Three NUI Galway startups are among the big winners this year of Health Innovation Hub Ireland’s nationwide competition for innovative medtech solutions to healthcare problems.
Feeltech, Nua Surgical, and BlueDrop Medical were among 15 winners in this year’s competition for their groundbreaking research and development.
FeelTect has developed a sensor designed to monitor sub-bandage pressure during compression therapy, called Tight Alright.
This is mainly meant for people suffering from venous leg ulcers, a chronic condition which affects the circulation of blood to the lower limbs, causing blood to pool dangerously in the legs.
NUA Surgical are developing Stericision, a novel medical device meant to make improve the safety of cesarean surgery.
The project has received significant support and funding from Enterprise Ireland which will help it advance from an idea through to concept and design development.
And Bluedrop Medical is focused on developing and commercialising an internet of things enabled device which can predict the formation of diabetic foot ulcers.
The home based system performs a daily scan of the patient’s feet and sends the data to the cloud for analysis, helping enable early detection and treatment of ulcers.
Health Innovation Hub Ireland is a joint initiative of the Department of Health and Department of Business Enterprise and Innovation.
It offers companies the opportunity for pilot studies and provides the health service with access to innovative products, services and devices.
Professor Timothy O’Brien, Dean of the College of Medicine, Nursing and Health Sciences at NUIG said that the HIHI is a “major element” of the medtech system in the West of Ireland.
“HIHI is a major part of the link between academia, business and clinic, a partnership which is so crucial to the translation of innovative ideas for patient and economic benefit.”
These three companies, along with the other winners, will now be matched with a clinical team by HIHI for a study of each product in an Irish clinical setting.
For further information on the winning companies visit https://hih.ie/engage/health-innovations-2020/
