INQBATION LAB UPDATES
May 2026
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This spring marks a defining moment for The Q! We are deeply grateful for Kimberly Querrey’s transformational second $25M gift, which enables the launch of our new accelerators and significantly expands our ability to translate Northwestern innovation into real-world impact. Alongside this milestone, our team has grown, we’ve introduced new programs, and we’ve engaged our community in more meaningful ways. We are especially energized by the continued growth of our startups and their progress toward commercialization.
Looking ahead, we remain committed to expanding our model—bringing together more innovators, partners, and capital to accelerate the path from discovery to delivery and amplify our collective impact.
| | TWO NEW MEMBERS OF THE Q TEAM | | |
Shane Einloth (left) joins us as a Venture Associate, where he’ll support venture development and startup growth across our ecosystem. Tyler McCallum (right) joins as Senior Product Manager, working with a select group of high-impact AI, data science, and quantum technology ventures.
We’re thrilled to have them on board and look forward to the impact they’ll have in supporting founders and bringing breakthrough technologies to life. READ MORE
| | 2026 Q ENTREPRENEURIAL FELLOW | | | | |
In March, we welcomed Rahul Islam, PhD as our first 2026 Q Entrepreneurial Fellow. Rahul and Prof. Karan Ahuja (McCormick) are co-founders of AstraClips, an AI-powered tool that can dub and lipsync videos with with natural translation, voice cloning, and flawless lip-syncing. The Q looks forward to supporting Rahul in the upcoming year.
Congratulations, Rahul!
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The Q continues to strengthen its vibrant community through its signature iQ Socials. What began with Apple iQ—our annual fall tradition where community members put their senses to the test by identifying apple varieties by sight and taste—has become a hallmark of connection and friendly competition.
This spring, we introduced an exciting new addition: Golf iQ. Designed by Christian Hinton and Elan Ness-Cohn, the course challenged participants with creative putting scenarios, including cleverly named holes like “Soda Pop Lane” and “Rainy Day Fund.” The experience was complemented by classic refreshments—Arnold Palmers and potato chips—served at our aptly named Chip Shot station.
We’re proud to see these traditions evolve and bring our community together in new ways, and we look forward to what’s next in our iQ Social series.
| | | | | The InQbation Lab website was refreshed, and our "Q" logo was refined! Visit our new website which reflects the feeling of our space. The new "Q" logo is highlighted on new Q-branded merchandise! | | |
SIMPSON-Q ACCELERATORS
Northwestern has launched the Simpson-Q Accelerators, a major new initiative within The Q supported by a $25 million philanthropic gift from Kimberly Querrey to advance high-impact research into real-world solutions. Focused initially on AI, medtech, and therapeutics, the accelerators will provide translational funding, commercialization support, and interdisciplinary resources to help Northwestern innovations reach the marketplace and society faster. READ MORE
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THE Q PRACTICUM, A *NEW* HEALTHCARE DILIGENCE PROGRAM
The Q Practicum’s inaugural cohort recently completed their deep tech diligence readouts on two Northwestern therapeutic programs out of Feinberg School of Medicine. This program, designed and led by The Q’s Senior Manager of Life Science Ventures, Elan Ness-Cohn, helps in understanding the commercial potential of projects while offering graduate students and postdocs training in how to conduct industry-level diligence. Thank you to Prof. Shannon Lauberth (Feinberg) and Prof. Mohamed Abdel-Mohsen (Feinberg) for allowing our inaugural interns to dig deep into your research. READ MORE
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N.XT FINALISTS SELECTED
The N.XT Fund is Northwestern's Gap Fund, typically first money in for Northwestern startups. Out of seventeen applications, six 2026 finalists have been selected: Airway Optix (Prof. Claus RIchter, Feinberg), Amino Cosmetic Peptides (Prof. Samuel Stupp, McCormick), AtomoAI (Dr. Mohamed Abazeed, Feinberg), GO-Eco (Prof. SonBinh Nguyen, Weinberg), INRTL (Prof. Karan Ahuja, McCormick), and MINERALIZE (Prof. Alessandro Rotta-Loria, McCormick). In mid-June, they will be pitching to external committees seeking investments up to $150k.
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EIR VISIT | ERIC HEINZ
Eric Heinz, Kellogg EMBA alum, spent two days at The Q, meeting with faculty, physicians, founders and students. He was a guest at our CEO Roundtable and gave a talk on "Building MedTech Companies with the Exit in Mind." READ MORE
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Q INNOVATION SPOTLIGHT SHOWCASE
This spring, The Q identified 15 early-career Northwestern innovators from Weinberg, McCormick and Feinberg who, after six weeks of public speaking training, delivered compelling pitches spanning life sciences, engineering, and beyond to a live audience and panel of judges. We are incredibly proud of this group and excited to see where their ideas go next! Congratulations to Audrey Nashner (pictured left) on winning first place! READ MORE
| | | | NuCrypt (Prof. Prem Kumar, McCormick) was acquired by Quantum Computing Inc., bringing hardware and tools for quantum optics, entanglement generation, and quantum communications to QCi’s broader quantum technology strategy. READ MORE | | | | Coral Innovations (Prof. Vinayak Dravid, McCormick) introduces Coralyte™ Booms, an easy-to-deploy solution, that selectively remove phosphorus from flowing waters for immediate environmental impact to the marketplace. READ MORE | | | | Sibel Health (Prof. John Rogers, McCormick) received FDA 510(k) clearance for ANNE® Maternal, the first fully wireless, comprehensive platform for continuous maternal and fetal monitoring. READ MORE | | | | Evina Biosciences (Dr. Serdar Bulun, Feinberg) was selected to participate at this year’s Science2Startup (S2S), an invitation-only symposium hosted by leading Boston biotech investors. Mandy Pinheiro, CBC Entrepreneurial Fellow who leads drug discovery and translational development, pitched on behalf of Evina Biosciences. READ MORE | | | | Volexion (Prof. Mark Hersam, McCormick) was selected as one of six startups to pitch at the Battery Innovation Summit’s Investible Startups showcase during San Francisco Climate Week. READ MORE | | | | INRTL (Prof. Karan Ahuja, McCormick) was one of five startups to be selected for the AI Research Commons (ARC) Midwest Fellows Program, which supports early-stage AI founders with infrastructure, mentorship and national investor networks to accelerate commercialization. READ MORE | | | | ImmPro (Prof. Neil Kelleher, Weinberg) has been selected for the 2026 cohort of the Northwestern Medicine and Techstars Healthcare Accelerator. Congratulations to Q Entrepreneurial Fellow and ImmPro CEO, Jack McGee. READ MORE | | | | |
NORTHWESTERN RANKS #9 IN NAI
Building on this momentum, Northwestern climbed to an all-time high of #14 worldwide and #9 in the U.S. in the National Academy of Inventors’ 2025 Top 100 Patenting Universities ranking, reflecting the University’s growing translational research pipeline and the dedicated work of the INVO team advancing discoveries from lab to real-world impact. READ MORE
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Over the past quarter, The Q has hosted a series of founder-focused seminars and workshops supporting Northwestern entrepreneurs across startup formation, fundraising, intellectual property, venture finance, and commercialization strategy. Highlights include:
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Illinois innovation and startup support with Kristi Dula-Ferguson and Donna Yuen (Illinois DCEO);
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Pitch deck development for academic founders with Allen Chen (Osage University Partners);
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Intellectual property strategy, portfolio development, and due diligence with Keith Chadwick;
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Venture finance with Stephen Thau and Gregg Griner (Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe);
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Startup formation and fundraising fundamentals with Jay Reilly and Sarah Nyaeme (Foley Hoag);
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MedTech company building and acquisition strategy with Eric Heinz (Heinz Ventures); and
- a Kellogg Healthcare Club visit featuring tours, a panel discussion, and a networking reception.
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THE Q : PROGRAMS AND RESOURCES SUPPORTING THE TRANSLATION OF NORTHWESTERN INNOVATIONS
June 16 | 4 - 5 PM CT | IN PERSON (Chicago) | REGISTER HERE
Join us to learn more about the programs and resources available to the Northwestern community (students, staff, faculty and startups) interested in the commercialization of University innovations. This session will provide guidance on navigating what support and benefits The Q offers at various stages of translation.
SPEAKER:
Elan Ness-Cohn, Senior Manager, Life Science Ventures, The Q
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Q FOUNDER SEMINAR: CONTRACTING BASICS
June 17 | 12 - 1 PM CT | IN PERSON | REGISTER HERE
Contracts shaper every startup relationship, from co-founders and employers to contractors and investors. This session will offer practical guidance for reviewing, negotiating, and managing agreements with greater confidence. Lunch will be provided.
SPEAKERS:
Jay Reilly, Partner, Foley Hoag LLP
Ben Vaughan, Associate & Registered Patent Attorney, Foley Hoag LLP
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THIRD COAST FOUNDRY DEMO DAY
June 23 | INVITE ONLY
Bringing the best of Midwest deep tech to San Francisco
The Midwest Deep Tech Demo Day showcases early-stage startups emerging from the Midwest’s leading research institutions, including the University of Chicago, Carnegie Mellon University, Northwestern University, The Ohio State University, Purdue University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Wisconsin–Madison, and Washington University in St. Louis.
This private, invite-only event convenes top investors in San Francisco to connect with leading deep tech startups working across AI, quantum, energy, robotics, and other frontier technologies.
| | EXPLORE NORTHWESTERN STARTUPS ACTIVELY FUNDRAISING | Explore The Q's curated list of startups built on Northwestern-owned intellectual property that are actively fundraising. This dynamic tool highlights the teams advancing breakthrough science toward market-ready solutions. SEE LIST | | | 'ENTREPRENEURSHIP AT NORTHWESTERN' NEWSLETTER | |
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