A degradable ureter stent that does not need removal, smartglasses that can guide a wheelchair and a wearable that controls hand tremors were awarded cash and workspace for winning the pitch contest, as EIT Health gave 19 healthcare start-ups a chance to showcase themselves at MedtecLIVE, held in Nuremberg, Germany, 21-23 May 2019.
MedtecLIVE is a trade exhibition and a leading event for Europe’s medtech industry. Along with bringing 19 start-ups, EIT Health also contributed to the event with a keynote speech delivered by Dr. Kurt Höller, EIT Health Director of Business Creation, and a workshop organised by the EIT Health Alumni Network – to inform participants about CE Mark regulations and allow them to benefit from peer-to-peer exchange.
All 19 start-ups brought by EIT Health received their own booth in the MedtecLIVE Market Place area, where they could present themselves to the conference participants in Nuremberg. The start-up teams took the opportunity to showcase their products to an international audience, participate in face-to-face networking sessions, talk to investors and join relevant workshops.
“I gained valuable connections in the medtech scene, both from startups and larger companies. I participated in several open seminars where I gained knowledge about medical device regulations in the EU and also in the US,” said Kristaps Krafte, CEO and Founder of Vigo, an EIT Health start-up specialising in digital rehabilitation for stroke survivors. “The regulatory workshop organised by the EIT Health Alumni was especially relevant for my business.”
EIT Health pitch contest at MedtecLIVE 2019
Out of the 19 start-ups invited by EIT Health, ten shortlisted start-ups pitched their ideas in front of an audience of conference members and five jury members. The first, second and third place start-ups (pictured at the awards ceremony) received a share of a total of €21 000 in prize money, as well as two-to-six months of workspace and facilities at Neighborhood Voisin Consulting Paris and Medical Valley Erlangen. They were also guaranteed a sponsored booth at MedtecLIVE 2020, which is scheduled for 31 March-2 April of next year. The winners were:
FIRST PLACE – HydrUstent (Portugal): A patented biodegradable ureteral stent that is designed for homogeneous degradation after the treatment’s time has passed. The stent is inserted via a minimally invasive procedure, to treat ureter blockage, and no second medical procedure is required to remove the stent.
SECOND PLACE – Munevo DRIVE (Germany): A Smartglass application for controlling an electric wheelchair. The control is achieved through head movements, which makes hands-free guidance of the wheelchair possible.
THIRD PLACE – Stil (Netherlands): A wearable to suppress hand tremors that occur in people suffering from Parkinson’s disease, Stil uses the principles employed in noise-cancellation technology to counter the vibratory movement of tremors.
About MedtecLIVE
MedtecLIVE is a leading networking platform for the international medical technology community. The trade exhibition’s offering covers the full process chain in the production of medical engineering equipment, from prototypes to ready-for-market products. Leading companies, associations and institutions engage in networking at MedtecLIVE to cultivate contacts, share ideas and create new innovations.
This release was first published 3 June 2019 by EIT Health.
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