University of Massachusetts’ Medical Device Development (M2D2) Centre annual competition aims to identify world’s most disruptive biotech and medtech businesses.
Irish start-ups Lia Eyecare and Sports Impact Technologies were among the Awards winners announced at the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s highly competitive $200K M2D2 Challenge start-up competition.
Hosted by the University of Massachusetts’ Medical Device Development (M2D2) Centre, the annual competition, which is now in its 14th year, is aimed at identifying and rewarding ground-breaking and disruptive start-up companies in the medical technology and biotechnology sectors from around the world.
“We are delighted with the validation from the judges and the wider UMass Lowell community as we set our sights on the US”
Lia Eyecare and Sports Impact Technologies were among only 15 start-ups from around the world selected for the final.
Following pitches to a panel of judges at the University’s iHub, Sports Impact Technologies was announced as winner of the 3rd place Award with in-kind support from Mintz and bene : studio, and Lia Eyecare was announced as winner of the M2D2 $25,000 cash award.
Massachusetts-based CranioSense, which is developing IPASS, a portable, non-invasive device for monitoring intracranial pressure, was named the overall winner of this year’s $200K M2D2 Challenge competition.
Medtech prowess
llsa Webeck, Vice-President of Commercialisation Strategy, Simbex and event MC; Breda O’Regan, CEO and co-founder, Lia Eyecare; Kathryn Ellis, Director Innovation Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst and Newton and Professor Steven F. Tello, Associate Vice Chancellor for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, and Co-Director, M2D2, University of Massachusetts Lowell
Sports Impact Technologies is developing a compact, behind-the-ear wearable that detects head impacts in real-time. Using proprietary sensor technology, the wearable records linear and angular accelerations, transmitting data instantly to coaches, medical staff, or safety officials for immediate decision-making, reducing recovery times, and ensuring no concussion goes undetected.
The company founded by Eóin Tuohy is headquartered at NovaUCD in Dublin.
“The M2D2 has been a great experience for us,” said Eóin Tuohy, CEO and founder, Sports Impact Technologies. “We were delighted to be selected as a finalist and to then place thirdrd and win two of the in-kind supports from Mintz and bene : studio was a wonderful bonus. We are delighted with the validation from the judges and the wider UMass Lowell community as we set our sights on the US.”
Lia Eyecare, a joint University College Dublin (UCD) and University of Galway ophthalmology spin-out has developed the non-invasive, Nightleaf product which uses a neurological approach and advanced thermal modulation technology to stabilise the eye’s tear film layer to treat dry eye disease.
A progressive and debilitating condition, dry eye disease currently affects over 345m people worldwide.
The company, headquartered in Cork and with offices also in NovaUCD, was co-founded by Breda O’Regan and Sinéad Buckley following research on Nightleaf which commenced through the BioInnovate Ireland programme in Galway, and which was further developed at UCD with the support of Enterprise Ireland commercialisation funding.
“Being selected as a finalist, and now one of the winners, of this prestigious global challenge is a powerful validation of our work,” said Breda O’Regan, CEO and co-founder, Lia Eyecare.
“It positions Lia Eyecare among the top emerging MedTech start-ups globally. We first became aware of this opportunity during the AwakenHub St. Brigid’s trade mission to Boston and New York, which was instrumental in guiding us here.”
Main image at top: llsa Webeck, Vice-President of Commercialisation Strategy, Simbex and event MC; Eóin Tuohy, CEO and founder, Sports Impact Technologies and Professor Steven F. Tello, Associate Vice Chancellor for Entrepreneurship and Economic Development, and Co-Director, M2D2, University of Massachusetts Lowell
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