Inspiring Innovation: 2024 Vogt Awards Cohort

Introducing Sofab Inks  

Pictured from left to right: Founders Jack Manzella; Sashil Chapagain, PhD; Peter Armstrong, PhD; and Blake Martin, PhD.
Photo Credit: Abdul Sharif Photography

The leadership team at Sofab Inks, a chemical manufacturing company, is on a mission to make renewable energy, specifically solar energy, more accessible and efficient. Co-founders Jack Manzella, COO; Blake Martin, PhD, CEO; Peter Armstrong, PhD; and Sashil Chapagain, PhD are addressing a critical need in the renewable energy sector by creating innovative inks for use in next-generation solar cells, such as perovskite solar panels. 

Manzella says the traditional inks used in solar technology are “often expensive and not optimized for high performance. Sofab Inks have the potential to increase the durability and lifespan of solar cells from about 10 years to 30 years.” 

With a product that is half as expensive as existing solutions and offers greater durability and lifespan, Sofab Inks hopes to make solar energy a more viable, cost-effective option and advance the use of clean energy.  

The Sofab Inks team applied to the Vogt Awards program because of its strong involvement with the local startup ecosystem, the opportunity for non-dilutive funding while retaining full ownership of the company, and the extensive support participants receive from the Louisville business community.  

“We’re a young team with a lot to learn,” said Manzella. 

He says they’ve met several mentors and advisors who have helped move the company forward.  

“The Vogt [Awards] program’s focus on nurturing innovative startups aligns perfectly with our goals at Sofab Inks, as we work to bring our cutting-edge perovskite solar ink technology to market. We highly value the program’s commitment to fostering a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem in Louisville and are excited to contribute to this vibrant community,” said Manzella. 

He says the team plans to use the $25,000 Vogt Award to produce several liters of ink for sale to key industry players and to prepare samples for potential customers demonstrating the product’s value in the hopes of securing additional partnerships. A portion of the funds will also go toward advanced chemical analysis which will help the team refine their formulations. 

Meet Nori

Pictured: Anora, Morton, JD
Photo Credit: Abdul Sharif Photography

Food deserts are a major public health issue facing many urban and rural communities. In these areas, residents find it challenging to eat a balanced diet which leads to diet-related health problems such as obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease.

Nori and its founder Dr. Anora Morton, JD, are hoping to change that by providing fresh, healthy, locally sourced, affordable food options on demand through a modern vending machine design. The hot meals will be specially curated to be culturally relevant to residents and their unique tastes.

“My company is a product of innovation born out of my frustration with the limited healthy food options in West Louisville (a food desert) coupled with my international travel experience. I studied law in Japan in 2018 and was inspired by their food accessibility via vending machines,” said Morton. “At Nori, we believe that having healthy food is a basic human right. We are seeking to help those who are living in areas where access to healthy, fresh foods is challenging.”

Morton was encouraged to apply to the Vogt Awards program by Natalia Bishop, a 2020 Vogt Awards recipient and co-founder of Level Up. Bishop said the prestigious program had benefitted her and her new business by providing her with mentors, publicity, and help moving her business forward.

Morton plans to use the $25,000 Vogt Award to cover customer acquisition costs as Nori progresses through the MVP (minimum viable product) proof-of-concept stage. She hopes her participation in the Vogt Awards program will help her move successfully through this stage and allows her to raise additional seed money.

Want to meet this year’s cohort? Attend Demo Day on October 10 at the Kentucky Derby Museum.