Henna, founded by PSU’s Director of the Business Accelerator, Arsh Haque, is building a "commercialization engine" for deep science and research. The company’s platform helps researchers and scientist-founders translate complex intellectual property into market-ready ventures by generating critical materials such as pitch decks, data rooms, and sales collateral, effectively bridging the gap between the lab and the marketplace.
The company's direction was significantly shaped during its participation in the prestigious USC and Techstars Digital Economy Program earlier this year. During the intensive accelerator, the team had a pivotal realization: the most impactful way to bring responsible AI research to the world was not just to build tools, but to empower the researchers themselves. This led Henna to pivot its focus to becoming an "easy button" for scientists, enabling them to navigate the complex commercialization process and get their vital work out into the world.
Henna’s first implementation has been created with early-stage businesses and university technology transfer offices in mind; they will be presenting this September at the Western Regional Conference for the Association of University Technology Managers.
“UVDF funding was the foundation of so much of the success that followed. It gave us the legitimacy to approach leading researchers and universities as partners, and the credibility for investors to see that we were among those academic innovations capable of making a real, outsized impact," said Arsh Haque, Founder & CEO of Henna.
"The UVDF is vital for companies like Henna, providing the essential seed funding to enable participation in accelerator programs like Techstars and seek initial market validation while building the first customer-facing product, in this case a platform that we hope will become a defacto standard first step for many research institutions and PIs to build an actionable strategy for new research results, effectively accelerating the gap between innovation and impact," said Travis Woodland, Director of Innovation & Intellectual Property.
The University Venture Development Fund, supported by philanthropic contributions, provides crucial seed funding to startups and early-stage companies affiliated with PSU. The fund’s mission is to catalyze the commercialization of promising research and innovations emerging from the university, fostering economic growth and demonstrating a powerful return on community investment.
About Henna
Henna is a Techstars-backed company building a commercialization engine for deep science and research translation. Its platform provides IP-based founders with the tools and support needed to build pitch decks, secure funding, and close sales, accelerating the journey from research to real-world impact. Learn more, and try it yourself at www.askhenna.com.
About Portland State University
As Oregon's most affordable public research university, Portland State University is a vital force for innovation and intellectual growth in the heart of downtown Portland. With a commitment to "Let Knowledge Serve the City," PSU provides students with a world-class education and opportunities to engage in research and creative projects that benefit the community and the world.