A consortium led by Galway startup Fortis Medical Devices has secured a €2.1 million government grant to accelerate the development of breakthrough stroke rehabilitation technology.
The funding will accelerate the development of cueStim-Stroke – a new wearable device for patients affected by post-stroke gait irregularities, a major unmet clinical need.
University of Galway spin-out, Fortis Medical Devices, is based in Spiddal and a client company of Údarás na Gaeltachta.
Also involved in the consortium are RCSI University of Medicine and Health Sciences and Smart Electronics in Shannon.
The €2.1m grant was awarded through the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment’s Disruptive Technologies Innovation Fund (DTIF).
The project will directly address a pressing healthcare challenge, with nearly 20 million stroke patients worldwide affected by long-term gait impairments, despite rehabilitation.
Stroke-related treatment and care costs are projected to reach €86 billion a year in the EU by 2040, underscoring the urgent need for transformative technologies.
The consortium will also create a connected health ecosystem to support home-based rehabilitation, providing clinicians with real-time data on gait performance, patient progress, and adherence, enabling continuous improvement in patient outcomes through data-driven insights.
Thomas Gutierrez, Chief Executive, Fortis Medical Devices, said, “Our mission is to significantly improve the quality of life for stroke survivors. With this DTIF award, we can accelerate the development of cueStim-Stroke to bring real-world solutions to patients and clinicians.”
Fortis Medical Devices was established as a neuroscience and cardiovascular spin-out from University of Galway in April 2024.
Gearóid Ó Laighin retired as an Established Professor of Electronic Engineering and took on the role of Chief Scientific Officer in the new company.
Fortis brings world-leading expertise in wearable rehabilitation technologies and plans to extend its patented platform stimulator technologies to other chronic illnesses.
The cueStim-Stroke product will complement Fortis’ Parkinson’s disease Freezing of Gait reduction technology, which is currently in late-stage development, and which has been designated a Breakthrough Device by the FDA in the United States.
As a University of Galway spin-out, Fortis has licensed a suite of patents from the University and is planning to apply this patent portfolio in the treatment of a range of chronic conditions, in addition to post-stroke gait impairments and Freezing of Gait in Parkinson’s disease.
Professor Lokesh Joshi, University of Galway Vice-President of Research and Innovation, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Fortis Medical and a great example of a successful University of Galway research-led spinout from the University ecosystem.”
He added that the company will “deliver disruptive ground-breaking technology for post-stroke gait rehabilitation, which will make a major impact for patients.”
RCSI will contribute its expertise in stroke medicine, patient management, and rehabilitation, while Smart Electronics Ltd will leverage its advanced capabilities in manufacturing wearable devices and managing global supply chains.
