Lumigbo and Lymphatica, two medtech projects with their roots at EPFL, were selected for the IMAGINE IF! Global finals together with 13 other start-ups from around the world.
The IMAGINE IF! accelerator platform received an overwhelming global response from large centres of scientific activity as well as emerging geographies during the application period held over April – June, with hundreds of companies undergoing evaluation.
The Top 50 companies were selected in July on the basis of the potential of their technology to improve life, living standards and human wellbeing, and were invited into an intensive mentors program with the Innovation Forum’s extensive mentorship network. The Top 15 announced yesterday have been selected as a result of extensive company evaluation and development opportunities.
The Top 15 will attend the Imagine IF! conference as invited delegates, and are now preparing to pitch before an international investment panel for a non-dilutive cash prize of $30,000 USD, services and other benefits from the Innovation Forum network.
The two Swiss start-ups among the finalists are:
Lumigbo: Every day more than 1 million implants are placed into human and animal bodies using open surgery. Lumigbo has developed a technology to build up implants inside the body using an access channel of less than half a millimetre in diameter. The procedure can be used for almost any type of implant. The start-up has developed minimally viable prototypes for neurovascular, orthopaedic and dental applications. Currently, the team members are improving prototypes and putting in place the company structure.
Lymphatica is an early stage medical device start-up project based on the patented design of a novel implantable system to replace lymphatic vessel draining function, which it plans to produce and market. The system is based on magnetically-controlled micropumps and anti-fibrotic catheters and it has been conceived to treat chronic lymphedema. Lymphedema is a common side effect of cancer therapies that causes chronic swelling of the limbs, pain and recurrent infections, leading to a state of chronic disability. More than 100 million people are struggling with lymphedema around the world, but no effective treatment has been developed: lymphedema is a clear unmet medical need. Lymphatica’s product, LymphoDrain, is the first artificial, implantable lymphatic vessel, which represents the first effective solution for lymphedema.
(SK)
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