AFS Team Brings Home Honor in Texas Tech Accelerator Competition
This article was originally published by Texas Tech University’s Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources and has been reposted here with credit to the original author. Minor edits may have been made to reflect the Innovation Hub’s perspective.
K9 Finds, a venture launched by a research team from the Texas Tech Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources, developed an innovative olfactometer-based system that significantly improves detection dog training and performance. Their cutting-edge work earned them a spot as a finalist in the Texas Tech Innovation Hub’s annual Accelerator Competition and launched their journey as a promising startup company.
Through this program, the team has access to up to $65,000 in funding. Each of the 12 selected Accelerator startup 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 University'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.