UF/IFAS Research: On the Verge of Developing a Domestic Industry for One of the World’s Most Valuable Spices
University of Florida researchers in Homestead are on the verge of developing a domestic vanilla industry, poised to transform agriculture in Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands for interested small growers and investors.
Tech Tuesday: Eufinity
This week’s Tech Tuesday introduces us to Eufinity, which offers a text-message app designed to make mental health care accessible and stigma-free for college students.
Atsena Therapeutics Doses First Patient in Phase I/II Clinical Trial of ATSN-201 for Treatment of X-Linked Retinoschisis
Atsena Therapeutics announced the first patient has been dosed in its Phase I/II clinical trial, the LIGHTHOUSE study, evaluating subretinal injection of ATSN-201 for the treatment of X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS).
UF Researchers Create Powerful Cancer-Targeting Compound
A team of University of Florida medicinal chemists and cancer biologists has created a chemical compound that powerfully and selectively helped cells dispose of proteins that cause cancer cells to grow.
Tech Tuesday: Sinmat
From smartphones to medical equipment, microchips improve technologies and transform – even save – our lives. The technology — and the company, Sinmat — featured in today’s Tech Tuesday makes advanced microchips possible.
National Cade Prize for Innovation Names 21 Finalists
Judges for 2023’s National Cade Prize for Innovation named this year’s 21 Fibonacci Finalists. Finalists will compete to win $10,000 in their respective category group—Agriculture and Environmental, Healthcare/Biomedical, IT/Tech, Energy, and Wildcard. One of the five category winners will be selected as the Inventivity™ Grand Prize winner and take home an additional $50,000 prize. Two UF startups — Lactovid and Analyz — are listed among the Fibonacci Finalists.
For the 2nd Year in a Row, Admiral Makes the Inc. 5000

Inc. revealed today that UF Accelerate client resident Admiral, The Visitor Relationship Management (VRM) Company, was named for a second year in a row to the 2023 Inc. 5000, its annual list of the fastest-growing private companies in America. The prestigious ranking provides a data-driven look at the most successful companies within the economy’s most dynamic segment—its independent, entrepreneurial businesses.
Atsena Therapeutics Receives FDA Clearance of an Investigational Gene Therapy for X-Linked Retinoschisis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has cleared Atsena Therapeutics’ Investigational New Drug (IND) application for a Phase I/II clinical trial of ATSN-201 in patients with X-linked retinoschisis (XLRS). Atsena Therapeutics is a clinical-stage gene therapy company focused on bringing the life-changing power of genetic medicine to reverse or prevent blindness.
Roozbeh Tabrizian Named Nelms Rising Star Professor
The Warren B. Nelms Institute for the Connected World has named a new Nelms Rising Star Professor, UF engineering professor Roozbeh Tabrizian, Ph.D. This endowment was made possible thanks to a generous donation by David Nelms and the Nelms family.
ENTREPRENEURIAL HACK #13 | Courage, Failure & Resilience Go Hand in Hand

Let’s delve into the importance of using failure as an opportunity for growth, the value of testing new ideas despite uncertain outcomes, and the courage required to embrace and recover from failure.