Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory’s Alex Vaughan was awarded the 2018 Alexandria LaunchLabs Seed Capital Prize for the CSHL spinoff company MapNeuro Inc. during the NYC Life Science Innovation Showcase, held in New York City on June 14, 2018. Valued at $100,000, the prize, meant to fund early-stage development companies, includes a scholarship to Alexandria LaunchLabs, a cash award, and an investment from the Alexandria Seed Capital Platform, an innovative funding model catalyzing seed-stage life science investment.
“We were thrilled to announce MapNeuro as the winner of our second annual prize,” said Blake Stevens, Head of Alexandria LaunchLabs – NYC. “An exciting team with innovative technology, MapNeuro is the perfect fit for our start-up platform.”
MapNeuro Inc. commercializes “molecular connectomics” technology developed in the laboratory of CSHL Professor Anthony Zador. MapNeuro uses this platform to understand brain-wide patterns of neuronal connectivity, and is specifically targeting neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s Disease and Alzheimer’s Disease.
Vaughan, who is a Scientific Project Manager in the Zador lab, was one of 25 emerging scientific entrepreneurs who presented their biomedical start-up ideas at the showcase, an annual event where entrepreneurs from New York’s top academic institutions have the opportunity to pitch their technology to biopharma executives, investors and other community stakeholders.
“We are proud of Alex and look forward to seeing the future successes of MapNeuro Inc.,” said CSHL President and CEO Bruce Stillman.
Written by: Sara Roncero-Menendez, Media Strategist | publicaffairs@cshl.edu | 516-367-8455