Dr. Joel Acevedo

A group from the UPR Medical Sciences Campus attended the Association for Clinical and Translational Science’s “Translational Science 2025 Conference”, where the winner of our Empowered to Serve Business Accelerator in Puerto Rico, Dr. Joel Acevedo, won first place in the 3-Minute Thesis competition—competing with researchers from across the United States. He presented his study on the relationship between walking speed and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s, which stood out for its clarity, impact and innovation. In addition to this success, he recently received his postdoctoral diploma. Congratulations, Dr. Acevedo!

Dr. Sandra Saldana

In June 2025, Alva Health announced a non-dilutive $500,000 NSF Phase IIB SBIR award. The Yale University spinout and Cornell alumni-led company is developing an AI/ML enabled wearable device for real time stroke detection. Their mission is to automate stroke symptom recognition and emergency response, enable faster medical intervention for stroke patients and lower healthcare costs for payers. The device will initially be indicated for the detection of recurrent stroke in stroke survivors and Transient Ischemic Attack (mini-stroke) patients, a $3.3 B annual market. In the future, the product will be available for monitoring chronic risk of primary stroke, a $56B annual market. Alva Health Wins $500,000 in R&D Funding from the U.S. National Science Foundation

Anna Li

In September 2024, Anna Li, founder of Korion Health, won the $1M Hult Prize in London. Li and her team developed a USB-compatible electronic stethoscope and mobile application that allows patients to monitor their health from home. Korion Health operates to expand health care access for underserved communities and those who have been historically less engaged in preventative care. Li founded Korion Health after several experiences where she felt she was not taken seriously by her health care providers. Her mission is to encourage the health care system to be more patient-centered and to break down barriers using accessibly designed technology. Health startup company wins $1M social entrepreneurship prize