UF Innovate | Tech Licensing hosted its seventh annual Standing InnOvation event on Wednesday, October 30, to acknowledge and celebrate research discoveries by University of Florida innovators in fiscal year 2024.
Standing InnOvation gives innovators a well-deserved “standing ovation” for disclosing, optioning, or licensing their innovations during the fiscal year. The number of disclosures, options, and licenses coming through the UF Innovate | Tech Licensing office continues to grow annually. In the 2024 fiscal year, which ended on June 30, innovators disclosed 372 new technologies, licensed 121, and started 9 startup companies.
This year’s celebration was a full-day affair. The morning featured two keynotes and a book signing at Insights and Innovation with David S. Rose at Santa Fe College’s Blount Center. Rose is a serial entrepreneur and investor who’s known as an industry guru on the two topics he covered in his talks: Finances 101 and How to Pitch Your Startup.
Rose separately met with nearly 20 UF faculty for lunch to respond to questions they posed on starting a business. Six “speed dating” slots gave companies an opportunity to get personal feedback as they pitched their company and sought Rose’s advice.
In addition, the second InnOvation Showcase occurred concurrently with the Standing InnOvation reception. It featured 14 of the 16 University of Florida colleges and the Herbert Wertheim UF Scripps Institute for Biomedical Innovation & Technology, all showcasing the latest innovations from their researchers.
The 2024 Inventions of the Year
Each of the six licensing teams chooses one Invention of the Year from its portfolio. Each winning technology stood out as one with great potential from the pool of 372 new ideas disclosed in fiscal year 2024.
Advancing Quantum Computing and Cybersecurity with Quantum Error Correction Codes and Quantum Circuit Modeling
Dr. Prabhat Mishra, a distinguished professor in the Department of Computer and Information Science and Engineering at UF, has a technology with the potential to revolutionize quantum computing and cybersecurity. His current research emphasizes the development of quantum error correction codes and quantum circuit modeling, both critical for protecting quantum information from errors caused by noise and decoherence.
Mishra’s invention includes understanding weaknesses and designing systems that effectively mitigate the associated risks. As cybersecurity threats become increasingly sophisticated, this work is crucial and emphasizes the growing need for protective measures.
Dr. Rick Croley, the licensing officer managing the technology, highlights the challenges in quantum electronics, particularly the need for low temperatures to minimize thermal noise.
“Noise can negatively impact the performance and reliability of quantum computations,” said Croley.
Mishra’s research includes methods for correcting thermal errors, which has already been tested on IBM quantum computers.
Additionally, this invention focuses on improved benchmarking of quantum computers, suggesting that future evaluations should include factors like initialization and measurement. By addressing thermal noise and circuit stability, Dr. Mishra’s contributions aim to significantly advance quantum computing technology, opening new possibilities for faster and more efficient computing solutions.
Read the full story from UF Innovate here.
By Andrea Dautant, Marketing and Communications Manager, and Kaibry Staggs, Social Media Producer, at UF Innovate