A Carle Illinois College of Medicine student’s solution to help stabilize patients with brain injury until specialized treatment is available has earned second place in Illinois’ largest venture-creation program. Al Smith’s prototype of a new portable neurosurgical navigation device – poised to advance patient monitoring and emergency stabilization – won second place overall out of more than 350 entries and earned first place in the Healthcare Innovation category at the 2026 Cozad New Venture Challenge.
Smith’s system, which is now called Cephal Corps, couples an articulated robotic arm with a graphical user interface and 3D mapping software to guide general surgeons in the placement of external ventricular drains. Neurosurgeons insert EVDs to relieve fluid build-up under the skull that can increase pressure on the brain. EVD placement is a delicate and precise procedure that is often delayed when no neurosurgeon is available, especially in remote and rural areas
“Our device will increase access to intracranial pressure monitoring and initial stabilization, reducing the time to treatment and giving a new hope to those who currently lack access to lifesaving brain injury care,” Smith said.
With a total of $65,000 in winnings from the Cozad New Venture Challenge and prizes from previous international competitions, Smith is ready to move his innovation forward. “The next step in our development is to refine the device design based on feedback during our cadaver study, and to prepare for regulatory approval. This funding will provide the kick-start we need to rapidly advance these efforts in the next several months,” he said.
Several other teams led by CI MED Physician Innovators won support for their work on new health care solutions. The teams listed below competed in the Cozad New Venture Challenge Healthcare Transformation track. This specialized track included the Healthcare Innovation Award sponsored by the Carle Illinois College of Medicine.
PeriAssist - $15,000 1st Place Rural Health Innovation
This new assisted-birth tool is designed as a safer alternative to the existing high-risk instruments used in complex childbirths. In contrast to metal forceps, PeriAssist uses an inflatable ring that surrounds the baby’s head. Unlike metal forceps or suction devices, the ring distributes pressure evenly, reducing the risk of skull injury or nerve damage for the baby.
LumeNIRS - $10,000 2nd Place Rural Health Innovation
LumeNIRS is a cutting-edge device using near-infrared light therapy to promote and monitor surgical wound healing easily and non-invasively
Flex-Able - $10,000 Henry Dale and Betty Smith Advancement in Sports Medicine Prize
Flex-Able is a wearable assistive glove that provides extra grip strength and hand support for patients with reduced grip strength that limits their ability to perform daily tasks. The team’s concept includes flexible sensors to detect finger movement and is adjustable for comfort and daily use.
PedalPro - $5,000 Landuyt Business and Engineering Partnership Prize (supporting the work of Gies College of Business and Grainger College of Engineering students who contributed to prototype development)
PedalPro is a simple pedal device that helps patients remain active and maintain healthy blood flow while confined to bed, helping to prevent deep vein thrombosis (DVT) – painful and potentially dangerous blood clots that form in the legs.
Another team with a CI MED connection won third place and a $3000 prize in the Health Innovation category. Jungle BioTech, led by a student in Informatics, is transforming drug development by helping drug companies identify candidates that will fail before they spend $100M+ on clinical trials. Approximately 90% of drugs fail, and each costs more than $2 billion and takes 10 to 15 years. The startup brings 60 years of proven nuclear safety engineering to drug development. CI MED Health Innovation Professor Catherine Blake is on the team's advisory board.
In 2026, more than 350 teams competed in the Cozad New Venture Challenge, including more than 30 teams led by CI MED students. The annual competition is organized by the Landuyt Center for Entrepreneurship (previously called the Technology Entrepreneurship Center) at The Grainger College of Engineering. Read more about this year’s competition here.