An innovative olfactometer-based system that significantly improves detection dog training and performance helped a research team from the Texas Tech Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources to place as a finalist in the Texas Tech Innovation Hub’s Annual Accelerator Competition. The team has access to up to $65,000 in funding through the program.
All accelerator teams receive up to $40,000, and thanks to the support of an alumni donor, the Innovation Hub has secured an additional $25,000 specifically for teams with strong components in AI, machine learning, robotics, or advanced manufacturing—areas in which this team excels.
This year-long program offered by the Texas Tech Innovation Hub provides support and resources to help entrepreneurs and startups advance their business ideas and prepare for market success. The program is designed to accelerate the growth of innovative ventures, particularly those that align with Texas Tech's research, technology, and innovation focus.
The K9 Finds team, led by Associate Professor of Companion Animal Science Nathaniel Hall and Assistant Professor of Animal Behavior & Welfare Edgar Aviles-Rosa from the Department of Animal & Food Sciences, focused on a promising technology with the potential to enhance the capabilities of detection dogs, benefiting law enforcement, security, and search and rescue operations.
“This is an exciting opportunity for our research to turn into a product available to the detection dog community,” said Hall. “We are so grateful for the mentorship and guidance from the Texas Tech Innovation Hub to make this a reality.”
“It is a blessing to see how years of works have turn into an award weaning product that have the potential to improve detection dog training," added Aviles-Rosa. "I am grateful to Dr. Hall for the opportunity to collaborate in this project and grateful to the Innovation Hub for all the advice and help in the creation of our new startup, K9 Finds.”
The Texas Tech Innovation Hub at Research Park is the university’s center for entrepreneurial excellence, supporting startups, innovators, and researchers as they transform ideas into real-world impact. Through mentorship, funding, and commercialization programs, the Hub cultivates a thriving innovation ecosystem that drives economic growth and helps bring new technologies and solutions to market.
CONTACT: Cele Stone, Sr. Director of Strategic Partnerships & Innovation, Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, Texas Tech University at (806) 834-6266 or Cele.Stone@ttu.edu
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