Boston University’s 2026 Ignition Awards recognize six research teams advancing toward commercialization, including a drug-free injectable implant for knee pain, a new pancreatic cancer drug, a chronic kidney disease treatment, synthetic tooth enamel, optical drone-defense technology, and silent underwater propulsion for robots. Each winning team receives up to $75,000 plus entrepreneurial mentorship from BU Technology Development. Applications for the 2027 awards open October 1, 2026.
The annual awards, run by BU Technology Development’s entrepreneurship division, hand out up to $75,000 to research teams whose work is ready to take the next step toward commercialization. This year’s winners span an unusually wide range of fields — from pain management and cancer treatment to drone defense and quiet underwater propulsion.
Winner Spotlight: A Drug-Free Implant for Chronic Knee Pain
One of the standout projects comes from biomedical engineer Carolyn Marar, who is developing a tiny, injectable implant designed to calm overactive nerves without medication. The device — about the size of a piece of pencil lead — is made from a biodegradable, conductive polymer. On its own it does nothing, but when targeted with microwaves, it focuses that energy precisely enough to quiet the specific nerve causing pain.
Marar, who studied microwave neuromodulation during her PhD, has already founded a company called Nervara to help commercialize the technology and has tested it in cell cultures.
She’s now working alongside chronic-pain researchers Venetia Zachariou and Daniel Taub to explore how to best deliver the therapy — potentially through a wearable knee brace for ongoing treatment or a smaller device for occasional flare-ups.
Chronic pain remains one of the leading causes of disability worldwide, and existing drug treatments don’t work well for many patients. The Ignition Award pairs Marar’s team with an advisory committee to help navigate the practical hurdles of turning a lab discovery into a product — from regulatory approval to making the device appealing to everyday users.
The Other 2026 BU Ignition Award Winners
The remaining five main-track winners of the 2026 BU Ignition Awards are:
- Optical defense against drones — Thomas Bifano and David Bishop are working on cheaper, more scalable deformable-mirror systems that could improve directed-energy defenses against low-cost drone threats.
- A new treatment for chronic kidney disease — Steven Borkan and Laurence Beck are developing a peptide drug aimed at protecting specialized kidney cells and slowing the progression of a disease that currently has no cure.
- Synthetic tooth enamel — Yuwei Fan’s team is building a noninvasive way to treat sensitive teeth, potentially reducing the need for root canals and extractions.
- A life-extending cancer drug — John A. Porco Jr. is working on a new chemotherapeutic aimed at a particularly aggressive, genetically linked form of pancreatic cancer, which currently has a five-year survival rate under five percent.
- Silent underwater propulsion — Tommaso Ranzani’s team is developing bioinspired jet propulsion technology for underwater robots, aimed at defense and aquaculture missions where quiet, long-endurance operation matters.
BU also recognized four early-stage projects tackling tissue evaluation, autonomous science instruments, HIV-related inflammation, and in-soil sensors.
Bridging the Gap Between Lab and Market
For many winners, the timing couldn’t be better. Ranzani’s underwater propulsion project had already validated its core technology through Office of Naval Research funding and dozens of customer interviews. It lacked a clear path to turn a research prototype into something that could compete commercially.
Melinda Shockley, BU’s executive director of faculty entrepreneurship, says what excites her most is watching researchers pair technical expertise with entrepreneurial thinking to give early discoveries their best shot at reaching the people who need them — whether that’s patients, clinicians, or entire industries.
For Marar, the recognition has done more than fund her next round of testing — it’s expanded how far she thinks her technology could go, from knee pain to conditions like epilepsy. As she puts it, knowing how many people could ultimately benefit is what keeps her motivated to push the work forward.
Applications for the 2027 Ignition Awards open October 1.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the BU Ignition Award? The BU Ignition Award is an annual entrepreneurship prize from Boston University Technology Development. It gives research teams up to $75,000, plus a dedicated advisory committee, to help move lab discoveries toward commercialization and real-world use.
Who won the 2026 BU Ignition Awards? The 2026 winners are: Carolyn Marar (drug-free knee pain implant), Thomas Bifano and David Bishop (optical drone-defense technology), Steven Borkan and Laurence Beck (chronic kidney disease drug), Yuwei Fan (synthetic tooth enamel), John A. Porco Jr. (pancreatic cancer chemotherapeutic), and Tommaso Ranzani (silent underwater propulsion technology).
How much funding does the BU Ignition Award provide? Winning teams can receive up to $75,000 in funding, along with entrepreneurial mentorship and a dedicated advisory committee to help with regulatory, market, and investor strategy.
How does Carolyn Marar’s knee pain implant work? The implant is a small, biodegradable, conductive polymer device, similar in size to a piece of pencil lead. It is inert on its own, but when targeted with focused microwaves, it dampens signals from a specific overactive nerve — reducing pain without drugs or invasive surgery.
When do applications open for the 2027 BU Ignition Awards? Applications for the 2027 BU Ignition Awards open on October 1, 2026, through BU Technology Development.
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