Stories

COLUMBIA, MO—EquipmentShare, a construction fleet and digital solutions startup, announced a $230 million investment round that will help launch a new core tech solution for their EquipmentShare Track smart jobsite technology. COLUMBUS, OH—Robotics welding company Path Robotics raised $100 million in Series C funding to build on its imaging and AI efforts. Tiger Global led…

Last month, Comeback Capital announced the appointment of two general partners and the launch a $10 million rolling fund. The VC firm, with a group of coastal and local LPs, focuses on providing early stage funding to startups in the U.S. heartland. Flyover Future spoke with Scott Shane, the managing director of Comeback Capital about…

Purdue earned 175 U.S. utility patents on one year WEST LAFAYETTE, IN—Purdue University earned 175 U.S. utility patents in 2020, the most among all Big Ten universities. The Purdue Research Foundation is the home of the school’s Office of Technology Commercialization, which manages the licensing, patents and technology transfers for innovations created by university researchers. New robotic…

Vaccine acceptance and behavioral AI KNOXVILLE, TN—The pandemic caused people to have to make a lot of changes. Lirio is using artificial intelligence (AI) to help solve behavior change challenges critical to the health of the globe, such as COVID-19 vaccine acceptance. Lirio calls it Precision Nudging, an engagement algorithm and messaging system developed based on behavioral science.…

DURHAM, NC—Duke University Hospital is the first to implant a new-generation artificial heart. CARMAT, a medical company focused on heart implant technologies, had received FDA to study patients with end-stage biventricular heart failure last year. Duke was one of just three transplant centers in the U.S. selected to join the study. The team there received specialized training…

TALK, the Technology Association of Louisville KY, gears up on Aug. 26-27th for its 5th biennial, live, two-day event called Techfest Louisville which draws tech and business professionals looking to learn more about tech trends, tech policy, entrepreneurial breakthroughs, and how new technologies work.  TALK has now been an active tech council since 2014 in…

RALEIGH, NC—Big win for flyover country! insightsoftware, a startup that provides financial reporting and enterprise performance management (EPM) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software has landed an $800 million investment from global investment firm Hg. We’ll be following these guys closely. KANSAS CITY, KS—Overland Park govtech company Daupler received a $4 million investment from Burnt…

Exploring icy environs from your own home COLUMBUS, OH—Researchers from OSU’s Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center have developed a way for you to explore glacial and ice-covered sites around the world from the comfort of your own home. The Virtual Ice Explorer (VIE) encourages informal learning about icy environments by immersing visitors in “choose…

  In March, Columbus, Ohio-based Rev1 Ventures announced the launch of its Future Value Fund, a $10 million for-profit investment fund. focused on supporting pre-seed stage companies. Flyover Future spoke with Kristy Campbell, chief operating officer at Rev1 Ventures, about plans for Rev1 Fund II and advantages of being located in Columbus. What’s the goal…

ST. LOUIS, MO—A research team at Washington University of Medicine in St. Louis has identified potential new treatment targets for Alzheimer’s disease. The potential targets are abnormal proteins that lead to the buildup of amyloid in the brain, which contribute to the problems in memory and thinking. COLUMBUS, OH—Research being done at The Ohio State University Wexner…

Mayo Clinic technology licensed ROCHESTER, MN—The Mayo Clinic has developed technology that is meant to boost the protective capacity of new vaccines. The engineering process amplifies the antigen protein that’s delivered by a vaccine at the cellular level. Oklahoma-based Tetherex Pharmaceuticals has licensed the tech from Mayo. COVID-19 and anemia ROCHESTER, MN—AI health tech company nference used…

Monetizing gaming talent PITTSBURGH, PA—Metafy is a platform that enables online gamers to monetize their talent through one-on-one coaching and courses. It has had solid growth since its start and will be closing on a $5.5 million seed extension in the next few weeks. Founder Josh Fabian talks to Crunchbase about how he knew his…

Computer vision, generally speaking, sets out to process visual information in much the same way humans do with their eyes. It’s a rapidly expanding field within the realm of artificial intelligence (AI), and two guys in Iowa are using it as a transformational technology to revolutionize everyday life. Joseph Nelson, along with his business partner…

ST. LOUIS, MO—Aspire Software, which provides management tools for landscaping, snow and ice, and construction businesses, has been acquired by ServiceTitan, a CA-based company that offers management software for businesses such as pest control, pool care and plumbing. Aspire Software will continue operating in St. Louis. CINCINNATI, OH—Just five months raising $20 million, Physna, which makes…

ST. LOUIS, MO—An Arizona Biomedical Research Commission-funded clinical trial currently underway at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have discovered that the amino acid GABA may hold the key to new treatment options for Type 2 diabetes. OKLAHOMA CITY, OK—A collaboration between Oklahoma University and energy tech company Baker Hughes has resulted in an advanced…

A look at vaccine immune response ST. LOUIS, MO—Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis have found evidence that the immune response to COVID-19 vaccines is both strong and long-lasting. The research involved extracting cells from people who received the Pfizer vaccine at three-, four-, five- and seven-week intervals. COVID-19 antibodies study DETROIT,…

CLEVELAND, OH—Splash Financial, a digital lending platform that helps borrowers shop and compare financial products from a Splash-powered network of lenders, announced it has secured $44.3 million in a new Series B funding round. The round includes partners of DST Global, Citi Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners, Firebolt Ventures and existing investors CMFG Ventures and Northwestern Mutual…

Smart City Challenge COLUMBUS, OH—The city has concluded delivery of its Smart City Challenge, demonstrating how safer, cleaner and more equitable transportation options can create opportunity for Columbus residents while helping prepare the region for the future. With $50 million from the U.S. Department of Transportation, the city explored how mobility innovation can help address complex…

Sheri Chaney Jones has been leading data-driven strategies for nonprofit and government organizations for a few years (she even wrote a book about it). Now her company SureImpact, located in Columbus, Ohio, continues to help mission-driven organizations operate more efficiently and achieve performance goals. Flyover Future spoke to Jones about how SureImpact tackles this mission.…

COLUMBUS, OH—What is the latest on the use of AI in radiology? Dr. Mina S. Makary, from Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center’s Department of Radiology, and Carol A. Vitellas from Ohio State University College of Medicine, have written an article for HealthManagement.org about AI’s role in the transformation of radiology. AI uses include helping…