Kentucky Commercialization Ventures is pleased to announce the 2023 winners of the KCV IMPACT (Innovative Mobile, Public Health, And Community-Oriented Technologies) Competition. The goal of the competition is to encourage ideation relevant to the improvement of the social, health, or economic conditions and highlight the value of innovators from across the state of Kentucky.
This year, entries were received from all KCV partner institutions: Eastern Kentucky University, KCTCS, Kentucky State University, Morehead University, Murray State University, Northern Kentucky University and Western Kentucky University. Winners will receive up to $25,000 for their institution to bring their innovations to life.
Learn more about the winners and their innovative projects below or during the KCV IMPACT Competition Virtual Demo Day on May 19, 12 p.m. ET / 11 a.m. CT. Learn more and register for the Demo Day.
Meet the 2023 KCV IMPACT Award Winners
First Place Winners - $25,000 Each
Gill Finley
Co-Inventors / Collaborators: Dr. Theoneste Nzaramyimana
Institution: Kentucky State University
Increasing Access of Fresh Produce in West Louisville Food Desert Areas Through Sustainable Production
Read more about the winning innovation.
Dr. Chris Lennon
Institution: Murray State University
Chromatography-free Thermostable Protein Purification
Read more about the winning innovation.
Runner-Up - $15,000
Dr. Zeel Maheshwari
Co-Inventors / Collaborators: Andrea Cardenas Echavarria
Institution: Northern Kentucky University
Development of Cost Optimization tool for Smart Integrated Renewable Energy System (SIRES)
Read more about the winning innovation.
Runners-Up - $10,000 Each
Dr. Kevin Miller
Co-Inventors / Collaborators: Dr. David Salas-de la Cruz, Rutgers University-Camden
Institution: Murray State University
Flexible Electronics and Sensors from Ion-containing Polysaccharides
Read more about the winning innovation.
Dr. Mahdi Yazdanpour
Institution: Northern Kentucky University
Development of a Gesture-based American Sign Language (ASL) Translation System
Read more about the winning innovation.
Dr. Sherif Rashad
Institution: Morehead State University
An Innovative System for Real-Time Translation of American Sign Language using Machine Learning
Read more about the winning innovation.
Runner-Up - $5,000
Eric Wooldridge
Institution: KCTCS, Somerset Community College
Life-Tags: Embedded Smart Chip Technology in 3D Printed Applications
Read more about the winning innovation.
If you'd like to learn more about these innovators or their technologies, please reach out to KCV@kstc.com.