Mason Enterprise

Mason Enterprise and Akiak Technology establish strategic partnership to advance innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity

Katarina Benson — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 20:24:14 +0000

Mason Enterprise and Akiak Technology establish strategic partnership to advance innovation, entrepreneurship, and economic opportunity Katarina Benson Thu, 07/23/2026 - 16:24

Mason Enterprise^TM, 91��’s hub for innovation and entrepreneurial development, established a new partnership with Akiak Technology LLC, an Alaskan tribal-owned, mission-driven technology firm dedicated to delivering impactful artificial intelligence (AI) solutions while supporting Indigenous communities. The collaboration is formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) and reflects a shared commitment to fostering business innovation, workforce development, and mutually beneficial growth opportunities.

Mason Enterprise and Akiak Technology will collaborate on technology and business development initiatives designed to expand access to entrepreneurial resources, training, and expertise, while creating new pathways to strengthen innovation ecosystems locally and nationally.

From left, Paula Sorrell, Sharon Hamer, and Kevin Hamer. Photo provided

“This partnership with Akiak Technology aligns with Mason Enterprise’s mission to support entrepreneurs and accelerate innovation,” said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president for innovation and economic development at George Mason. “By combining Mason Enterprise’s entrepreneur support programs, tech talent, and convening power with Akiak’s technology expertise and mission-driven approach, we are adding more building blocks in the Northern Virginia innovation corridor.”

Under the MOU, Mason Enterprise will provide Akiak Technology with access to its entrepreneur programs, innovation expertise, counseling and training resources, while facilitating collaboration across the university. Together, the organizations will identify mutually beneficial opportunities and explore pathways to support Akiak Technology’s business growth in alignment with its mission, including its commitment to its tribal community.

This synergy can speed up the translation of research and discoveries into products and services, addressing complex challenges in areas such as quantum computing, AI, health care technology, and energy. Akiak Technology will also offer strategic insight and feedback to Mason Enterprise programs and help identify opportunities for revenue-generating activities that further Mason Enterprise’s mission of supporting entrepreneurs and innovation-driven organizations.

“This partnership with Mason Enterprise represents an important step forward for Akiak Technology,” said Sharon Hamer, cofounder of Akiak Technology and enrolled Akiak tribal member. “Collaborating with a leading research university gives us access to world-class talent and new opportunities to expand our AI-driven innovations, while remaining true to our mission and values.”

Akiak’s CEO Kevin Hamer added, “Mason Enterprise helped us launch our first business years ago. Deepening this relationship allows us to tap into George Mason’s expansive network and innovation programming as we continue to grow as an AI product and solutions innovator.”

The public–private partnership strengthens technology transfer, supports federal research initiatives, enhances education and workforce readiness, and contributes to regional economic growth—particularly as demand for STEM talent continues to rise.

The collaboration underscores Mason Enterprise’s role as a connector between academia, industry, and community, and highlights Akiak Technology’s commitment to collaboration, innovation, and mission-driven growth.

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George Mason launches Einstein Labs to accelerate AI, in partnership with the Einstein family

ckearney — Wed, 15 Apr 2026 14:55:39 +0000

George Mason launches Einstein Labs to accelerate AI, in partnership with the Einstein family ckearney Wed, 04/15/2026 - 10:55

91�� is launching a new artificial intelligence (AI)-focused accelerator housed in Fuse at Mason Square called Einstein Labs. A partnership between the Einstein family and Mason Enterprise, the lab will develop dual-use technologies for commercial big tech and government, initially focusing on three high-impact sectors: health, quantum, and cybersecurity technologies.

From left, Tad Einstein, Farhad Chowdhury, and Steven Einstein. Photo provided

“Ten years ago, we set out with one dream: to create a place where the Department of War could meet Silicon Valley, and today, that dream is being realized with Mason Enterprise,” said Farhad Chowdhury, Mason Enterprise board member and founder of George Mason’s Entrepreneur in Residence program. “Einstein Labs brings together the best of established and emerging technology, and the government in one place, enabling the region to lead on high-impact collaborations.”

The initiative establishes a framework for academic collaboration, joint innovation, and workforce development. Mason Enterprise and Einstein Labs will also work together to expand interdisciplinary research and development opportunities, and create new curriculum offerings across George Mason’s schools and programs.

Two prominent leaders are joining the George Mason and Einstein Labs initiative:

Steven Einstein—a 30-year mergers-and-acquisitions veteran and retired partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), now the newest board member of Mason Enterprise.
Tad Einstein—founder of Google Cloud's Explore platform and global head of immersive experiences, and now serving as George Mason’s newest Entrepreneur-in-Residence.

Tad Einstein referenced a quote often attributed to his ancestor, Albert Einstein, which describes the mission of Einstein Labs: "We cannot solve our problems with the same thinking we used when we created them."

He added, "Einstein Labs is anchored by the 'Innovation Diamond'—a strategic concentration of industry, academia, government, and capital within a single location. By uniting these four assets under one roof, the lab breaks down traditional silos to accelerate breakthroughs.”

“The Einstein family brings both deep industry experience and a strong track record of building scalable, market-driven solutions,” said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president of innovation and economic development at George Mason. “Fostering cross-sector collaborations is essential to responsible digital innovation.”

Mason Enterprise leads the university’s efforts to build an inclusive, high-functioning entrepreneurial ecosystem across the region. The division supports more than 30,000 startups, small businesses, researchers, and industry partners seeking to innovate and accelerate growth, with an annual audience of 58,000 event and workshop attendees and a $2.8 billion annual impact on the economy.

Einstein Labs is a for-profit accelerator dedicated to advancing breakthroughs in AI across quantum, cyber, and health sectors. With support from leaders in the U.S. government, big tech, and academia, the organization aims to build the nation’s premier dual-use AI innovation platform.

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Artificial Intelligence research at George Mason

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Artificial Intelligence

George Mason delivers first commercialization under Virginia’s Lab-to-Launch initiative

Katarina Benson — Wed, 25 Feb 2026 19:27:52 +0000

George Mason delivers first commercialization under Virginia’s Lab-to-Launch initiative Katarina Benson Wed, 02/25/2026 - 14:27

91�� has become Virginia’s first R1 research institution to commercialize a product under the state’s new Lab-to-Launch initiative, marking an early milestone in the commonwealth’s push to accelerate university research into the market.

Anthony Fung. Photo provided

In January, the George Mason Research Foundation entered into a license agreement with serial entrepreneur Anthony Fung and his company Valorlox LLC for the patented technology GMU Dynamic Low Visibility Pneumatic Cofferdam, a coastal resilience system designed to protect against flooding. This is the first commercial product to move forward under the new statewide commercialization framework.

Invented at George Mason by the late George L. Donohue, professor emeritus and founding director of the Center for Air Transportation Systems Research at the College of Engineering and Computing, the cofferdam is an inflatable, permanently anchored system that when deployed creates a water-tight barrier in under 16 minutes without heavy equipment to protect vulnerable communities from most flood events. When not deployed, the system functions as a low-profile boardwalk, blending into waterfront environments rather than standing as a permanent wall.

The cofferdam’s potential to protect communities from floods while supporting economic growth is what attracted Fung, the Valorlox LLC founder and the commonwealth’s former deputy secretary of technology.

His support—as well as that of the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and Mason Enterprise—has helped move the project toward commercialization. Valorlox is the first company in Virginia to complete a Virginia Fast-Track License, which enables them to apply for up to $50,000 in VIPC commercialization funding.

“The cofferdam project brings together everything I’ve learned about business, government, innovation, and solving real problems,” said Fung. “It’s exactly the kind of challenge I want to tackle.”

The cofferdam’s commercialization demonstrates how the Lab-to-Launch initiative is intended to work: university research, streamlined licensing, and experienced entrepreneurs working together to move innovation into the marketplace. The team is currently working on a prototype.

George L. Donohue. Photo provided

Developed through a collaboration between VIPC and the state’s six R1 research university partners—91��, Old Dominion University, University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary—the Lab-to-Launch initiative aims to significantly increase the number of startups emerging from Virginia’s universities and help move technological breakthroughs to the marketplace, through a “fast track license.” Instead of taking months, a licensing agreement can now take weeks.

“It’s been a strategy for the last five years,” said Paula Sorrell, George Mason’s associate vice president for innovation and economic development. “George Mason has created several programs to support the lab-to-market activities by providing wrap-around services for faculty. This not only helped build the pipeline of technologies ready for market and created the support system to make them successful, but then got this first technology through this terrific new state program.”

Designed for both commercial and residential use, the cofferdam system has potential applications for protecting homes, apartments, airports, military bases, hospitals, data centers, power generation facilities, tunnels, bridges, and rail systems.

“The potential for property damage avoidance in the future is hard to estimate, but could be huge,” Donohue said in an interview in 2026.

The invention has been years in development and Donohue shares the patents with former students, now George Mason alumni Adel Youssef, BS Systems Engineering ’20; Lucciana Remy, BS Systems Engineering ’20; Faris Masri, BS Systems Engineering ’20; and Murat Gokturk, BS Systems Engineering ’20.

The George Mason Research Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and aiding research and scientific investigation at George Mason. GMRF manages patents and commercializes intellectual property by negotiating licensing agreements with motivated entrepreneurs and members of the business community. George Mason has a number of technologies moving toward commercialization through the Lab-to-Launch initiative.

Mason Enterprise^TM is the host to federal, state, and local programs that support a portfolio of more than 33,000 start-ups and small businesses across Virginia. Last year participating companies received more than $2.8 billion in follow-on funding, and more than 58,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, students, and research faculty attended workshops and educational programs, received individual counseling, were assisted with product development, resided in an incubator, or received intellectual property advice.

The commercialization of the cofferdam technology also supports Building a Climate-Resilient Society, one of the six interconnected solutions of George Mason’s Grand Challenge Initiative, a comprehensive research framework to secure the future we want. Learn more.

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The MIX: Where George Mason students turn ideas into impact

ckearney — Mon, 05 Jan 2026 18:41:10 +0000

The MIX: Where George Mason students turn ideas into impact ckearney Mon, 01/05/2026 - 13:41

At 91��, innovation isn’t just a buzzword—it’s a culture. One of the campus spaces championing this culture is the Mason Innovation Exchange (MIX), a hub where creativity and entrepreneurship intersect.

Computer science student Jagan Yekturi (left) took third place in the student track at the annual Accelerate Investor Conference. Photo provided

MIX programs, such as the MIX Incubator, the Student Innovators Launchpad, and featured programs working with drones, robotics, and other technologies, help George Mason students transform their bold ideas into real-world solutions with guidance from experienced mentors, hands-on workshops, and networking opportunities.

In November 2025, George Mason student innovators made waves at the annual Accelerate Investor Conference, a two-day event held at Fuse at Mason Square in Arlington, which brought together investors, founders, and thought leaders. Among 50 start-ups and more than 20 student teams, four teams from the MIX Incubator and its Student Innovator Launchpad program—AccelP3 (bioinformatics and computational biology PhD students Morolake Okanlawon, Yingjie Zhang, and Hsuan Chih Kuo), Aniwear (mechanical engineering student Josh Peterson), Anvil Labs LLC. (electrical engineering students Justin Luckenbach and Chelsea Camacho-Zambrana), and EduVerse (computer science student Jagan Yekturi)—had the opportunity to pitch their ideas in the student track. These teams showcased cutting-edge solutions, from bioinformatics tools to heating and cooling wearable tech.

Yekturi’s EduVerse, earned third place and an $1,000 prize for its platform connecting students and recruiters. “The MIX Incubator strengthened my ability to define a clear Ideal Customer Profile and align my solution directly with customer pain points,” Yekturi said. “The feedback and support accelerated my learning far beyond what I expected.”

“The biggest benefit for us was getting a chance to network with people in our industry who could help us take our business to the next step,” said Luckenbach, co-founder of Anvil Labs LLC.

Doctoral student Morolake Okanlawon (with microphone) presents on behalf of the AccelP3 team at Accelerate Investors Conference. Photo provided

The MIX experience goes beyond competition. Through integration with the National Science Foundation I-Corps program, students gain exposure to lean start-up principles, customer discovery, and commercialization strategies—all essential for scaling a business.

Gisele Stolz, senior director of Entrepreneurship Programs and director and co-PI of George Mason’s I-Corps Program; Sampson Addo, program manager of the I-Corps Program; and Minjin Batzorig, the MIX’s program and operations coordinator, manage and provide support for these programs. Mentors like George Siragusa of the Virginia Small Business Development Centers, Adam Phillips of AthletesInnovate, and Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program mentors Elizabeth Pyle and William McPheat provided invaluable guidance throughout the journey.

The MIX Student Innovators Launchpad is designed to help junior and senior undergraduate, masters, and PhD students transform ideas rooted in tech and deep-science research into viable businesses. Participants learn about customer discovery, market evaluation, and commercialization strategies, emphasized through integration with the NSF I-Corps program. The program culminates in a showcase where students pitch to a panel of investors, industry professionals, and entrepreneurs, making the Accelerate Conference a natural extension of their entrepreneurial journey.

Doctoral student Xiaorong (Sherry) Shan took first place for breast cancer screening technology at the Pitch Enterpreneur competition in November. Photo provided

The MIX Launchpad concluded in November with a Pitch Entrepreneur Competition, where AeroHealth, led by civil and infrastructure engineering PhD candidate Xiaorong (Sherry) Shan, won first place for her innovative approach to breast cancer screening.

“The MIX Pitch Entrepreneur Competition showed me that success comes from stepping out of comfort, embracing challenge, and growing through failure,” Shan said.

Looking ahead, the MIX Student Innovators Launchpad is recruiting for its Spring 2026 cohort. Applications are open until mid-January, and accepted teams will kick off on February 6. This program prepares students for opportunities like Patriot Pitch and other funding opportunities. Interested? Apply here.

To learn more about entrepreneurship opportunities at George Mason, contact Batzorig at mbatzor@gmu.edu.

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Mason Enterprise

Guiding innovation: Meet the George Mason mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact

ckearney — Wed, 08 Oct 2025 19:31:31 +0000

Guiding innovation: Meet the George Mason mentors helping entrepreneurs turn ideas into impact ckearney Wed, 10/08/2025 - 15:31

In the heart of Northern Virginia’s Innovation District, you can feel the buzz of ideas turning into action. Labs hum with experiments, whiteboards fill with sketches of prototypes, and the seeds of new ventures begin to grow. Guiding these entrepreneurs and inventors are TJ Master and Elizabeth Pyle, mentors with the Virginia Small Business Development Center’s (SBDC) Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program (ICAP).

TJ Master. Photo provided

Their job? Helping early-stage entrepreneurs transform vision into viable business strategy.

For both Master and Pyle, mentoring is more than advising—it’s about meeting founders where they are, asking tough questions, and helping them navigate the uncertain early stages of growth.

“I’m a go-to-market expert,” Master said, describing his background that spans Business-to-Consumer, Business-to-Business, and Business-to-Government sectors. “At ICAP, I work with teams from ideation through scaling. Most teams come in with an idea of their initial market and value proposition—I help them test those assumptions and figure out how to turn early interest into a go-to-market plan that makes sense.”

Master’s experience is hard-earned. He helped lead a global communications company from start-up to more than $100 million in annual revenue across six countries—culminating in a NASDAQ IPO. Now, his focus is on using that experience to fuel others’ success. “Working within a community of peers fosters collaboration and shared learning,” he said. “Founders get access to objective guidance in a space where everyone’s trying to solve similar problems.”

For Pyle, mentorship has always been about helping ideas find traction in the real world. Over the past two decades, she’s worked with start-ups and growth-stage companies in tech and health care, supporting founders as they turn ideas into sustainable businesses.

Elizabeth Pyle. Photo provided

As chief operating officer of Aperiomics, Pyle led operations and regulatory strategy. Before that, she helped shape the entrepreneurial ecosystem at the University of Virginia (UVA), directing the National Science Foundation’s I-Corps site program and serving as associate director for technology entrepreneurship at UVA’s School of Engineering and Applied Science.

Today, through her consulting firm, Pyle & Associates, she supports companies across industries in interim leadership roles. At ICAP, “I typically work with first-time founders and later-stage teams, faculty spinouts, and start-up to early-stage companies in life sciences, tech-enabled, and government-adjacent sectors,” Pyle said. “My focus is helping them optimize business models, prepare for funding, and build teams that can execute.”

Both mentors say that while funding is often the first thing founders mention as a challenge, it’s not the only hurdle.

“Many teams haven’t deeply defined the problem they’re trying to solve,” Pyle said. “They focus on the technology instead of the customer’s pain. What they really need to do is set the tech aside and validate the problem—understand who has it, what it looks like, and how it affects workflow.”

Hiring and limited lab space can also slow momentum.

Still, for both mentors, the region’s innovation energy is unmistakable. New initiatives like Governor Glenn Youngkin’s Lab-to-Launch program, which aims to streamline commercialization processes across Virginia’s universities, promise to make it even easier for entrepreneurs to turn ideas into impact.

“It’s an exciting initiative,” Master said. “It introduces a transparent and founder-friendly approach to licensing and tech transfer across the state, helping both researchers and entrepreneurs move their products forward faster.”

And while the innovation landscape is changing—particularly with artificial intelligence accelerating product development and investor expectations—Master sees opportunity in the shift. “Investors are asking for stronger growth signals earlier,” he said. “AI raises the bar for lean teams and drives faster hypothesis testing. That creates pressure and opportunity.”

For founders who don’t have a technical background, Pyle has simple but powerful advice: Build your team. “Be honest about your strengths and weaknesses,” she said. “Recruit people who can fill the gaps. Investors back teams who they feel can execute.”

Her second piece of guidance: Keep listening. “Leverage customer discovery interviews,” she said. “Talk to potential users, test assumptions, gather data, and refine the problem you’re solving.”

That focus on curiosity and adaptability is exactly what the Innovation District, led jointly by George Mason, Prince William County, and the City of Manassas, and anchored by George Mason’s Science and Technology Campus, hopes to cultivate—a community where researchers, students, and entrepreneurs collaborate to build something bigger than themselves.

Through ICAP, Virginia-based founders have access to free resources, mentorship, and networking opportunities designed to turn great ideas into market-ready ventures.

Master and Pyle are both on site to meet with founders and teams in the Innovation District. Learn more and register to for ICAP program benefits and mentorship through the Virginia SBDC website.

To connect with Master and Pyle, entrepreneurs can sign up for the Innovation District newsletter by emailing ibhi@gmu.edu.

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Mason Enterprise at 91�� propels entrepreneurship across the region

ckearney — Tue, 23 Sep 2025 20:18:05 +0000

Mason Enterprise at 91�� propels entrepreneurship across the region ckearney Tue, 09/23/2025 - 16:18

Northern Virginia and the Greater Washington Region is rapidly becoming one of the nation’s fastest-growing entrepreneurial destinations for investors and inventors, with 91��’s investments and partnerships as a key driver.

From Accelerate investor Conference 2024. Photo provided

The state’s largest university-based business incubator, Mason Enterprise partners with the university’s schools and institutes, big business, start-ups, and venture capital investors to advance a thriving ecosystem of entrepreneurship and economic growth. This contributed to making Virginia a top state for business, according to CNBC.

“George Mason is powering Virginia’s future,” said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “The university is preparing students for high-demand careers, supporting entrepreneurs at every stage, and driving the growth of small businesses across the state. We’re not just in the degree business, we’re in the success business.”

Mason Enterprise played a key role in Virginia’s new Lab-to-Launch initiative, the first of its kind in the nation. Developed through a statewide collaboration led by George Mason and University of Virginia, with the Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and the state’s four other R1 research universities—Old Dominion University, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, and William & Mary—the initiative is designed to double the number of start-ups that originate from Virginia’s research universities and accelerate the commercialization of breakthrough technologies.

Mason Enterprise leadership and impact highlights include:

$2.8 billion in bank loans, lines of credit, venture capital, angel investment, new revenues, and government contracts secured in 2024
65 invention disclosures by faculty last year—a 150% increase over five years
Growth from 300 to 2,000 supported tech start-ups in five years
One in six of the businesses served by Mason Enterprise are veteran-owned
58,000 entrepreneurs, small business owners, students and faculty participated in 2,600 workshops in 2024 (up from 19,000 attendees in 2020)
Helped in the formation of 409 new companies in 2024
Helped in the creation and retention of 6,351 jobs in 2024

“We’re proud to be building a culture of innovation that is reaping benefits for the region and beyond,” said Paula Sorrell, George Mason’s associate vice president of innovation and economic development. “The blend of education, research, and public–private partnerships has created a steady pipeline of new ideas and investments that ensure our regional and national competitiveness.”

The Mason Enterprise team, led by Sorrell, was recently recognized by the Virginia Association of Counties for its Accelerate Breakfast Series, which connects entrepreneurs and investors through curated pitch opportunities that strengthen the local start-up ecosystem and attract regional investment. In addition, the International Economic Development Council recognized Mason Enterprise for its multiyear efforts advancing the region’s tech innovation economy with its Innovation Ecosystem Building award, the result of creating several high-impact, tech start-up focused programs to help diversify the regional economy.

Mason Enterprise provides small business and start-ups with affordable office space, legal and accounting assistance, free mentoring, access to investor networks, makers’ spaces, and tailored programs designed to help get ideas get off the ground or take the next step to get to market. Working closely with VIPC and nearby local officials in Prince William, Arlington, and Fairfax counties, the team also manages the Small Business Administration’s (SBA) network, called the Virginia Small Business Development Center and the Department of War’s (DOW) Virginia APEX Accelerator.

Mason Enterprise will host its fifth annual Accelerate Investor Conference 2025 on November 5-6 at the new Fuse at Mason Square in Arlington, Virginia. This year’s venture capital event will feature keynote speaker Sid Banerjee, chief strategy officer for Medallia, as well as a fireside chat co-hosted by Virginia BIO CEO John Newby and Jeff Conroy, managing director of Bayeux Ventures and former CEO of Embody, a successful Virginia start-up.

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Youngkin launches university commercialization initiative to fast-track startups and accelerate innovation

ckearney — Wed, 13 Aug 2025 16:56:06 +0000

Youngkin launches university commercialization initiative to fast-track startups and accelerate innovation ckearney Wed, 08/13/2025 - 12:56

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin has launched a new Lab-to-Launch initiative to unlock innovation in Virginia by accelerating university research commercialization and technology transfer.

Developed through a bold statewide collaboration between Virginia Innovation Partnership Corporation (VIPC) and Virginia’s six R1 research university partners—91��, Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, William & Mary—this initiative aims to double the number of startups that spin out annually from Virginia’s research universities and propel technology breakthroughs into the marketplace.

Governor Youngkin joined by Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura, VIPC President and CEO Joe Benevento, Secretary of Education Aimee Guidera, representatives of Virginia’s research universities, including George Mason's Paula Sorrell, and business leaders at ceremonial MOU signing. Photo by Kaitlyn DeHarde/Governor's Office

The Lab-to-Launch initiative will create Virginia’s first-ever standardized Fast-Track License agreement to commercialize university research, while also expanding opportunities to connect with talent and capital from the private sector.

“Virginia is home to world-class research university institutions, and with Lab-to-Launch and the Virginia Fast-Track License, we are moving at the speed of business to accelerate commercialization pathways for university technology startups,” said Youngkin. “Since 2022, we’ve seen a record 15,000+ high-growth startups launch in Virginia, and we are now ranked top 10 in the nation for both technology and innovation and access to capital. Virginia is leading the way, and I look forward to seeing the transformative discoveries that go from ‘lab to launch’ and enhance people’s lives, not only in Virginia but throughout the country.”

Virginia Fast-Track License for Startups

Standardizes key terms in university intellectual property (IP) license agreements with startups and streamlines the university technology transfer process to make it easier, faster, less costly, and more transparent for scientists, inventors, and entrepreneurs.
Offers some of the most founder-friendly, standard university license economic terms in the country for entrepreneurs.
Startups that spin off from universities using the Virginia Fast-Track License are eligible for a grant award of up to $50,000 from VIPC toward upfront out-of-pocket university commercialization costs.

Private-Sector Collaboration with University Commercialization

Launch Entrepreneur-in-Residence program to connect industry experience and business acumen with technical knowledge and scientific expertise.
Create digital database and online catalog for university IP to make it easier for industry partners to access and engage with university innovation pipelines.
Attract private-sector investment for university startup spin-offs by engaging with venture capital funds and investor networks and evaluating potential partnership opportunities through VIPC’s Virginia Invest platform.

“Once again, Virginia is at the forefront because Virginia is open for business,” said Secretary of Commerce and Trade Juan Pablo Segura. “I cannot wait to see its impact from the extraordinary work, talent, and technology we have in our universities as we continue to unlock Virginia’s potential when it comes to innovation, technology, and everything it has to offer.”

“Virginia’s leading university hubs play an essential role in our innovation ecosystems and in catalyzing groundbreaking research discoveries,” said Joe Benevento, VIPC’s president and CEO. “Collaboration and innovation are at the heart of VIPC. This statewide partnership with Virginia’s R1 universities will elevate the commonwealth’s national leadership and launch a new frontier of innovation-driven growth and opportunity.”

As part of Lab-to-Launch, university partners will seek ways to identify and share best practices to grow research commercialization efforts in Virginia. VIPC will also measure and benchmark statewide university commercialization outcome metrics against historical baselines as well as national peers.

“Lab-to-Launch puts Virginia in a strong competitive position to connect business experience with faculty innovators, offer start-ups access to university technology with clear terms, and create a clear path to seed capital,” said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president of innovation and economic development at George Mason. “It’s a win for tech start-ups, George Mason, and the commonwealth.”

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Fuse at Mason Square welcomes three new tech industry tenants

Katarina Benson — Fri, 18 Jul 2025 18:54:01 +0000

Fuse at Mason Square welcomes three new tech industry tenants Katarina Benson Fri, 07/18/2025 - 14:54

Three more tenants have moved into 91��’s state-of-the-art Fuse building at Mason Square in the Rosslyn-Ballston Innovation Corridor of Arlington, Virginia.

JSI, Corvex, and Oasis Hill strengthen Fuse as a center for collaboration between industry leaders, government, university researchers, and students. All three tenants moved into Fuse this spring.

Fuse at Mason Square is a 345,000-square-foot technology-focused facility designed to be an innovation community that fosters partnerships and opportunities that accelerate research outcomes into real-world solutions. The private commercial suites, which are adjacent to George Mason’s Institute for Digital Innovation (IDIA) and academic programs in disciplines like computer science and engineering, provide immediate access to leading-edge labs, collaboration zones, and convening spaces, as well as highly activated and curated programs, day and night, for the building’s occupants, visitors, and the wider community.

The new tenants represent diverse sectors crucial to the digital economy:

Based in Chantilly, Virginia, JSI is a trusted provider of AI-enabled digital intelligence solutions deployed in more than 40 countries. JSI’s software is used to expand awareness, surface patterns, and simplify data complexity in support of mission-critical operations. Purpose-built for the evidential requirements of law enforcement, JSI has been helping protect what matters, both domestically and abroad, for more than 45 years.

“Quality and speed matter, and Fuse will accelerate our momentum with academic partners to close today's most pressing mission-critical gaps,” said Josh McKenna, president of JSI USA. “It’s more than a collaboration space; it’s a launchpad for practical, cost-effective innovation that helps clean streets, secure borders, and protect communities.”

Corvex provides accessible computing infrastructure for the entire AI lifecycle. The Corvex AI Cloud enables innovators to train, fine-tune, and inference AI models using the latest generation of supercomputers paired with white-glove support to ensure client success.

"Fuse at Mason Square is thriving with innovation. It’s not just the technology focus of the building, but the community of innovators it is attracting," said Jay Crystal, Corvex Co-CEO.

Corvex operates at the absolute cutting edge of hardware and software that powers third-party developers' AI applications. The Corvex team's background in large-scale distributed computing and enterprise-grade software development infuses our community with a unique perspective in the fastest growing segment of the technology industry.

Oasis Hill is an innovation hub that will host pitch competitions, networking events, and accelerate start-ups in the tech marketplace and healthcare AI world. Co-founder Shy Pahlevani has been recognized as one of D.C.’s Top Young Entrepreneurs and Washington Business Journals’ 40 Under 40. He is also the founder of two Arlington start-ups: LiveSafe, which crowdsources safety intelligence, and HUNGRY, an office catering service.

JSI and Oasis Hill are collaborating with George Mason colleges and programs to offer mentorship to student entrepreneurs, mentorship/internship opportunities, and joint research projects.

“91��’s Mason Enterprise is excited to be partnering with Oasis Hill on a series of tech accelerators focused on vertical markets, including artificial intelligence, biomedical, and more,” said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president for innovation and economic development at George Mason. “Mason Enterprise will bring its expertise in running effective technical field accelerators that bridges universities and the community, while Oasis Hill will bring their entrepreneurial energy and subject matter experts to deliver programs based in Fuse in Arlington at Mason Square.”

“JSI's tenancy in Fuse will accelerate our ability to collaborate on existing and new research endeavors, provide a direct line of tech talent to JSI and facilitate JSI's efforts to create project-based learning opportunities for George Mason students at Mason Square,” said Liza Wilson Durant, associate provost for strategic initiatives and community engagement at George Mason.

"The latest cohort of tenants will drive innovation at Fuse, and each brings unique solutions to the market,” said Brian Naumick, managing director at Edgemoor Infrastructure & Real Estate. “Fuse allows them unparalleled opportunities and tailored amenities designed to foster greater innovation and collaboration. The experience at Fuse is different, driven by its one-of-a-kind space and unique curated events and experiences planned every day for the benefit of our collaborators."

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Regional startups find support at annual Accelerate Investor Conference

ckearney — Mon, 11 Nov 2024 19:15:31 +0000

Regional startups find support at annual Accelerate Investor Conference ckearney Mon, 11/11/2024 - 14:15

In October, 91�� hosted its fourth annual Accelerate Investor Conference in Arlington, Virginia.

From left, Presidential Partner Nicole Washington, Mason Enterprise Entrepreneur in Residence program founder Farhad Chowdhury, US-AID CIO and Executive Director Mohamed Abdel-Kader, George Mason President Gregory Washington, grand prize donor and George Mason alum Manesh Gupta, MS Electrical Engineering ’91, and George Mason AVP for Innovation and Economic Development Paula Sorrell. Photo provided

The Accelerate Investor Conference spurs the region’s innovation and startup ecosystem engagement to a new level and showcases the Virginia, Maryland, and metropolitan Washington, D.C., region as a destination for business development, venture investment, and job creation.

Each year the event grows in size and stature. This year Mason Enterprise, which plans the event, reports there were 480 registered attendees, 19 speakers, 48 company pitches, 72 investors judged and participated, and 14 student teams that pitched.

The competition targeted entrepreneurs with early to mid-seed stage, high-growth businesses with the potential to have an immediate and positive impact on our local economy, as well as student concepts with longer-term business viability. After days of networking, engagement, and education, the winners were selected.

Company Winner: AGED Diagnostics

Student Winners: CarbonSecure, light your path, and DigitAIRE

"Accelerate 2024 has once again showcased the immense talent and innovation within our tech community," said Paula Sorrell, associate vice president of innovation and economic development at George Mason. "We've seen extraordinary companies that will shape the future of our local economy. The level of creativity and ambition has been inspiring."

AGED Diagnostics Founder and CEO Rachel Zayas (left) receives the grand prize for the company pitch competition. Pictured with Tien Wong (center) and George Mason alum Manesh Gupta. The Maryland-based company is using genomic innovation to develop the most accurate blood test for liver disease. Photo provided

The Mason Enterprise team helps recruit companies and investors, curates the program geared toward growing the tech economy in the region, and coaches the companies and students to pitch for funding, said Paula Sorrell.

Local sponsors support the event. Among this year’s sponsors were the nonprofit Smart City Works, GO Virginia, and Marymount University.

Companies that pitched in the first three years of the conference have gone on to raise $72 million in follow-on funding, and two companies have successfully exited.

"We can't wait to see what this new crew of entrepreneurs achieves," said Sorrell.

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FedWriters strengthens ties with Costello College of Business by joining Corporate Partners Program

Greg Johnson — Fri, 25 Oct 2024 19:48:26 +0000

FedWriters strengthens ties with Costello College of Business by joining Corporate Partners Program Greg Johnson Fri, 10/25/2024 - 15:48

Though they have offices and staff members across the United States, FedWriters’ headquarters is conveniently located just down the road from 91��’s Fairfax Campus. FedWriters is a professional writing, research, and communications company serving more than 80 federal agencies across the scope of the federal government, including the Department of Transportation, every branch of the United States military, and science agencies such as NASA, NIST, and NOAA.

FedWriters team at headquarters with CEO Mitchell Cho (far right). Photo provided

CEO and George Mason alum Mitchell Cho, BA '99, founded FedWriters at the Mason Enterprise Center in 2010 as a one-person company, which today boasts $40 million in annual revenue with more than 375 employees.

The company was recently recognized as NOAA’s Small Business of the Year, Washington Post’s Best Places to Work, Inc. 5000's fastest growing companies in America, Washington Business Journal's Fast75, and more.

Cho sits on the board as chair for the Fairfax Economic Development Authority, where he first learned of the Costello Corporate Partners Program from Patrick Soleymani, associate dean for outreach and strategic engagement at the Costello College of Business.

“I thought it was an ideal opportunity for us to expand our profile and really market the company to the student body as an exceptional place to start their careers,” says Cho. “We really see George Mason as the perfect kind of platform to hire people and help them grow because that’s what we’re all about.”

The FedWriters team was already an engaged partner with George Mason, conducting mock interview sessions, reviewing resumes, and participating in career day events. “When this opportunity popped up to be a corporate partner, we jumped on it,” says Cho.

Moreover, much of their engagement focused specifically on the Costello College of Business, including supporting a student team in the Patriot Pitch Competition and speaking with business students about career opportunities in government contracting. In addition, they worked with a few different groups of students from the Professional Readiness Experiential Program (PREP) taught by Brian Ngac, instructor in information systems and operations management at the Costello College of Business. “I think I've personally done two letters of recommendation and validated work experience for three of those students out of PREP,” says Marc Fain, chief revenue officer.

Becoming an official corporate partner has strengthened FedWriters’ ties with the business college, as they support recruitment, internship opportunities, scholarships, student activities, faculty awards, and the Dean’s Excellence Fund as part of the program. In return, FedWriters receives high visibility, increased student recruitment, special invitations, and named scholarships, among other benefits.

Having graduated from George Mason with a BA in political science in 1999, Cho estimates that he has close to 60 George Mason alumni employed in their Fairfax office. “We love having that kind of network and pool of really great candidates that we can pull from, and we also love to hire people directly who are early in their careers and help them grow,” he says.

As FedWriters continues to grow rapidly—hiring about 100 new employees so far this year—they typically first look at George Mason via career fairs and Handshake, George Mason’s platform for students seeking jobs and employers.

A few of the publications from FedWriters. Photo provided

Since its inception, FedWriters has only gathered more steam growing both their staffing and client list and earning remarkable accolades along the way. “The employee’s experience matters to us, making sure that they know that we support them when things happen in their lives,” says Susan Parr, chief operations officer. “When you take care of people, they perform. Our customers are happy, and the company grows.”

With the constant growth and acquisition of new contracts, and because government contracts are finite, employees are provided with new opportunities to work for causes that they are passionate about.

Housing the Greg and Camille Baroni Center for Government Contracting, the first-in-the-nation university center to address the business, policy, and regulatory issues in government contracting, the Costello College of Business continues to build connections with the top minds in government contracting, many of whom directly share their expertise with students in the classroom. These well-prepared Costello students can look forward to entering into a stable industry.

Student Alejandra Villanueva sits down for
one-on-one coaching during FedWriters
Takeover Day. Photo by Greg Johnson

“Government services are always needed, and they play a big role in keeping our society running," says Cho. "Government contracting helps make sure these services are provided, and there will always be opportunities for people to work in various fields, such as defense, science, environmental, and finance.”

With their mission of “communicating the business of government,” FedWriters has embraced the innovative business collaboration at the top business school in the region by joining the Corporate Partners Program, and they look forward to preparing and recruiting many George Mason students.

Learn more about the Costello Corporate Partners Program

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Patrick Soleymani

Brian Ngac

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