Querrey InQbation Lab reaches milestone with 25th resident company commercializing Northwestern breakthroughs
More than 100 active startup companies based on Northwestern intellectual property collectively employ more than 1,200 people.
EVANSTON, Ill. — The Querrey InQbation Lab (The Q) at Northwestern University has reached a significant milestone, becoming home to 25 resident companies commercializing Northwestern breakthroughs in just three years. The achievement reflects the continued growth of Northwestern’s innovation ecosystem and The Q’s role in helping science- and engineering-based startups launch and grow in Illinois.
The newest resident companies, Atrellx and Amino Cosmetic Peptides, exemplify this mission by advancing high-potential discoveries toward commercialization while creating opportunities for growth and job creation in Illinois.
They join more than 100 active startup companies based on Northwestern intellectual property that collectively employ more than 1,200 people, underscoring the strength of the University’s innovation ecosystem.
“The Q plays a critical role in our University ecosystem by providing specialized laboratory space, shared equipment and an entrepreneurial community that enables the most promising science- and engineering-based ventures to transition from university research into scalable businesses,” said Sonia Kim, executive director of the Querrey InQbation Lab.
“DCEO was proud to support the launch of The Q and the companies leveraging research to improve lives while strengthening Illinois’ economy,” said Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Director Kristin Richards. “Reaching 25 resident companies in three years shows how strategic investments can help innovative companies start, grow and create jobs right here in Illinois.”
Atrellx has developed an advanced microphysiological system (MPS) platform based on the pioneering research of former Northwestern faculty member Teresa K. Woodruff and current Northwestern faculty member Julie Kim, and is led by entrepreneur and Northwestern alum Bob Cook. By recreating human biology with exceptional fidelity, the platform has the potential to transform drug development, accelerate advances in women's health and enable more personalized medicine by improving researchers’ ability to predict the safety and effectiveness of new therapies before they reach clinical trials.
Amino Cosmetic Peptides is commercializing a regenerative peptide technology based on the research of Northwestern faculty member Samuel I. Stupp, and is led by Q Entrepreneurial Fellow Doruk Cezan. The company’s proprietary peptide system signals skin cells to produce collagen and elastin at levels not previously achieved in the skincare industry, opening new possibilities for scientifically validated regenerative skincare products.
The two companies join a growing community of science-driven ventures at The Q, including Coral Innovations, HIDENN-AI, Melanyze, Rhaeos, Syenex, Volexion, NylaNova and many others in biotechnology, data, advanced materials, energy and other high-impact fields.
Since opening in 2023, The Q has become a catalyst for transforming university discoveries into high-growth companies by providing entrepreneurs with fully equipped laboratory facilities, shared scientific infrastructure, business support, and connections to investors and industry partners. The model helps startups remain and grow in Illinois during their critical early stages, strengthening the state’s innovation economy while creating long-term jobs, investment and societal impact.
About the Querrey InQbation Lab
The Querrey InQbation Lab (The Q) is Northwestern University’s innovation hub for science- and engineering-based startups. Supported through funding from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity and by generous gifts from Northwestern University Trustee Kimberly Querrey, The Q provides laboratory space, shared scientific infrastructure, entrepreneurial programming and a collaborative community that helps founders transform breakthrough research into successful companies. By enabling startups to grow where they are created, The Q accelerates commercialization, strengthens Illinois’ innovation economy and expands the societal impact of Northwestern discoveries. More information is at https://inqbationlab.northwestern.edu.