Program

Brāv Buddies: Real-Time Mobilization Intelligence for Emergency Response

Brāv Buddies is an Intelligence as a Service (IntaaS) platform that gives emergency response leaders answers when disaster strikes. The platform works through the text channels responders already use — no behavior change—to answer mission-critical questions in real time: Who is available? Who is qualified? What assets can deploy? Born from the firsthand frustrations of an Army Engineer Officer, Brāv Buddies is designed for organizations managing distributed personnel and resources, including the Army Corps of Engineers, FEMA, Fire Departments, EMS, and Doctors Without Borders. 

Brāv Buddies Website | Instagram: @bravbuddies | LinkedIn

About the Participant(s)

Name: Josephine B. Tientcheu
Title: Founder/CEO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

GuideGuard

A presentation of new innovations from the Department of Emergency Medicine at the George Washington University, highlighting GuideGuard, the 2025 winner of the GW New Venture Competition (NVC) Health and Life Sciences track. GuideGuard prevents a dangerous but avoidable complication during central line placement, where a thin medical wire can accidentally be left inside a patient. The device adds a built-in safety feature that stops the wire from sliding completely into the body.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Aditya Loganathan
Title: Research Coordinator
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
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Name: Andrew Meltzer
Title: Professor of Emergency Medicine
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences
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Name: Daniel Shpigel
Title: Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine
School: School of Medicine & Health Sciences

GW Technology Commercialization Office

Test your skills identifying unusual inventions and meet tech transfer experts! GW's Technology Commercialization Office helps our researchers move their inventions and ideas from the lab or classroom to the marketplace by supporting them throughout the commercialization journey. We also help companies and entrepreneurs find and access the GW technologies they need to grow their business and be successful. In this way, GW research can have an even greater impact on the world.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Brian Coblitz
Title: Executive Director
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
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Name: Michael Harpen
Title: Sr. Licensing Manager
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
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Name: Sarwat Naz
Title: Licensing Manager
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
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Name: Tanya Wadhwa
Title: Student Research Assistant
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office
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Name: Nikhil Arethiya
Title: Student Research Assistant
Organization: Technology Commercialization Office

JivaJet: Innovation Possible with Plasma

JivaJet is a GW-affiliated and Virginia-based venture that leverages the fourth state of matter to open new orbital frontiers of sustainable propulsion and transformative medicine.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Anmol Taploo
Title: CTO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
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Name: Vikas Soni
Title: CSO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
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Name: Jake Spinelli
Title: Aerospace Design Engineer
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
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Name: Guru Sankar Duppada
Title: Propulsion Scientist
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science
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Name: Shashank Kaul
Title: CEO
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science

Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Office of Innovation & Entrepreneurship (OIE) is the university’s central resource for turning ideas into impact. They support students, faculty, alumni, and partners from all schools and disciplines - providing the programs, mentorship, and opportunities to build ventures, commercialize research, and shape the future of innovation at GW and beyond.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Jessica Vodilka
Title: Associate Director, Education Programs
Organization: GW Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
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Name: Sarah Leary
Title: Supervisor of Operations
Organization: GW Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship
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Name: Bob Smith
Title: Executive Director
Organization: GW Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Rinse-Free mLbL Reverse Osmosis Membranes

Learn more about a new class of reverse osmosis (RO) membranes designed for cost-efficient water purification. A rinse-free molecular-layer-by-layer (mLbL) fabrication process creates ultra-smooth, highly cross-linked polyamide membranes that maintain up to 99.9% salt rejection while reducing cleaning frequency by 90%, energy use by 40%, and extending membrane life up to 4x. The platform enables tunable surface chemistry for improved fouling and scaling resistance, with potential applications in seawater desalination and ultrapure water production for the semiconductor industry.

About the Participant(s)

Name: Xitong Liu
Title: Associate Professor
School: School of Engineering & Applied Science