Ten Innovators Awarded Funding Through the KCV IMPACT Competition
- Kentucky Commercialization Ventures
- Jul 14
- 8 min read
Updated: Jul 20
Kentucky Commercialization Ventures is pleased to announce the 2026 winners of the IMPACT 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. Winners receive up to $25,000 for their institution to bring their innovations to life. The IMPACT Competition is supported by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development.
Learn more about the winners and their innovative projects below.
Meet the 2026 IMPACT Award Winners
First Place Winner - $25,000
Tathagata Ray
Institution: Morehead State University
Collaborators: Dr. Krishna Sai Vutukuru
Braced Foundation System for Mobile Homes
Read more about the winning innovation.
Mobile and manufactured homes (MMH) are especially vulnerable to wind uplift and toppling, making reliable foundation systems essential. Many existing foundation systems rely on helical augers and metal straps that can corrode over time, lose strength and require costly installation, while traditional concrete foundations can also be expensive and labor intensive.
To overcome these challenges, this project introduces a foundation system consisting of two concrete slabs and steel braces that improves resistance to uplift while significantly reducing concrete use. An innovative force transfer mechanism minimizes soil stress, while a grout cover protects the steel components from corrosion. Compared to conventional foundations, the system uses approximately 60% less concrete while providing greater uplift capacity than comparable strap-auger systems.
Because the foundation can be prefabricated and installed without specialized labor, it has the potential to lower construction costs while improving long-term durability for both new and existing homes.
Runners-Up - $15,000 Each
Jake Hildebrant
Institution: Murray State University
Thermoelectric Heat Recovery Generator (THRG)
Read more about the winning innovation.
Data centers and other high-temperature environments generate large amounts of waste heat, much of which is lost rather than repurposed. Recovering even a portion of that energy could improve efficiency, reduce operating costs and lower overall energy consumption.
To capture this untapped energy, this project is developing a thermoelectric heat recovery generator (THRG) that converts waste heat directly into usable electricity. Using thermoelectric generator (TEG) modules, the system harnesses the Seebeck effect, in which a temperature difference across a material generates a voltage, to produce electricity without moving parts. The recovered energy can offset power consumption, charge batteries or power low-energy systems such as sensors and monitoring equipment.
While data centers are a primary application, the technology also has potential uses in industrial exhaust systems, thermal power plants, manufacturing processes, residential tankless water heaters and other environments where waste heat is abundant but underutilized.
Arnold Katende
Institution: Kentucky State University
Collaborators: Dr. Alhagie Cham, Lynsey Crumbie, Kelly Rawalt, Changó Gardens
Empowering Kentucky Communities Through Urban Aquaponics and Hydroponics Education
Read more about the winning innovation.
Many urban communities in Louisville, Kentucky, face barriers to accessing fresh, nutritious produce, particularly where space and resources for traditional gardening are limited. Expanding opportunities for year-round food production could help strengthen food security while giving residents practical agricultural skills.
To help meet that need, this project establishes community aquaponics and hydroponics demonstration and training systems for residents, schools and community organizations. Through hands-on workshops, digital curriculum and take-home hydroponic systems, participants learn sustainable, soil-less growing methods and gain the skills to produce fresh food in limited spaces.
By combining existing urban farm infrastructure with regional partnerships and horticultural expertise, the project creates a scalable model for community-based food production. The approach has the potential to improve access to fresh produce, support food equity and provide a framework that communities across Kentucky can adapt to expand urban agriculture.
Nischal Sapkota
Institution: Kentucky State University
Collaborators: Dr. Manisha Parajuli
AI-Forester: A Smart App to Help Kentucky Woodland Owners Identify Trees and Manage Their Forests
Read more about the winning innovation.
A single white oak tree can be worth more than $1,000, yet many of Kentucky's 135,000 forest landowning families lack accessible tools to identify valuable species such as white oak and understand their market potential. As ownership passes from one generation to the next, many heirs inherit forestland with limited knowledge of species composition, timber value or management options, creating challenges for sustainable forest management and informed decision-making.
To address this gap, AI-Forester uses artificial intelligence to help woodland owners identify and manage commercially important tree species using a smartphone. By photographing a tree's leaves, bark or canopy, users can identify one of Kentucky's 15-20 most commercially valuable hardwood species while receiving information about timber value, potential pests and diseases, management recommendations and when to consult a professional forester.
The app also includes a photo-based forest inventory tool that provides a basic assessment of forest health, estimated basal area and trees per acre without specialized equipment.
Runners-Up - $10,000 Each
Jason Marion
Institution: Eastern Kentucky University
EquiFlow: Novel 8-Channel Disposable Pipette Manifold
Read more about the winning innovation.
Multichannel pipettes are widely used to transfer liquids into 96-well plates for life sciences research, but they can be expensive and inaccessible for many teaching laboratories, field settings and resource-limited environments. Lower-cost bulb-based transfer pipettes are available, but inconsistent squeezing can lead to uneven liquid volumes and reduced accuracy.
To address this challenge, this project develops a multichannel transfer pipette manifold that interfaces with a standard syringe to provide a practical, low-cost alternative to traditional multichannel pipettes. Using the syringe as the driving mechanism, the system delivers consistent liquid volumes through mechanically constrained channels, reducing the variability commonly associated with bulb-based transfer pipettes. The design also supports scalable production for applications requiring liquid or microbial culture transfer into 96-well plates.
By improving dispensing consistency while reducing equipment costs, the manifold has the potential to make multichannel pipetting more accessible for teaching laboratories, molecular biology kit manufacturers, field settings and other resource-limited environments. The result is a more accurate, reliable and affordable approach to multichannel liquid transfer.
Caleb Morris
Institution: Murray State University
A Novel Portable Mass Spectrometer for Improved Mass Range, Resolution, and Power Consumption
Read more about the winning innovation.
Portable mass spectrometry instruments enable rapid, on-site chemical analysis for applications ranging from emergency response and environmental monitoring to health care diagnostics. However, designing smaller, portable systems often requires tradeoffs in mass range, resolution and battery life, limiting the number of compounds that can be identified while increasing the risk of false positives.
To address these challenges, this project develops a direct current-based mass spectrometry design that eliminates the need for the high-frequency, high-voltage electronics used in traditional portable systems. By reducing power consumption while improving both mass range and resolution, the design has the potential to identify a wider range of compounds with greater accuracy and fewer false positives.
The design has been successfully simulated using SIMION, the industry-standard software for mass spectrometry modeling and proof-of-concept validation. As development continues, the technology has the potential to support more reliable, energy-efficient portable mass spectrometry for use in emergency response, environmental monitoring, health care and other field-based applications.
Anindita Paul
Institution: Morehead State University
AI-Driven Adaptive Semiconductor Fabrication Platform for Ultra-Low-Power Healthcare IoT Chips
Read more about the winning innovation.
Wearable and implantable medical devices are making personalized, continuous health care possible by monitoring vital signs, detecting health events and delivering therapies in real time. However, the battery life and energy efficiency of the silicon chips that power these devices remain major barriers to developing smaller, longer-lasting technologies.
To address these challenges, this research develops an artificial intelligence (AI)-driven semiconductor fabrication platform that simulates and optimizes the chip manufacturing process for ultra-low-power medical applications. Rather than relying on a single chip design, the platform uses AI to tailor transistor characteristics, circuit layouts and material properties for specific devices, helping reduce power consumption while maintaining the performance needed for applications such as electrocardiogram (ECG) monitors and continuous glucose monitors.
By enabling researchers to evaluate thousands of design and manufacturing variations through virtual simulations instead of costly physical fabrication runs, the platform has the potential to accelerate the development of more efficient wearable and implantable health technologies while reducing development time and cost.
Runners-Up - $5,000 Each
Patrick Erbland
Institution: Kentucky State University
Collaborators: Dr. Clifton Wise, Janelle Hager, David Neville
SolarChill: Off-grid Cold Storage
Read more about the winning innovation.
On-farm cold storage is essential for preserving produce quality and extending the shelf life of fresh fruits and vegetables. However, traditional cold-storage systems can be expensive to build and operate, while lower-cost alternatives still depend on the electrical grid and offer limited control over energy use.
To address these challenges, this project develops SolarChill, a low-cost, off-grid cold-storage system that combines solar power, battery storage and intelligent temperature management. Rather than maintaining a single fixed temperature, the system adjusts cooling based on real-time conditions such as solar energy production, battery charge, outside temperature and storage temperature. When solar energy is abundant, SolarChill cools produce to the lower end of an acceptable temperature range, storing thermal energy that helps maintain safe storage conditions when solar production declines.
By reducing energy costs while maintaining produce quality, SolarChill has the potential to provide farmers with a more affordable and energy-efficient cold-storage solution. The scalable system is designed to support Kentucky's diverse farming operations and could help expand access to reliable cold storage for producers across the commonwealth.
Boshra Karimi
Institution: Northern Kentucky University
Sustainable Demolition & Material Recovery Marketplace
Read more about the winning innovation.
Construction and demolition activities generate nearly 40% of the solid waste produced in the United States each year, even though many discarded materials retain significant economic and structural value. Wood, brick, steel and fixtures are often sent to landfills because there is no efficient way to connect demolition contractors with buyers seeking affordable, reclaimed building materials.
To address this challenge, this project develops a Sustainable Demolition & Material Recovery Marketplace, a digital platform that connects suppliers of reclaimed construction materials with contractors, developers, architects, homeowners and other potential buyers. The marketplace allows users to list, search for and purchase salvaged materials while supporting location-based matching, logistics coordination and environmental impact tracking.
By making reclaimed materials easier to buy and sell, the platform has the potential to reduce landfill waste, lower disposal and material costs, and create new revenue opportunities for demolition contractors. The approach also supports a more circular construction economy by increasing the reuse of valuable building materials and reducing demand for new resources.
Qian Xiao
Institution: Eastern Kentucky University
Collaborators: Winston X. Zhuang
K-Care: A Community-Powered Safety Net for People Living Alone in Kentucky
Read more about the winning innovation.
Many older adults, people living alone, students studying abroad and others can go extended periods without communicating with family or friends, making it difficult for loved ones to know when someone may need assistance. Existing check-in systems often rely on reminders that can feel intrusive or are easy to ignore.
To address this challenge, K-Care combines automatic daily wellness check-ins with customizable safety features designed to fit naturally into a user's routine. The app can confirm a user's well-being through everyday phone activity, optional manual check-ins or simple lock screen prompts before gradually notifying emergency contacts only after an extended period of inactivity. Users can also customize check-in schedules, quiet hours, travel settings and optional safety information to meet their individual needs.
In addition to daily wellness monitoring, K-Care includes a secure, time-released vault for important documents, personal messages and emergency instructions that can be accessed only if the app's escalation process is triggered. By combining proactive wellness monitoring with personalized safety tools, K-Care has the potential to provide greater peace of mind for users, their families and their communities.
If you'd like to learn more about these innovators or their technologies, please reach out to KCV@kstc.com.