Derek Saltzman

Derek Saltzman is a dedicated Materials Engineering student at the University of Central Florida with a keen interest in Nanotechnology and a strong passion for entrepreneurship.

During his time at UCF, Derek co-founded Soarce, a startup that focuses on materials innovation by introducing a high-performance cooling fabric derived from plant waste.

He has a track record of securing NSF grants and research positions where he has been instrumental in developing advanced nanomaterial dispersions for various industries like textiles, automotive, aerospace, and sensing technology.

Derek has honed his business development skills, including public speaking, pitching, team building, and time management, to complement his engineering expertise in problem-solving and pushing the boundaries of current materials.

Currently serving as a Materials Researcher & Laboratory Operations Manager at UCF College of Engineering & Computer Science, Derek has previously held roles as the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Soarce, participated in the NSF National ICORP Entrepreneurship Cohort, and served as a Business Coach at Blackstone LaunchPad at UCF.