How Tulane is spotting startup gems inside stacks of academic research

Starting its second year, the Founder Lab brings experienced entrepreneurs into the university to decide which technologies could become companies — and how to build them.

By: Holly Quinn

Outlets: Technical.ly

Published: September 15, 2026

Words: 810

Last Updated: 1 month, 1 week ago

Body Text Preview

When Lowry Curley helped spin Tulane research into a biotech startup more than a decade ago, there wasn’t much of a roadmap.

The “nerve-on-a-chip” technology he co-invented while earning his biomedical engineering PhD became AxoSim, a New Orleans-based company that grew to 35 employees, raised venture capital and licensed technology from multiple universities.

Tulane supported the company, he said, but it didn’t yet have today’s formal programs for turning research into startups.

“We did …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us