By Sarvesh Ramakrishnan, biomedical entrepreneurship sophomore
This spring, I had the incredible opportunity to attend South by Southwest (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, through The University of Tulsa’s JOLT entrepreneurship program in the Collins College of Business. As a sophomore studying biomedical entrepreneurship, this experience was the perfect blend of my passions: health care innovation, startup culture, and impactful networking.
During the week, I immersed myself in conversations and workshops led by industry leaders, gaining valuable insight into how to effectively pitch and scale early-stage ventures. I was honored to represent two of my startup projects on this international stage: AuraPatch, a wearable device that detects seizures through microsweat data (co-founded with first-year biology student Aaryan Thavaran), and GlaucAI, a machine learning tool designed to predict glaucoma before clinical symptoms arise.
One of the most surreal moments was pitching both products live on TV to renowned tech reviewer Marques Brownlee (MKBHD). His feedback was direct and helpful, and that experience alone has already shaped how I communicate my startup vision. Beyond that, I had impactful conversations with experts including Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, singer-songwriter Benson Boone, and entrepreneur and investor Mark Cuban. Each of them offered different perspectives on entrepreneurship, health care, and innovation that I’ve already begun applying to my work.
This opportunity wouldn’t have been possible without the support of Chris Wright, Taleya Mayberry-Smith, and UTulsa’s Center for Innovation & Entrepreneurship. I thank them for believing in me and helping shape this unforgettable experience. I’d also like to thank my fellow students who made SXSW even more fun and inspiring as first-time attendees together.
Back on campus, this experience has deepened my commitment to bringing innovation to health care. As a pre-med student with a passion for entrepreneurship, SXSW reaffirmed that the future of medicine isn’t just in hospitals – it’s in the startups and ideas we build today.