Technology Opportunities & Ventures
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NYU hosted its second annual Innovators’ Dinner on Thursday, November 20, celebrating the commercialization of groundbreaking ideas developed through NYU research.
Hosted by NYU’s Office of the Vice Provost for Research in partnership with Technology Opportunities & Ventures (TOV), the evening brought together leading university innovators, entrepreneurs, and members of the NYU community who champion research translation. Together, attendees recognized the successful commercialization activity of fiscal year 2025 across NYU’s Washington Square and Brooklyn campuses, which resulted in another record year of innovation disclosures, licenses, and new startups emerging from NYU ideas.
The event took place at the Kimmel Center’s Rosenthal Pavilion, beginning with a reception featuring passed hors d’oeuvres and live jazz performed by NYU musicians, followed by a celebratory dinner. Stacie Bloom, NYU’s chief research officer, vice chancellor, and vice provost for global research & innovation, opened the evening with remarks highlighting the University’s continued momentum. She was followed by Marc Sedam, vice president of Technology Opportunities & Ventures, who shared an overview of NYU’s commercialization achievements over the past fiscal year. Together, they then led the ceremony honoring 2025 contributors, including first-time innovation disclosers, innovators of licensed technologies, and innovators listed on issued U.S. patents.
A highlight of the program was the announcement of this year’s major awards: Innovator of the Year, Startup of the Year, Deal of the Year, and Startup to Watch, recognizing outstanding accomplishments that exemplify the strength and impact of NYU’s innovation ecosystem.
The NYU Innovator of the Year award recognizes an individual whose groundbreaking work has transformed their field and created lasting societal impact. We are proud to present this year’s award to Ken Perlin, professor of computer science at the NYU Courant Institute School of Mathematics, Computing, and Data Science, whose foundational contributions to computer graphics, animation, and human–computer interaction have shaped modern digital media for decades.
Perlin is the co-inventor of 25 U.S. patents and the creator of Perlin Noise, the groundbreaking image-processing technique that transformed early computer graphics by enabling artists to portray natural phenomena with striking realism. Now an industry standard, and the basis for his Academy Award for Technical Achievement, Perlin Noise and its patented 3D texture-synthesis advances continue to shape CGI today.
Over more than three decades as a prolific inventor in CGI, human–computer interaction, 3D imaging, and multi-touch and pressure-sensing devices, his innovations have drawn significant commercial interest, resulting in over sixteen licenses and a dozen start-ups, with products reaching the market across animation, interactive media, and touch-technology applications. His work in force-sensing and pressure-imaging devices was the basis of more than one NYU spinout, one of which, Touchco, was later acquired by Amazon.
A visionary researcher and mentor, Perlin has inspired generations through his leadership and unwavering commitment to advancing interactive digital media.
We are honored to recognize Ken Perlin as this year’s NYU Innovator of the Year. His legacy, defined by foundational scientific breakthroughs, successful commercialization, and transformative creative impact, embodies the highest ideals of this award.
The NYU Startup of the Year Award was established to honor a startup that has successfully commercialized technology originating from the institution. This award celebrates innovation, business growth, and the powerful impact of translating academic research into real-world solutions. The 2025 Startup of the Year award goes to Guardant Health, presented to Bud Mishra, professor at the NYU Courant Institute School of Mathematics, Computing, and Data Science. Guardant Health is an outstanding example of the journey from foundational research to transformative cancer diagnostics.
In the early 2000s, Mishra and his lab at NYU developed a patented mathematical and statistical method to analyze highly noisy genomic data and identify cancer-related genetic variations. When Guardant Health was founded in 2012, a team of seasoned industry professionals set out to develop a blood-based biopsy for cancer. Instead of requiring tissue samples, they planned to detect cancer-related DNA fragments circulating in a patient’s bloodstream. They licensed Mishra’s patented innovation, which enabled this breakthrough capability.
Guardant Health applied the technology to develop Guardant360, a genomic assay that surveys hundreds of cancer-related biomarkers to guide diagnosis, monitor disease progression, and support targeted therapy decisions. The company grew rapidly through multiple funding rounds and went public in 2018 at a $2.6 billion valuation, generating both significant equity value and royalties for NYU. The technology created a substantial financial impact, around $9 million, and improved patient care worldwide, with over 500,000 tests performed to date.
Guardant Health exemplifies how foundational academic research, strategic licensing, and innovation can translate into real-world medical breakthroughs. In recognition of his pioneering work, Bud Mishra was named NYU’s inaugural Innovator of the Year, and we continue to celebrate the impact of his work.
The NYU “Deal of the Year” award was created to recognize exceptional innovation paired with successful technology transfer and meaningful investment in technology adoption. This year, we are proud to present the award to Ted Rappaport, founder and director of NYU Wireless, for the NYU Wireless/IEEE Data Initiative, selected as the 2025 NYU Deal of the Year.
Over the past decade, under the direction of Rappaport, NYU Wireless has developed the most accurate technology for measuring RF propagation and collected the most comprehensive sets of “Gold Standard” wireless propagation data in the world. IEEE recognized the value of this resource and has partnered with the university to make these innovations accessible via a subscription-based commercial platform, which will be an unprecedented tool to simulate wireless environments, analyze network behavior, and design next-generation 5G and 6G systems with greater functionality and accuracy.
This agreement is one of NYU’s most innovative and impactful collaborations in recent years, and it will help shape the future of global wireless communications. By translating rigorous research into a practical, widely accessible platform, NYU Wireless and IEEE are enabling ground-breaking advances in ubiquitous 6G networks, autonomous vehicle communications, and the next generation of wireless technologies.
The partnership is also expected to generate meaningful returns for the university, which will support the continuation of RF Propagation Data and Analytics as well as world-class research. We are honored to recognize the NYU Wireless/IEEE Data Initiative as the NYU Deal of the Year.
We often celebrate innovation by looking back at metrics like disclosures, patents, and deals. Today, we’re highlighting a venture whose future impact excites us. NYU’s Office of Research & Innovation, Technology Opportunities & Ventures, and the Entrepreneurial Institute are proud to name Glaucus as this year’s NYU Startup to Watch.
Founded by NYU Tandon faculty Elisa Riedo and Davood Shahrjerdi, with UC Berkeley’s Alberto Sangiovanni-Vincentelli, Glaucus is developing a microchip-based diagnostic platform to make rapid, comprehensive at-home testing accessible and affordable.
Its first product line addresses the urgent rise in sexually transmitted infections, delivering at-home testing results in seconds and screening for up to 50 pathogens at once.
Glaucus exemplifies how NYU researchers leverage the University’s commercialization ecosystem to build high-impact ventures. The founders partnered with TOV to file patents and license the technology, received TAC Awards support, and launched through Tandon Future Labs.
The company has since secured $3 million in ARPA-H Sprint for Women’s Health funding, underscoring national demand for better diagnostics and validating their platform’s promise.
Now focused on product development, fundraising, and partnerships, with a minimum viable product expected within two years, Glaucus is poised to transform at-home diagnostics, curb STI spread, and improve health outcomes worldwide.
We are honored to recognize Glaucus as NYU’s Startup to Watch and look forward to following their progress.
This year, NYU presented the inaugural NYU Spark Award to Stacie Bloom, NYU’s chief research officer and vice provost & vice chancellor for global research and innovation. The award was created to recognize members of the NYU community who champion innovation and entrepreneurship and who advance the translation of research into real-world impact.
After more than a decade of service to NYU, Bloom will step down in January 2026 to become president and CEO of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. While she embarks on this next chapter, the legacy of her leadership, vision, and commitment to translating and commercializing research will continue to shape NYU’s innovation ecosystem for years to come.
We are honored to recognize Stacie Bloom as the inaugural NYU Spark Award recipient.
“NYU research is on an unprecedented trajectory,” says Bloom. “We are the fastest-growing research university in the country, and we hold the number one spot in New York. As we look to the future, our vision remains boldly ambitious: to position NYU as a global leader, actively translating knowledge into real-world impact. The awards we celebrated at the dinner are a powerful testament to the curiosity, talent, and perseverance that define this extraordinary community.”
“NYU continues to distinguish itself as a leader in research translation and commercialization, driven by a commitment to fostering a vibrant, collaborative innovation environment,” says Sedam. “The Innovators’ Dinner reflects that commitment by celebrating the successful translation of cutting-edge research from the lab into meaningful outcomes that improve lives and drive economic growth.”
NYU is already preparing for next year’s event and looks forward to celebrating the innovations and commercialization accomplishments of FY 2026.
Are you an NYU innovator with a big idea? Visit TOV’s website to learn more about innovation disclosure and how TOV can help you advance your commercialization goals.
© Myaskovsky: Courtesy of NYU Photo Bureau.