Luddy researcher Zebulun Wood, left, showcased his team’s innovative virtual reality technology to Rally attendees. Photo by Justin Casterline, Indiana UniversityFaculty, staff and students from across Indiana University spent much of last week at the inaugural Rally Innovation Conference in Indianapolis, where IU’s transformative research and innovators were featured.

Rally, organized by Elevate Ventures, brought together more than 3,500 investors, entrepreneurs, innovators and more from a variety of industries across the globe. IU was a platinum sponsor of the conference, which occurred Aug. 29 to 31 at the Indiana Convention Center.

In the Demo Arena, faculty and student researchers shared information about their research projects — one of six studios highlighted during the conference — showcasing the ways IU is improving lives in Indiana and beyond. Additionally, researchers spoke about IU’s commitment to building one of the nation’s premier urban research universities at IU Indianapolis.

Zebulun Wood, a researcher in the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing and Engineering, and his team demonstrated their innovative use of virtual reality to tackle a variety of complex health care issues.

“Nothing beats getting to share your hard work with your collaborators, mentees and peers while representing your school, campus and university in your own back yard,” Wood said. “I can’t wait to see more of my colleagues shift into gear and embrace the energy at Rally. It hits hard, in the best of ways, when you get to show off your work on your home turf.”

Other IU panelists, moderators and companies with alumni founders were featured during the conference, including IU Vice President for Research Russell J. Mumper, who joined a panel about unleashing entrepreneurship in Indiana.

Additionally, 25 finalists were chosen out of 438 applicants to pitch to an audience of venture capitalists, entrepreneurs, early adopters and more. Two of the finalists had IU ties: IU-affiliated startup Kovina Therapeutics, which is working to develop first-in-class antiviral therapies to treat cancers and premalignant infections caused by human papillomavirus, and IU Bloomington alumna Rachel Klein’s Revival Food Co., a sustainable almond butter company.