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The term "renewable energy" refers to energy that is produced from renewable natural resources, such as sun, wind, and water. In contrast to non-renewable sources of energy like fossil fuels, which will eventually run out, these sources are not depleted when they are used. The market for renewable energy is growing as more people become aware of the negative environmental impacts of fossil fuels and governments implement policies to promote the adoption of renewable energy sources. In 2021, the renewable energy market was worth $1030.95 billion and is expected to reach $1998.03 billion by 2030.

As we move towards a more sustainable energy system, companies are playing an essential role. Currently, the top renewable energy companies include ABB ($29 billion dollar revenue as of 2021), Xcel Energy ($13 billion dollar revenue as of 2021), and Acconia ($9 billion dollar revenue as of 2021).In addition, these companies are positioned for further expansion due to increasing venture capital investments. In the first half of 2021, $174 billion was invested in renewable energy projects and companies through public market financing, venture capital, and private equity commitments. In the first half of any year, this is the highest total ever recorded.Furthermore, governments have taken action in recent years to encourage the use of renewable energy. For example, the renewable fuel standard (RFS) program was established in the U.S. to decrease greenhouse gas emissions, expand the country's renewable fuels industry, and reduce dependence on imported oil.Today, there are over 15,000 renewable energy companies that are continuing to receive increased revenue and funding. It is important for your campus to establish innovation partnerships by reaching out and connecting with these companies. FirstIgnite can help your university identify and partner with the renewable energy companies you need to further your research and development.

Did you know that two Drexel University graduate students invented the barcode? The machine-readable code developed by Norman Woodland and Bernard Silver changed the way information is stored and accessed.

Prior to the invention of the barcode, the systems stores used to identify products were not as simple. Stores used a manual count for inventory and utilized punch cards to manage the stock. These methods were very time-consuming and could result in an error. It was in 1948 that the head of a local grocery store chain approached Drexel University in hopes of using the institution's engineering talent to develop a way to read product data during checkout. It was then that two engineering graduate students, Woodland and Silver, developed a system that used lines and spaces to encode information. This system was the barcode, and it made the process of keeping inventory and purchasing items much easier.

The patent for the barcode was issued to Woodland and Silver in 1949. However, due to limitations in scanning technology at the time, barcodes weren't used in stores until 1966. Today, barcodes are used in countless industries, such as retail, healthcare, grocery, and security applications.

Using barcodes reduces downtime, prevents incorrect deliveries and recalls, and provides control of tracking assets and quality information. The invention established a new category. As of 2021, the 2D barcode reader market was worth $7.03 billion and is expected to reach $11.06 billion by 2028.

University innovation has the ability to change the world. It is essential for your organization to stay on top of innovation being born out of universities. FirstIgnite can help your organization identify and partner with the specific universities, laboratories, and experts you need in order to discover the next revolutionizing innovation, like the barcode.

FirstIgnite is supporting the commercialization of Texas A&M University’s Agrilife Extension’s new technology for genetic transgene control. This technology is capable of using genetic strategies to control vector-borne diseases, invasive species, and unwanted species in plants. With this technology, genetic modifications in plant disease vectors can be made temporary for testing purposes, especially in controlling vector-borne diseases. Plus, genetically engineered plants could be programmed to eliminate the transgene from subsequent generations in effort to control downstream use of proprietary technology.As of 2021, the global gene editing market was worth $5.4 billion and is expected to reach $19.9 billion by 2028. The development of new genetic technologies like Texas A&M’s is contributing to major advances in this market.Texas A&M University’s technology for genetic transgene control is ready for collaboration (licensing, partnerships, industry feedback, etc.). Is your company the right fit? If you’d be available for a conversation with the Texas A&M University team, you can schedule a time directly on their team’s calendar here.

FirstIgnite is supporting the commercialization of Binghamton University’s new technology for knee replacement sensing. This technology allows for the continuous and optimal monitoring of the load on the knee, which is highly desirable for understanding the condition of an existing implant. Furthermore, the technology enables harvesters to be designed for low cost, high sensitivity, high power density, and biocompatibility, making them ideal for implant use.The knee replacement market continues to grow due to an increasing elderly population and the development of new technologies like this one. The global knee replacement market size was worth $9.8 billion in 2021 and is expected to increase to $16.1 billion by 2030.Binghamton University’s technology for knee replacement sensing is ready for collaboration (licensing, partnerships, industry feedback, etc.). Is your company the right fit? If you’d be available for a conversation with the Binghamton University team, you can schedule a time directly on their team’s calendar here.

Cell therapy involves the transplantation of human cells to replace or repair damaged tissues. The global cell therapy market was worth $10.35 billion dollars in 2021 and is expected to reach $60.67 billion dollars by 2030. Among the factors contributing to the market's growth are an increase in chronic diseases and infections and the growing prevalence of diabetes.

Cell therapies treat a variety of conditions, including cancer, autoimmune disease, and neurological disorders. Currently, some of the top companies working in cell therapy include Roche ($71 billion dollar revenue), Bayer ($48 billion dollar revenue), and Bristol-Myers Squibb ($47 billion dollar revenue). Additionally, venture capital investments for startup companies in cell therapy are on the rise. Third-round venture capital financing brought $121 million dollars to the startup Cellarity. Another factor contributing to the growth of the cell therapy industry is the consistent innovation in creating new therapies. It is estimated that 60 new cell therapies will be developed in the next few years, treating more than 350,000 patients in the United States alone.Today, there are more than 900 cell therapy companies operating, and their revenues are on the rise. Campuses need to reach out and form innovation partnerships with these companies in order to stay competitive. FirstIgnite can help your university identify and partner with the specific companies you need to further your research and development in the cell therapy industry.

Whirlpool Corporation leads the world in home appliance manufacturing and marketing. The Fortune 500 company has annual revenue of approximately $21 billion, 78,000 employees, and more than 70 manufacturing and technology research centers globally. The company markets its namesake flagship brand Whirlpool, alongside other brands including Maytag, KitchenAid, JennAir, Amana, Gladiator GarageWorks, Inglis, Estate, Brastemp, Bauknecht, Ignis, Indesit, Consul, and Hotpoint. With any company, it’s important to continue to innovate and pivot to provide consumers with the best potential versions of products. That’s why, regarding specific design projects, Whirlpool Corporation partnered with FirstIgnite throughout 2022 to find several academic experts in their desired fields. These experts then helped to consult Whirlpool, moving projects forward to fruition and into the marketplace.Multibillion dollar companies have a lot on their plate, to say the least. One of the most difficult aspects for a Fortune 500 company to achieve is to maintain a nimble structure that allows them to quickly assess and change products that will have a lasting effect on the consumers, creating positive brand loyalty. One of the greatest aspects of FirstIgnite’s academic expert services is the ability to quickly take on projects of any kind, identify experts, and provide those experts to companies for consultative purposes, removing the bureaucracy that often comes with working with academics. That was exactly what Whirlpool was looking to achieve for a variety of projects. By giving topic keywords to the FirstIgnite team, FirstIgnite was able to utilize their proprietary software to identify experts across the globe, experts with specific research focuses seeking the same achievements and goals as Whirlpool for their products through their research.[caption id="attachment_5117" align="alignnone" width="558"]

Whirlpool's suite of appliance products are used worldwide.[/caption]Throughout 2022, Whirlpool provided several research topics to FirstIgnite to identify and coordinate conversations with research experts. FirstIgnite was able to do so using its proprietary identification software, providing each of the experts with specific qualifying questions to ensure that the conversations with the Whirlpool team would be effective and time efficient. Through these conversations, Whirlpool will continue research projects forward that could have long lasting product effects.FirstIgnite’s fast and effective approach to research project support has allowed them to grow relationships with Fortune 500 companies to small startups. Any organization seeking academic expertise to help solve their greatest challenges would be hard pressed to find a more effective solution than FirstIgnite. Whirlpool Corporation understands this concern well, as they continue their relationship with FirstIgnite into the future.

Is your campus ready for the Cyber Security boom? In this article our team is…

Did you know that an Iowa State University professor and graduate student invented an innovative machine that produces large bales of hay? Dr. Wes Buchele and Virgil Haverdink created the device that changed the agricultural industry.Before the invention of the large round baler, hay had to be collected in small bales that could be carried by one person, which was time-consuming and physically exhausting. Growing up, Dr. Buchele worked on a farm and manually baled hay, which led him to research ways to make farming safer and easier. Dr. Buchele developed a large round baler in 1966 with his student Virgil Haverdink at Iowa State University, which allowed several times the amount of hay to be moved with a fraction of the effort. These large round balers collect the vast majority of the world's hay today.

In 2020 the global hay baler market was worth $4.9 billion and is expected to reach $8.9 billion by 2027. This university innovation created a thriving billion-dollar industry and changed farmers' lives for the better.It is possible to change the world through university innovation. To remain competitive, your organization needs to be aware of innovations being born on campuses around the world. FirstIgnite can help your organization identify and partner with the specific universities, laboratories, and experts you need in order to discover the next agricultural breakthrough, like the large round hay baler.

The University of Utah’s One Utah Data Science Hub has partnered with FirstIgnite to find companies interested in sponsoring their research. This university-wide effort is led by faculty directors at the university and aims to enhance research and infrastructure in data science and data-enabled science.Two initiatives of the One Data Science Hub are the Data Science and Ethics of Technology (DATASET) Initiative and the Data Exploration and Learning for Precision Health Intelligence (DELPHI) Initiative. These measures engage foundational questions about the role of data in society, drive innovation in health and medicine by catalyzing biomedical data science research, critically investigate the logic and ethics of data tools, and expand data science expertise to accelerate scientific discovery and implementation.The One Utah Data Science Hub’s initiatives give the University of Utah a competitive advantage. Would your company like to be an affiliate? If you are interested in a conversation with the University of Utah team, you can schedule a time directly on their team’s calendar here.

FirstIgnite is supporting the commercialization of the University of Utah’s novel synthetic pathway technology. This technology is a novel synthetic approach to producing a wide range of synthetic VLC-PUFAs in relatively large quantities for research and high-quality dietary supplements. Furthermore, this technology can be produced without heavy metals for safety and non-toxicity, its mouse studies indicate high oral bioavailability for retinal tissue, and supplementation may reduce retinal degeneration in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Stargardt-3 disease.This technology is applicable to therapeutics, ophthalmology, and nutrition/supplements. As of 2022, the global ophthalmic drugs market is worth $35.8 billion and is expected to reach $65.6 billion by 2030.The University of Utah’s novel synthetic pathway technology is ready for collaboration (licensing, partnerships, industry feedback, etc.). Is your company the right fit? If you’d be available for a conversation with the University of Utah team, you can schedule a time directly on their team’s calendar here.

FirstIgnite is supporting the commercialization of the University of Utah’s power grid optimization technology. It consists of a software suite containing multiple algorithms that calculate continuous-time estimates of the most efficient strategies for pricing, generating, scheduling, and storing energy. The power grid optimization technology has several advantages, including distributing grid supply and demand in a more efficient way, avoiding expensive ramping scarcity events, reducing consumer and energy grid operator costs, and supporting guidelines for interconnecting energy storage systems.This technology is applicable to electric transmission & distribution as well as simulation & modeling. In 2021 the global electric power generation, transmission, and distribution market was worth $4,091.77 billion and is expected to reach $4,433.15 billion by 2026.The University of Utah’s novel synthetic pathway technology is ready for collaboration (licensing, partnerships, industry feedback, etc.). Is your company the right fit? If you’d be available for a conversation with the University of Utah team, you can schedule a time directly on their team’s calendar here.

Lithium-ion batteries utilize the reversible reduction of lithium ions to store energy. The global lithium-ion battery market was worth $58.61 billion dollars in 2021 and is expected to reach $278.27 billion dollars by 2030. Factors contributing to the growth of the market include increased spending on consumer electronics, the growing renewable energy sector, and the rise of electric vehicles.

Lithium-ion batteries are applicable to many fields, such as consumer electronics, automotive, industrial, and energy storage systems. Currently, the top lithium-ion battery manufacturing companies include Panasonic ($49 billion dollar revenue), LG Chem ($34 billion dollar revenue), and CATL ($23 billion dollar revenue). Furthermore, venture capital investment in battery storage, smart grid, and efficiency companies increased by 12% in 2020, reaching $2.6 billion compared to $2.3 billion raised in 2019.The majority of electric vehicles use lithium-ion batteries because they have a higher energy density and are lightweight. By 2030, the market for electric vehicle batteries is expected to grow to $559.87 billion dollars from $46.03 billion dollars in 2021.More than 2,500 lithium-ion battery companies are operating today, with revenue growing each year. Campuses need to take advantage of the growth in this market by partnering with these companies. FirstIgnite can help your university identify and partner with the specific companies you need to further your research and development in the lithium-ion battery industry.