KINGSTON, R.I. – Sep. 8, 2026 – The University of Rhode Island will host its second annual Tech Showcase, Tuesday, Sept. 22, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Toray Commons in the Fascitelli Center for Advanced Engineering on the Kingston campus. The showcase will allow emerging research, technologies, and ventures from across the University to collaborate with investors, industry leaders, alumni, and community partners.
Presented by URI Innovations, the showcase is designed to strengthen the path from university research to commercial application by creating direct connections around licensing, venture development, investment, and industry collaboration.
This year’s event comes amid growing momentum across URI’s innovation community. Multiple URI-affiliated startups have seen commercialization milestones within the past year.
Juice Robotics, a URI ocean technology spinout, secured venture investments from Rhode Island-based Rogue Island Ventures after developing a connection during last year’s showcase. The company has also licensed four URI-developed technologies, advancing its transition from university research to commercial venture. The company also recently received the BlueTide Catalyst Award, recognizing its potential operational transition and impact on the blue economy.
Another URI spinout, Trace Sensing Technologies, has reached a major funding milestone having recently closed a series seed round of more than $2 million to advance TRACE-E, its non-invasive breath-based diagnostic platform.
Additionally, FastFlowLM has joined AMD, bringing technology with roots in university research into one of the world’s leading semiconductor companies. Founded by URI professor of computer engineering Ken Qing Yang with Tao Wei and Alfred Xu, the startup develops software designed to make large language models and other AI workloads run more efficiently on neural processing units.
The 2026 Tech Showcase will bring these developments into a broader presentation of work currently moving through URI’s innovation pipeline. Featured participants include FinSight Intelligence, CHAMP, Looey, and URI-developed technologies focused on smart wound monitoring, PFAS detection, and more.
Keynote speaker Jon Soderstrom, founder of Yale Ventures, brings more than four decades of experience in intellectual property and university technology commercialization. During more than 25 years at Yale, his work contributed to the formation of more than 75 ventures and more than $1 billion in venture investment.
The showcase reflects URI Innovations’ larger role in helping research move beyond the University through commercialization. By bringing researchers and founders into direct contact with investors and industry, the event creates opportunities for technologies to advance through licensing, company formation, private investment, and market adoption.
The event is part of Rhode Island Startup Week, powered by RIHub. Registration is open and for more information on how to register head to: https://urishowcase.my.canva.site/.
Additional Media Contacts
Allison Markova
URI Innovations
allison_nangle@uri.edu
401-451-8578