Binghamton student entrepreneurs win $110K prize to advance emergency medical software

Yoav Reshef and Joshua Ackerman, seniors at Binghamton University’s School of Management and the chief and first assistant chief of Harpur’s Ferry Student Volunteer Ambulance Service, were finalists in the Fuze Hub Commercialization Competition last week. They took home the $110,000 runner-up prize.

In February, the duo created Lucent EMS Solutions after working for years as emergency medical technicians (EMTs). They loved responding to calls and helping people, but disliked the paperwork that came after each incident.

They streamlined this process by co-founding Lucent, which makes documentation software that provides EMTs with an editable draft of each call. This efficient, quick solution was developed in hopes of combating the typical 20-60 (or more) minutes that Reshef and Ackerman claim each call’s paperwork takes to complete. They hope Lucent cut this process to under 10 minutes.

As for their most recent prize, Ackerman views it as validation.

“It proves that we're more than an idea or a concept,” he said. "It's something we can actually scale and bring to market soon. With the funding, we're hoping to use it to continue enhancing and building out our technology and our integration with the ePCR (electronic patient care reporting) software to have pilot programs on ambulances very soon.”

This was a big week for Reshef, who dedicated Harpur’s Ferry’s newest ambulance to a founding member just days before the competition. He hopes that his story can inspire others.

“If you have a problem that you've identified, you can actually go out and solve it,” he said. “If people believe in you, they'll invest and support you along the way, even without the expectation of making money from it. The support we’ve received from the University has been tremendous.”

Their goal is to have Lucent piloted by an ambulance service in Broome County by the end of the year.

Ackerman and Reshef are grateful for the opportunities they've had to connect with alumni from both SOM and Harpur's Ferry. Alumni from these networks have helped the students prepare for their competitions, as well as grow their business.

In April, the pair competed in the New York Business Plan competition and won the $25,000 grand prize.

It’s been a whirlwind for Reshef and Ackerman, as co-founding Lucent was not part of their plan. But they’re trying to soak it all in as they continue to grow.

“It's definitely a little untraditional, but that's okay. It’s hard work, but it’s fun,” Ackerman said. “Yoav is one of my best friends, so to be able to work on such a cool and innovative startup at our experience level is really, really cool. We work well together.”