Support from the University of Michigan and its College of Engineering, Center for Entrepreneurship is helping UEI build next-level, world-class support for urban innovators. A key aspect of the U-M support is the advice of U-M faculty and staff and the service of our talented research team.
Anshiqa Agrawal is an engineer and strategic systems designer. At UEI, she is identifying and profiling businesses that address core urban challenges while simultaneously helping to structure UEI’s data, research, and community engagement efforts. In addition to her Bachelor’s in Computer Engineering from Singapore, Anshiqa earned her M.S. in Design Science at the University of Michigan College of Engineering, graduating with an Excellence in Sustainability honors. She began her career as a venture builder, co-designing climate-tech ventures, moving on to lead corporate innovation through partnerships with start-ups.
The work UEI is doing matters deeply to her, as building resilient, thriving cities starts with innovation that is meaningful, needs-centered, and grounded in the community. She is especially focused on encouraging businesses that solve real-world problems and create lasting social and economic value.
Felipe Sahb Furtado is a physician-scientist who is passionate about using tech to make people’s lives healthier. As part of UEI’s team, he is working on developing frameworks that help understand, measure, and support urban business ecosystems. By researching and documenting real businesses and their community impact, Felipe aims to find ways to improve quality of life for city dwellers.
Felipe is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business, where he is involved in the Business+Impact initiative. Felipe also holds a position as a Research Associate at the University of Michigan Center for Entrepreneurship. He earned his Doctor of Medicine degree from Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro and has experience in intensive care medicine, radiology clinical research, and digital health.
Sang Hoo Kook is a data scientist driven by a deep commitment to leveraging data and technology to enhance people’s quality of life. Currently at UEI, Sang is working on the development of data-driven analytical pipelines to identify urban-focused businesses and pressing community issues in a given location. His work combines applied machine learning and natural language processing to support data-informed discovery and profiling.
Sang is a graduate of the Master of Science in Data Science degree at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where he focused on machine learning, natural language processing, and real-world applications of data science. He also obtained a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at the University of Texas at Austin.
UEI research associate Manaswi Patil is pursuing a Master of Health Informatics degree at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She holds a Bachelor of Technology in Bioengineering from MIT ADT in Pune, India.
Manaswi is a curious researcher with a passion for healthcare and for leveraging data to achieve optimal results. Her current work with UEI includes methods for measuring and reporting community vitality and assessing and prioritizing community needs.
Ben Reynolds is a business strategist and multidisciplinary creative professional passionate about using storytelling, research, and design to strengthen urban communities. As part of UEI’s team, he contributes by conducting research and developing strategic content that highlights the impact of mission-driven businesses.
Ben is currently pursuing a Master of Management at the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business. He earned his bachelor’s degree summa cum laude from Berklee College of Music, where he studied Music Production and Engineering. In addition to his work with UEI, Ben has experience as a music producer, recording engineer, and youth educator.