ASU Biomedical Engineering Students Score Another Win with ADHD Neurofeedback Device

Arizona State University’s bright minds have notched up another win for their innovative venture designed to aid individuals with ADHD. Captavate, devised by a team of ASU biomedical engineering students, has once again garnered attention and funding, securing $20,000 at the latest Demo Day competition, adding to their previous $40,000 win.

Michael Li, who is pursuing his graduate degree in biomedical engineering and serves as the chief operating officer and co-founder of Captavate, shared a message of perseverance with aspiring innovators. Despite early setbacks during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, he encouraged persistence, reflecting on the journey that led to their current success by absorbing feedback and consistently improving their approach.

Cash awards totaling over $100,000 were distributed during the Demo Day, which is a highlight of the Venture Devils program, situated at the J. Orin Edson Entrepreneurship + Innovation Institute. The program supports a wide range of ASU-affiliated entrepreneurship, offering mentorship and resources to participants, including valuable workspace.

Currently, Captavate is in the prototype stage, developing an EEG headset that syncs with a dedicated app. Designed for users engaged in activities requiring concentration, like studying, the device provides haptic feedback when it detects diversion of focus.

Driven by co-founder and CEO Abyssinia Bizuneh’s personal challenge with ADHD, Captavate aims to offer an alternative to medication. Pouring her positive experience with neurofeedback therapy into the project, Bizuneh, along with her fellow students Makenna Colton and Li, translated their capstone project into a practical venture.

The funding from Demo Day is set to turbocharge the team’s route to market, as Bizuneh announced during the awards ceremony. With the new capital, they plan to ramp up testing and expedite the availability of their solution.

Several other student-led ventures were recognized and supported through various funding tracks. Enterprises that target different domains, from environmental sustainability to social impact and inclusivity to health innovation, received accolades and grants that will fuel their growth and development.

Highlighting the breadth of creativity and dedication at ASU, these awards are not only a financial boost but a testament to the university’s commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial talents across a diverse range of fields.