Case Studies
Psykinetic – combining cutting edge technology with social impact
Jordan Nguyen is one entrepreneur extraordinaire who used his research to launch a startup that is transforming people’s lives. Jordan completed a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at UTS, focused on developing a thought-controlled smart wheelchair.
After conducting this research at the nexus of robotics and biomedical engineering he wanted to increase the impact of his work. Jordan did this by launching Psykinetic, a startup with a social impact focused on creating assistive technology to improve the independence and quality of life for people with disabilities.
Thanks to the support from UTS, including coworking space and mentorship within a startup program, Jordan and his team went on to scale Psykinetic and develop other products, including eye-controlled software that makes musical instruments accessible to those with disabilities. Jordan’s work has been featured on ABC’s Catalyst, and Pyskinetic’s instruments have featured in many world-first performances, including at the Sydney Opera house.
LearnedHub – bringing maths to the masses
Mahya Mizraei is another amazing UTS graduate who launched her own business while studying. While completing her PhD in space robotics, and with the support of a UTS startup program, Mahya launched LearnedHub, a virtual maths tutoring platform. This was made possible through co-curricular opportunities at UTS that helped develop her entrepreneurial skills, combined with industry collaborations and supervision through her studies.
Just two years in, LearnedHub has expanded across Australia with more than 2,000 students accessing its online courses. Mahya has always been able to find points of overlap between her startup and her research - including using data analysis and machine learning to enhance the business’ operations. You can read more about Mahya’s story here.
AirSticks – transforming music through research
Alon Ilsar is a professional drummer and music producer who used his research to revolutionise the way music is created and performed. While completing a PhD in new instrument design at UTS, he co-designed AirSticks, an electronic drum kit that allows users to convert body movement into sounds and visuals in a 3D virtual space. Through the support he received in a UTS startup program, Alon has been able to develop entrepreneurship skills and explore commercialisation opportunities for his custom built instruments.
Airsticks’ prototypes have been used in over 200 professional performances around the world, including Sydney’s Vivid Festival, New York’s Met Museum and Triple J Hottest 100. AirSticks is also collaborating with researchers in aged care, visualisation and music therapy to further increase the impact of their research.
Scholar Connection – can entrepreneurship makes researchers lives easier?
Meriam Bautista is completing a PhD in Microelectronics. During her research she identified that many researchers were participating in lengthy-peer review processes that required a significant time investment, but often led to rejection. She attended an entrepreneurship bootcamp and startup weekend where she developed the entrepreneurial skills and confidence to develop a solution to this problem.
It was at the bootcamp that she also met other researchers who soon became her co-founders for Scholar Connection, a platform connecting students, researchers and academics for collaboration, knowledge sharing, and support. Meriam believes that the entrepreneurial mindset she developed through these experiences, and launching her own business, are essential for PhD students, encouraging a more creative approach to research and helping build a pathway towards commercialisation opportunities.
I think that entrepreneurship is important for PhD students as it helps bridge the gap between research and business opportunities, allows them to think creatively, and equips them to develop innovative products and services that have great commercial value.
- Meriam Bautista, UTS PhD student
SubChat – applying military research skills to supporting creatives
Peter Graham is a current UTS PhD student exploring how project management practices in the Royal Australian Air Force can be optimised to deliver revolutionary innovations. While attending a UTS research symposium he met Tim Fung, the founder of Airtasker, and almost overnight they started working on SubChat - an app that allows users to easily connect with YouTube, Instagram and Twitch content creators.
The company is passionate about helping people pursue creative careers by connecting them with their supporters. SubChat launched in September 2018 at VidCon Australia and will soon be trialling the product with the Australian Youtube community.
Although his research focuses on a military context, the learnings and entrepreneurial mindsets Peter has developed at UTS have significantly shaped the way he runs his startup. He’s also applying research techniques to his startup to ensure they understand their customers perspective, and develop their product with this in mind. Read more about his startup journey here.
Entrepreneurship teaches you to start learning, start relationships, and start creating today.
- Peter Graham, UTS PhD Student
