HOUSTON – (March 13, 2025) – Rice Innovation announced its most recent awardee of the One Small Step Grant, marking a significant milestone in accelerating the transition from lab to market for these Rice-developed technologies. Launched in September 2023, the One Small Step Grant program aims to support lab-stage projects across the Rice campus, providing crucial capital for projects to spin out of the university and successfully attract investment from angel investors and venture capital.
“The One Small Step Grant continues to attract exceptional student and faculty-led projects that have the potential to transform industries,” said Nafisa Istami, innovation manager. “This cycle’s applications showcased the breadth of groundbreaking research happening at Rice and the growing drive to bring these innovations to market.”
In its third cycle, the One Small Step Grant received 16 applications from across campus, including ideas for medical devices, therapeutics and novel tactile materials. After a rigorous evaluation process, one outstanding project was selected for funding, receiving $100,000. AJ Walters is the co-founder of Chassis.Bio, a therapeutics solution that targets neuroinflammation and supports brain repair through early intervention, starting with ICU trials for severe traumatic brain injury, aiming to reduce death and disability. The innovations driving these solutions were developed collaboratively in the labs of Caleb Bashor, assistant professor of bioengineering at Rice, and Scott Olson, associate professor of pediatric surgery at UTHealth Houston.
“Receiving this grant is a game-changer for our work,” Walters said. “The support from Rice Innovation allows us to push Chassis.Bio forward and validate our technology in ways that would have otherwise been challenging. We’re excited to take this next step with the backing of the Rice entrepreneurial ecosystem.”
Walters, who competed in the Napier Rice Launch Challenge, is a current member of the Rice Innovation Fellows cohort and a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. Chassis.Bio was also selected for the competitive National Institutes of Health Concept to Clinic: Commercializing Innovation program and the Gulf Coast Consortia Research Evaluation and Commercialization Hub.
To ensure an objective evaluation of the projects and vote on the awards, Rice Innovation engages a grant selection committee composed of experts, including entrepreneurs, investors and corporate executives from various industries. The committee’s diverse expertise plays a pivotal role in guiding the strategic direction of the One Small Step Grant program and ensuring its success.
“Congratulations to the Chassis.Bio team on this well-earned recognition,” said Adrian Trömel, assistant vice president for strategy and investments. “Chassis.Bio also represents the fifth of seven One Small Step awardees to have participated in the Rice Innovation Fellows program run by the Liu Idea Lab for Innovation and Entrepreneurship working to commercialize their research. This team is a stellar example of the products of Rice’s combined innovation ecosystem — bringing together world-class research, entrepreneurial training and early stage funding to support the next generation of deep tech ventures. We are excited to support them on this path.”
The next cycle of applications opens in April. For more information about the One Small Step Grant and Rice Innovation, please visit innovation.rice.edu.