First Look Forum showcases tech transfer innovations

Milwaukee’s research institutions took the spotlight April 16 as the 2026 First Look Forum brought together academic researchers, founders and industry leaders to highlight technologies moving toward commercialization.

The event, held at Quarles & Brady, featured presentations from researchers at UW-Milwaukee (UWM), Marquette University (MU), Medical College of Wisconsin (MCW) and Versiti.

Designed to bridge the gap between lab and the marketplace, the forum offered a first look at promising early-stage innovations across healthcare, advanced manufacturing, environmental monitoring and data-driven technologies.

Featured presentations

NeuroSolis, UWM, presented by Joseph Beck, PhD

With an emphasis on brain health, NeuroSolis is developing targeted treatments for conditions such as migraine, tremor and nerve pain. The approach aims to reduce side effects like sedation while improving long-term symptom management.

MRI display, MCW, presented by Eric Paulson, PhD

This innovation is an augmented reality system that integrates real-time MRI tracking with a wearable display to guide needle placement. The technology was designed to improve accuracy while reducing procedure time and patient discomfort.

Electric and hybrid aviation, MU, Presented by Ayman EL-Refaie, PhD

Researchers presented an ultra-lightweight electric drivetrain for aircraft, with the potential to significantly increase power density and support broader adoption of electrified aviation systems.

Cholesterol control for heart health, Versiti, Presented by Ze Zheng, MD, PhD Researchers are exploring how increasing production of a natural protein, tPA, may reduce harmful cholesterol levels without increasing bleeding risk. This work could offer a new approach to cardiovascular treatment.

Built-N-Bioassays, UWM, Presented by Eric Ostovich, PhD

The company created biosensors that combine engineered algae with machine learning to detect and analyze chemical contamination in real time.

UbiWhite, MU, Presented by Sheikh Iqbal Ahamed, PhD

This company created a smartphone-based system that estimates white blood cell counts in seconds without requiring a blood draw or lab visit.

CHIMERADDR, MCW, Presented by Navonil De Sarkar, PhD

This company is developing a computational platform that analyzes tumor DNA to help clinicians identify targeted treatment strategies based on the growth’s molecular characteristics.

Respiratory treatment, Versiti, Presented by Jieqing Zhu, PhD
Researchers are working on a nasal-delivered platform designed to block respiratory viruses at the point of entry, with potential applications in prevention and early treatment.

Sequidose, UWM, Presented by Osvaldo Jhonatan Sepulveda Villet, PhD

This company developed a multi-dose syringe system designed to reduce repeated IV access, with the goal of improving safety and clinical efficiency.

Connecting research to commercialization

The presentations highlighted a cross-section of Milwaukee-developed technologies that reflect broader trends in early-stage innovation, particularly in healthcare, diagnostics and applied engineering.

Taken together, the presentations offered a snapshot of how university research continues to feed into Wisconsin’s early-stage innovation pipeline, particularly in areas where commercialization begins in the lab.