Fourteen medtech innovator teams were selected for the Fall 2024 cohort of our Aspire Medtech investor engagement program. These medtech companies were selected for high-impact engineering- and science-based innovations that help improve patient health, lower the cost of quality care, and offer a clear, compelling solution to challenges faced by the healthcare industry today. Over five weeks, participants will undergo rigorous training to build out their deal room materials and develop a viable fundraising plan, all while working closely with a team of dedicated investor-mentors to dig deep into the due diligence process.
Aspire Medtech is a hybrid program that will take place virtually October 15-November 8, culminating in a two-day workshop November 13-14 at TechTown Detroit. TechTown is Detroit’s entrepreneurship hub and a nonprofit business service organization that provides programs, education, and resources for early- to growth-stage small businesses and tech entrepreneurs. We are grateful for their continued support of Aspire Medtech and for the opportunity for our entrepreneurs to connect with the TechTown community and staff.
Discover more about the startups of the Fall 2024 cohort, which includes two teams that are E-Team Program alumni, and one team that participated in our Ascend Medtech Accelerator, powered by VentureWell and LEAP. They are working on medtech innovation solutions like an attachment that converts a traditional wheelchair into a motorized one in just 30 seconds, maintaining its compact size to navigate tight spaces more easily; a low-cost atomizer device that rapidly delivers intranasal drugs faster, improving efficiency during emergency situations; and low-cost wound dressings using smart biomaterials, designed to empower patients to control the healing process of their own wound infections.
Airalux Medical
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | E-Team Program alumnus
Airalux Medical is developing a software tool that encourages patients who are recovering from lung surgery to complete breathing exercises that reduce complications, streamlining the recovery process and providing comprehensive data to medical personnel on their progress.
Altra Infusion
Redmond, Oregon
Altra Infusion is developing a durable, lightweight, and waterproof infusion pump utilizing a two-chambered system that delivers fluids without the need for pressure, improving performance, safety, and portability.
Auxilium Health, Inc.
Akron, Ohio | E-Team Program alumnus
Auxilium Health is developing low-cost wound dressings using smart biomaterials, designed to empower patients to actively heal and monitor their own wound infections, enabling faster recovery and better quality of life.
AyrFlo Innovation Labs, Inc.
Madison, Wisconsin
AyrFlo Innovation Labs is developing an at-home wireless, wearable patch that provides on-demand and comprehensive data on a patient’s breathing, allowing medical personnel to monitor a patient’s respiratory health after a procedure.
Dialysis Innovations
Ann Arbor, Michigan
Dialysis Innovations is developing a low-cost smart needle for intravenous (IV) cannulation that reduces injury and infiltration for end-stage kidney disease, pediatric, and critically ill patients.
EmPowerYu
Santa Clara, California | Ascend Medtech Accelerator alumnus
EmPowerYu is developing remote monitoring technology that utilizes analytics to provide healthcare providers with comprehensive behavioral analyses of patients with advanced medical needs when they are living outside of the hospital, providing data-driven care.
INdev Technologies
Austin, Texas
INdev Technologies is developing an atomizer device that delivers intranasal drugs faster and at a low cost, allowing healthcare providers to deliver necessary medications during emergency situations.
Luminosity Wearables
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Luminosity Wearables is developing LUMOS, a noninvasive glucose monitor that utilizes advanced optical sensing technology to make diabetes management pain-free and financially accessible.
Neurodyne, Inc.
Germantown, Tennessee
Neurodyne is developing a lightweight, at-home EEG monitoring and seizure detection device worn like a cap, which collects and delivers data to an app in order to improve diagnosis of epileptic patients who have less frequent seizures.
Prescription Management Inc.
Walled Lake, Michigan
Prescription Management is developing an opioid pill box that weighs and dispenses medications in real time, sending comprehensive data via an app to physicians, allowing them to identify necessary adjustments and improve patient care.
Reachable Technology
Boston, Massachusetts
Reachable Technology is developing the OmniCuff, a 3D-printed assistive device with a magnetic latch that allows users to independently attach and detach larger objects like cups, empowering individuals who use universal cuffs with greater independence.
RefloDx, Inc.
Kaysville, Utah
RefloDx is developing a low-cost, noninvasive device that uses ultrasound to detect and characterize laryngopharyngeal reflux (LPR) at home, characterizing reflux events in order to improve early detection and guide treatment.
Soul Mobility
Oconomowoc, Wisconsin
Soul Mobility is developing a device that attaches to a traditional wheelchair in order to convert it into a joystick-controlled motorized wheelchair in just 30 seconds, allowing for ease of movement while maintaining the original compact size of the mobility aid.
TRACE Biometrics
Ann Arbor, Michigan
TRACE Biometrics is developing a wearable at-home device with a sensor that monitors patients managing orthostatic hypotension, providing clinicians and caregivers with remote biometrics that deliver patient insights to improve their care.
Access to a Dynamic Team of Investor-Mentors
During Aspire, startups gain access to experienced mentors who offer continuous and thoughtful feedback, guiding them as they prepare for investment. We are pleased to welcome the following investor-mentors: Elaine Bolle, angel investor, RTP Angel Fund and Portfolia Active Aging and Longevity Fund; Charlotte Epée-WillSuN, angel investor, Angel Capital Association and Faith Driven Investors; Tania Fernandez, founder and managing partner, DreamCatcher Ventures; Kim Frazier, executive director, EC Angels; LeKeisha Grant, innovation manager, Entrepreneurs’ Center; Marianne Hudson, founder and executive director emeritus, Angel Capital Association; Dave Morin, founder and managing mentor, Care Technology Advisors; Sheila Narayan, managing director, Golden Seeds; Marquicia Pierce, founder and principal consultant, Ruby Leaf Media; Jamie Ryan, managing member and principal, JL Ryan Consulting LLC; Jonathan Seltzer, angel investor, NuFund Venture Group; and Jen Soltis, impact investing professional and advisor.
In addition to mentors-in-residence, Aspire Medtech will host coaches, guest speakers, and individual office-hour mentors representing angel investor, venture capital, and sector perspectives, to provide each company with added support and expertise throughout the program.
We congratulate the members of our newest Aspire cohort!
Meet the Aspire Medtech Partners and Sponsors
TechTown Detroit contributes to this program annually, with generous support from VentureWell’s legacy funding partner, The Lemelson Foundation, which is dedicated to supporting the power of invention to improve lives. In addition, we are also supported by MedHealth, a regional collaboration driving health innovation in Southeast Michigan and Southwest Ontario; Cooley LLP, an international law firm spurring the power of innovation through working with clients in the technology, life sciences, and high-growth industries; and in2being, a Michigan-based medical product development and consulting firm. Additionally, this cohort is supported by Siemens Industry Software, Inc., which helps organizations digitally transform using software, hardware, and services from the Siemens Xcelerator business platform. Their software and the comprehensive digital twin enable companies to optimize their design, engineering, and manufacturing processes to turn today’s ideas into the sustainable products of the future.
We are thankful for the program partners, sponsors, and investors that are offering their time and resources to support these startups!
Learn More About the Aspire Program
Aspire has had a significant positive impact on seed-stage startups since its inception in 2015. Across 193 startups, the teams have raised over $476M in funding. Aspire startups that are also E-Team Program grantees are eligible to receive matching investment from VentureWell.