High-Tech Medical Devices and E.V. Charging Software Top Embry-Riddle’s Student-Led Startup Competition

Winning Embry Riddle Aeronautical University’s 9th Launch Your Venture competition for entrepreneurs was Nick Cadavid, from Florida State University and founder of Morph Labs. Here, he shows judges his prototype of a prosthetic hand powered by brainwaves, which earned his startup the $10,000 grand prize.
Winning Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s 9th Launch Your Venture competition for entrepreneurs was Nick Cadavid, from Florida State University and founder of Morph Labs. Here, he shows judges his prototype of a prosthetic hand powered by brainwaves, which earned his startup the $10,000 grand prize. (Photo: Embry-Riddle/Bernard Wilchusky)

Melanie AzamMelanie Azam /

Apr 11, 2025, 11:25 AM

Nick Cadavid’s startup merges his passions for healthcare and engineering.

Cadavid, a senior mechanical engineering student at Florida State University, founded Morph Labs, a startup that has designed a prosthetic hand powered by brainwaves that would offer amputees a limb with great dexterity. Wearing a headset, the user can use his thoughts to move the prosthetic hand.

“My family is all doctors. I’m squeamish around blood, but I wanted to keep the family legacy in medicine going,” said Cadavid, who is from Boca Raton. “I also loved the film ‘Iron Man’ as a kid and wanted to build a robot.”

Morph Labs received top honors and $10,000 in seed funding at the 9th Launch Your Venture entrepreneurship competition, held April 4 at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University’s MicaPlex. The annual incubator competition — supported by Embry-Riddle’s Research Park at the Daytona Beach Campus — rewards innovative student-led startups in aviation, aerospace and engineering. This year’s event featured six finalists representing five Florida universities.

“We are here enabling students to grow from student to CEO,” said Dr. Ronnie Mack, director of Research Park operations. “It gives hope to the next generation of innovators.”

Cadavid said he plans to use the money for intellectual property development and to further his prototype.

“It feels amazing to win,” he said. “It was a really good competition.”

Embry-Riddle student Seth Miller earned second place for Rise Technologies LLC, which is developing an upper-body rehabilitation exoskeleton device for stroke victims.
Embry-Riddle student Seth Miller earned second place for Rise Technologies LLC, which is developing an upper-body rehabilitation exoskeleton device for stroke victims. (Photo: Embry Riddle/Bernard Wilchusky)

More Innovative Ideas

Rise Technologies LLC, founded by Embry-Riddle student Seth Miller, won second place and $5,000 for its upper body rehabilitation exoskeleton device for stroke patients.

“It’s pretty exciting,” said Miller, a junior majoring in Aerospace Engineering. “We plan to put it towards an exclusive licensing agreement with NASA.”

Miller came up with the idea after meeting Rick Kelley, a businessman in Miller’s hometown of Richmond, Virginia, who had suffered a stroke. Miller saw a need for better rehabilitation options.

During his freshman year at Embry-Riddle, Miller discovered he could partner with NASA on its patented exoskeleton technology and apply it to create his device, which uses motors and is worn on the back. Kelley is now Miller’s partner in Rise Technologies.

“We want to revolutionize upper body rehabilitation,” said Miller.

ChargeBay, founded by University of Miami MD/MBA student Ansh Bhatt, took home third place and $3,000. His startup has created software to manage and maintain electric vehicle chargers.

“It’s exciting that people saw the value in our project,” said Bhatt.

The three other startup finalists were as follows:

  • Green Thumb Agricultural Solutions, founded by Stetson University student Nicole Stover
  • Postillion, founded by Embry-Riddle student Aiden McCollum
  • PrecisionMed AI, founded by University of Central Florida student Nadav Shanun

Posted In: Business