship. We also want to thank Heart Health Intelligence, Positive Science, Phase Innovations, and Thermapparel for supporting Venture Creations, and for sharing their concepts with visitors.
Crystal Creek Signs New Grant
Crystal Creek Organics signed a $598,000 NYSERDA grant contract in April. The grant will fund a 99% efficient, production scale system that extracts phosphorus from anaerobic digester manure-based effluent. The system will be placed on Spruce Haven Dairy in Cayuga County and will be operational in July. In addition to a financial benefit, there is a significant environmental impact. Phosphorus removed by the system is not able to run off into the watershed and trigger toxic algae blooms. A system running two shifts, five days a week is capable of extracting 50 tons of phosphorus per year.
Want to know more about Crystal Creek?