Flux Capacitor Cohort Release

We kicked off the Flux cohort, by backing renegade scientists working on nerve regeneration, hydrogen production, stem cell therapies, and more.

Earlier this year, we launched the Flux Capacitor - our funding program to back researchers who are working outside of tracked institutions to build a company. In just over a month, we got an overwhelming 200+ applications from all corners and intersections of disciplines.

In the end, we selected nine researchers to be a part of our Flux cohort. We brought them out to San Francisco to welcome them into our community, and more importantly to expose them to other like-minded builders.

Meet the cohort:

Amir Mashal is working on Arcturus, developing next-generation composite materials designed for the aerospace and cleantech industries. Their aim is to produce a material with substantially higher mechanical strength and improved thermal properties, all at half the weight of current alternatives. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize transportation and reduce CO2 emissions by 150M metric tons annually.

Grace Gerwe is building perfect empathy. Think point of view gun from the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. A way to transfer emotion from one person to another. Except for it's not a gun... it's a non-invasive headpiece that leverages frontier neuromodulation techniques.

Jacob Appleton is working on Purple Hydrogen, developing a new method of hydrogen production by breaking down waste hydrogen sulfide using a photosynthetic enzyme pathway found in purple sulfur bacteria. The idea is to use purple sulfur bacteria that already photosynthesize anaerobically with hydrogen sulfide to digest the hydrogen sulfide in a cheaper manner, and to produce hydrogen in a cheaper and more environmentally friendly way.

Olivia Krivitsky is working on EZA, a modular wound care company dedicated to the development of advanced biomaterials and smart textiles. Our innovative solutions focus on creating customized microenvironments to promote rapid and effective wound healing.

Kyle Dunn is working on Ionic Beetle Company, to build a better metal refining process using direct extraction for a range of metal concentrates and plans to expand it for mixed feedstocks. Their process has broad applications, including monetizing industrial waste streams, accessing remote ore deposits without fresh water, and even making metal on the moon!

Brandon Sassouni is working on Revival Bio to develop a new kind of stem cell therapy, utilizing rare semi-embryonic stem cells from umbilical cord tissue that can migrate into and regenerate damaged tissue of different organs throughout the body – including the brain, spinal cord, heart, skin, and more. As an additional benefit, their stem cells of interest have inherent universal donor capacity to be transplanted without immunosuppression or immune reactions into any recipient. 

RJ Tevonian is working on Tetrahedral, targeting intracellular water dynamics of cancer cells (and broadly longevity). The MRI was invented on the idea that cancer cell water had different dynamics than healthy cell water. The overall vision is to unify cancer and longevity treatments and develop interventions that extend beyond traditional drugs.

Mike Ferguson is working on growing human blood vessels in the lab to unlock replacement tissues/organs.

Victor (Kaiyang) Chang & Sean Trembley are building Vorple Bio. Vorple Bio makes it easy for surgeons to repair nerves for organ and tissue transplant. It is often easier to replace organs than to cure disease, but many potential transplant procedures are limited by nerve repair technology. Vorple's replacement-approach to therapies will open up new classes of treatment for otherwise incurable diseases. The company plans to target the most complex and difficult to treat conditions, such as multi-organ failure, metastasis, and aging.