From Engineer to Entrepreneur

Lei Shi, an electrical engineering doctoral student, is developing a miniature radar system that will help small, unmanned aerial vehicles — UAVs — sense what’s around them and avoid collisions. Lei Shi has launched a startup, UAVradars LLC, with the help of KU Catalyst student business incubator program, and received a NASA Small Business Innovation Research Grant through KU’s SBIR Assistance Program. His business now occupies space in the Bioscience & Technology Business Center in KU’s West District. Lei Shi can be seen on two billboards along Interstate 70 between Lawrence and Kansas highlighting innovations derived from KU research.