The Tulane Innovation Institute and Nucleate New Orleans co-hosted a "Nucleate Biomixer”, a New Orleans Entrepreneur Week 2024 kickoff event on Monday, March 11, 2024.  The event was held at the Tulane Innovation Institute. Attendees convened to gain insights from Dr. Cara Wells, the founder and CEO of EmGenisys, an animal ag-tech company pioneering advancements in assisted reproductive technologies.

Dr. Wells, a multifaceted entrepreneur, inventor, and animal scientist, shared her wealth of experiences and insights in initiating and scaling a successful ag-tech venture. Dr. Clay Christian, Executive Director of Commercialization at the Tulane Innovation Institute, moderated the inspiring conversation.

The narrative of EmGenisys' inception is both advantageous and inspirational. Dr. Wells recounted a fortuitous encounter on an airplane, where she met Dr. Kimberly Gramm, currently the Chief Innovation & Entrepreneurship Officer at the Tulane Innovation Institute (at the time Dr. Gramm was the Associate Vice President of Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Texas Tech University). Dr. Wells shared her research with Dr. Gramm, who recognized her potential and encouraged her to explore entrepreneurship to tackle industry challenges with her innovative solution.

EmGenisys has since garnered acclaim on both national and international stages. It has secured crucial seed funding and diversified its market reach beyond veterinary science into realms such as human health and space agriculture.

Following the conversation with Dr. Wells, the event concluded with attendees and guests mingling and learning more about Nucleate New Orleans.  Nucleate New Orleans is a student-led nonprofit organization committed to nurturing the next generation of biotech leaders and encouraging academics to confront the challenges facing our society. It particularly emphasizes energy sustainability, healthcare, medicine, and medical device innovation.