FrostByte Defense Technologies, a University of Utah spinout, secured top honors at the 2026 Business Innovation Awards for its autonomous, biometric-sensing heated glove liners designed for extreme cold protection.
Salt Lake City, Utah — September 7, 2026
FrostByte Defense Technologies, a University of Utah spinout building autonomous heated glove liners, took home two top awards on Sept. 2 at the 2026 Business Innovation Awards.
The startup secured first place in the Consumer Products & Lifestyle category and earned a $3,000 cash prize after CEO and Co-founder Jakob Travis won a seven-company Speed Pitch Competition. Hosted by Utah Business in partnership with The Nucleus Institute at the Utah Cultural Center, the awards highlighted deep-tech innovations across the state.
FrostByte’s core technology uses embedded biometric sensing to continuously monitor tissue temperature, automatically triggering targeted heat when conditions reach dangerous levels. Unlike traditional thermal apparel, the system is designed to preserve dexterity and optimize battery efficiency by activating heat only when needed.
Travis, a PhD candidate at NeuroRobotics Lab at the UofU, founded FrostByte in June 2025, drawing motivation from a personal encounter in 2022 with severe cold exposure while working alongside a Bedouin tribe in Jordan's Wadi Rum desert.
“As geopolitical tensions rise and as people resource hunt in the Arctic, more people like me will be put into situations they cannot deal with,” Travis said during his pitch. “This autonomous technology will protect them.”
Backed by state, federal, and University of Utah grant funding, the technology has reached Technology Readiness Level 6 (TRL 6), confirming performance in relevant operational environments. The company is currently refining its final designs and transitioning toward manufacturing, supported by an active strategic partnership with an undisclosed commercial apparel brand. FrostByte targets a partner launch in spring 2027, followed by a direct-to-consumer rollout in winter 2028.
Evaluated by an eight-member panel—including Stalwart Ventures Managing Director Rachelle Morris, Bridge CEO Jimmy Choi, EV Group co-founder Alex Lawrence, and Nucleus Grow Director Dylan Doty—nominations were scored on originality, market need, competitive edge, and traction.
“We had impressive representation in our nominations from our health sciences communities, who are at the center of trying to improve physical lives,” Catherine Bennett, executive editor at Utah Business, said. “It was confirmation of what we already know: Utah is a hub for health research and innovation.”
Other first-place category honorees included:
“Many of this year’s innovators represent the endurance and grit required to bring a transformational idea to market,” Bennett added. “They represent years of research, product testing, roadblocks, fund searching and more.”
Learn more at frostbytedefense.com.