Thayer Student, Faculty Win Top Honors at Dartmouth Entrepreneurs Forum

Director of the Magnuson Center Jamie Coughlin and Dartmouth Trustee Jeff Crowe ’78 award Clairways co-founders Thayer PhD student Justice Amoh ’13 Th’13 and Jeffrey Bernowski Tu’18 with the $50,000 grand prize. (Photo courtesy of Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship.)

Clairways, a maker of lung monitoring technology that was founded by Dartmouth, Thayer, and Tuck graduates, won the Jeff Crowe ’78 grand prize at this year’s Dartmouth Entrepreneurs Forum, netting the company $25,000 in cash and $25,000 in in-kind startup help and advice.

The competition was sponsored by the Magnuson Center for Entrepreneurship, the organizer of the forum, which drew a record 433 attendees to the Dartmouth campus on March 29.

Hanover-based Clairways, which took the top prize out of a field of 80 startup contestants, was founded by Justice Amoh ’13, Thayer ’13, a PhD candidate at Thayer; Jeffrey Bemowski, Tuck ’18; and Associate Professor of Engineering Kofi Odame. The company makes a wearable device that automatically tracks lung function, designed for use in pharmaceutical clinical trials. Clairways also won the People’s Choice Award at the final event in the startup competition, which brought an additional $2,500 in cash.

Laura Ray (center) with Nila Bhakuni and Eric Fossum.

Also at the forum, Dartmouth’s Office of Entrepreneurship and Technology Transfer presented the Dartmouth Technology Innovation and Commercialization Award and named Professor of Engineering Laura Ray and Associate Professor of Engineering B. Stuart Trembly this year’s recipients.

In addition to serving as interim dean of Thayer and teaching thermodynamics and engineering design, Ray has founded two medical technology companies. In addition to teaching, Trembly is the inventor and co-investor of 12 patents owned by Dartmouth College. Avedro, a company Trembly founded while at Thayer, recently went public.

B. Stuart Trembly (center) with Nila Bhakuni and Eric Fossum.

Professor Eric Fossum, associate provost for entrepreneurship and technology transfer, says this year’s technology innovation and commercialization awards highlight two individuals who, through their inventive and entrepreneurial talents, have made strong contributions to Dartmouth and society.

“Professors Laura Ray and Stu Trembly are great examples of why this award was created and showcase the strength of our Dartmouth faculty,” Fossum says.