Lab Projects
At the heart of the Deep Tech Innovation Lab lies a unique interdisciplinary journey. Here, students from business, engineering, and law collaborate closely with academic and industry experts.
Fall 2024
Data Recommender Project Info
Large enterprises face challenges with siloed data, incomplete metadata, and inefficient data usage. These barriers lead to untapped insights, unrealized financial value, and bottlenecks in decision-making processes. The HPE Data Recommender uses metadata propagation, lineage analysis, and contextual insights to suggest datasets, models, and processing steps. This enables the discovery of valuable “dark data,” even in poorly documented systems, empowering organizations to make data-driven decisions.
Curved Nanostructures Project Info
Traditional optical systems face challenges with inefficiencies, distortions, and bulky designs. These issues are particularly pressing in rapidly evolving fields like augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and optical communications, where high performance and miniaturization are key. This patented method leverages directed self-assembly (DSA) of block copolymers to fabricate ring-shaped nanostructures embedded with metallic nanoparticles. These nanorings exhibit advanced optical properties, including the ability to generate orbital angular momentum (OAM), enabling high-density data transmission and improved light manipulation.
Nanopores Project Info
Traditional nanopore fabrication methods struggle with precision and reproducibility, limiting their effectiveness for applications like DNA sequencing, molecular separation, and energy storage. The nanopore DNA sequencing market alone, valued at $272M in 2023, is expected to grow at an 11.2% CAGR, reaching $706M by 2032. This innovation involves a novel fabrication method using irradiation of atomically-thin h-BN membranes to control pore size and shape in real time. The process delivers scalable, cost-effective, and high-precision nanopores tailored for diverse applications.
CO2 Reduction Project Info
Ethylene production via traditional steam cracking emits over 260 million metric tons of CO2 annually, representing nearly 1% of global carbon emissions. Sustainable alternatives are urgently needed with the ethylene market expected to grow to $241 billion by 2033. This project focuses on reducing CO2 into ethylene (C2H4), offering a cleaner alternative to conventional methods. By leveraging advancements in CO2 capture and reduction, the solution aims to improve ethylene production’s sustainability and unit economics.
Flexitips Project Info
The global pipette tip market, valued at $588M, is expected to grow to $1.4B by 2024, with robotic-compatible tips representing 43.6% of the market. Despite advancements, traditional pipette tips face limitations in precision, throughput, and compatibility with high-end applications like MALDI proteomics. Flexitips offers a next-generation pipette tip design capable of contact-based deposition for high-throughput screening, chemical assays, and proteomics. It handles ultra-low volumes (down to 100 nanoliters) with no dead volume and processes 2.5x more samples than existing solutions, reducing analysis time by up to 40%.
Plastic Thin Film Recycling Project Info
Traditional plastic recycling methods are limited by sorting complexities, low-quality outputs, and competition from cheap virgin plastics. With advanced recycling technologies emerging, there is a growing need for processes that enable high-quality recycling at scale while navigating a fragmented regulatory landscape. This project focuses on next-generation advanced recycling processes, including chemical and enzymatic methods that break polymer bonds in plastics. The solution offers better material recovery, compatibility with mixed feedstocks, and the potential to address issues of waste plastic contamination.
Automated Recommendation Tool Project Info
Synthetic biology R&D faces inefficiencies during the “Learn” phase, requiring costly and time-consuming manual iterations. With the global synthetic biology market growing at a rapid pace, there is a pressing need for tools that enhance productivity and reduce bottlenecks. The Automated Recommendation Tool (ART) leverages machine learning to optimize the “Learn” phase, enabling faster iteration cycles and higher accuracy in synthetic biology applications. ART is adaptable to diverse domains, including pharmaceuticals, food and agriculture, and industrial biotech.
Lithium Extraction Project Info
With global lithium demand surging due to the growth of EVs and renewable energy, traditional extraction methods remain energy-intensive, environmentally harmful, and economically challenging when processing low-grade clay ores. This electrochemical process enables efficient and cost-effective lithium extraction from hectorite clay ores, cutting energy costs by up to 70% compared to conventional methods. By offering a more sustainable approach, this technology redefines the economics of lithium mining.
Automated Recommendation Tool Project Info
Synthetic biology R&D faces inefficiencies during the “Learn” phase, requiring costly and time-consuming manual iterations. With the global synthetic biology market growing at a rapid pace, there is a pressing need for tools that enhance productivity and reduce bottlenecks. The Automated Recommendation Tool (ART) leverages machine learning to optimize the “Learn” phase, enabling faster iteration cycles and higher accuracy in synthetic biology applications. ART is adaptable to diverse domains, including pharmaceuticals, food and agriculture, and industrial biotech.
Thermal Energy Storage Project Info
Industrial heating processes account for a significant share of global energy use, with sectors like chemical production, oil refining, and steelmaking demanding high levels of efficiency and sustainability. The thermal storage market, valued at $19B in 2022, is projected to grow to $50B by 2028 (17% CAGR). The Thermal Battery offers a cutting-edge solution for storing and managing high-temperature energy, enabling industries to reduce waste, enhance operational efficiency, and transition toward cleaner energy systems.
COBRA Eye Tracker Project Info
Traditional methods for detecting neurological impairments or DUI-related impairments are subjective, error-prone, and lack objectivity. With a growing need for accurate, non-invasive diagnostic tools, there is significant demand for innovation in this space. The COBRA (Comprehensive Oculomotor Behavioral Response Assessment) is a non-invasive, portable eye-tracking system that measures subtle oculomotor movements through video-based tracking. It provides precise, real-time evaluations of neurological performance, making it an ideal solution for DUI assessment and beyond.
Solid-State CO2 Sensors Project Info
Existing CO2 sensors face limitations in sensitivity, power efficiency, and reliability under varying environmental conditions. The demand for accurate, portable, and low-maintenance solutions spans industries such as healthcare, agriculture, and environmental monitoring. This Solid-State CO2 Sensor leverages advanced composite materials to deliver real-time, precise carbon dioxide detection across a range of 100–10,000 ppm. Operating at room temperature, the sensor is compact, low-power, and capable of functioning in both humid and dry environments, making it suitable for mobile devices, wearables, and critical safety systems.
2022 - 2023
In the lab, the students analyzed work with a variety of technologies related to climate change, health care, AI, and cybersecurity among others. They provided principal investigators and technology transfer experts at Lawrence Berkeley National Lab insights into the competitive environment, the value chain, and the patent landscape to determine the best path to commercialization.
Our team presented to and interacted with the inventors and other members of the JBEI Research Committee. We received great feedback for the recommendations we offered and they seemed intrigued and interested by our findings! This was a great opportunity for us to experience firsthand presenting in the corporate setting. Thank you for all the guidance and support through the semester that helped us navigate through our deliverables and the final presentation!
Tomographic Electrical Rhizosphere Imager (TERI) Project 2022-2023
Root phenotyping is is time-consuming, largely intrusive, and/or not reflective of field environments. It takes 3-4 hours to dig and clean one plant core. Inspired by medical imaging technology, Dr. Yuxin Wu from Berkeley Lab developed TERI to provide an accurate, efficient, and non-intrusive method to quantify a plant’s root system.
The student team analyzed patents, interviewed potential customers and industry stakeholders, and identified market potential in 4 unique areas: Plant breeding, Gene editing, Agrochemicals, and Monocrops.
Working closely with Dr. Yuxin Wu and Jeremy Greeter, Senior Commercialization Manager at Berkeley Lab, the team interviewed 25 industry experts and organized and hosted a zoom roundtable with participation from 8 potential partners.
Student Team: Pedro Vergara, Master of Laws – LL.M 2023, Liberty Hudson, Mechanical Engineer – MEng 2023, Lauren Takata, Mechanical Engineer – MEng 2023 Shogo Yakame, Full time MBA – Haas School of Business 2024
For more information on this technology, click here.
Dr. Yuxin Wu
Staff Scientist & Geophysics Department Head in the Earth & Environmental Sciences Area
Berkeley Lawrence Lab
Novel Bio Production Methods of 4-vinylphenol
Researchers at Berkeley Lab led by Alberto Rodriguez developed a method to produce the bioplastics precursor 4-vinylphenol (4VP) from corn stover lignin using recombinant bacteria. This technology represents an important advance that could drive down the costs and improve the sustainability of producing bioplastics and other biobased chemicals.
Students from the Deep tech Innovation Lab compared the value opportunity against the likelihood of success across nearly a dozen markets. The students interviewed 20 experts and identified several non-intuitive paths toward new research initiatives and commercialization opportunities for the technology.
Student Team: Carson Billingsly, BioEngineer – MEng 2024, Kevin Cahya, BioEngineer – MEng 2024, Ryan Granché, Masters of Translational Medicine – 2024, Audrey Hermann, Master of Business Innovation, 2024, Ivan Jayapurna, Applied Science & Technology, PhD 2024, Kavisha Shroff, BioEngineer – MEng 2024
Thank you for teaching us the intellectual property analysis and business development frameworks in our experiential class. In addition to broadening my technical bioengineering expertise, it has been so valuable to learn strategies to assess commercialization and market adoption for cutting-edge research and breakthroughs in synthetic biology.
Lithium Sulfur Battery
Lithium-sulfur batteries have the potential to offer higher energy capacity than lithium-ion batteries at a lower cost. This is particularly appealing for the Electric Vehicles.
Dr. Gao Liu from Berkeley National Lab along with several other PIs have developed several patented technologies related to novel materials and electrode structures for Lithium Sulfur batteries. These solutions are cheaper and more sustainable than current materials and improve capacity and cycle life of the batteries.
The students dug deep into potential application areas, competitive technologies, and presented a detailed cost analysis to Dr. Gao Liu and Shanshan Li, commercialization manager at Berkeley Lab.
After performing in-depth analysis on the technology readiness level in comparison to other technologies in development, and speaking to a handful of Lithium Sulfur battery experts, the student team made several valuable recommendations for future research directions for the Berkeley Lab scientists.
Student Team: Dongwan Kim, MBA 2023, Bronte Kolar, Bioengineer – MEng 2023, Stephanie Popielarz, Mechanical Engineer – MEng, 2023, Kaidi Wu, IEOR – MEng 2023, Fan Xia, Mechanical Engineer – PhD 2025, Xiaochen Yang, Materials Science – PhD 2026
For more information on this technology, click here and here
I very much enjoyed collaborating with the students from ENG 273/274. Their passion and commitment to grasping the nuances of my technology were inspiring. They immersed themselves in the details of the business, technological, and intellectual property dimensions, delivering a comprehensive analysis that unveiled novel prospects for future research and development endeavors. Their imaginative thinking and fresh perspectives offered valuable insights that we had not previously considered.