Startups MedLim program 2022 contribute with innovations to improve healthcare

Time is Brain

Time is Brain is the inventor of BraiN20®, a product that allows accurate and real-time monitoring of a brain infarct. BraiN20® consists of a headgear with electrodes connected to a smartphone. The device enables practitioners to more accurately select which patients are eligible for the minimally invasive removal of a blood clot in the vein (mechanical thrombectomy, MT). The device also helps the clinician to monitor brain viability during the procedure and detect complications better and earlier. Every year, 13 million people worldwide suffer a stroke: a cerebral hemorrhage or - most commonly - a cerebral infarction. Brain attacks are the second leading cause of death and the first leading cause of disability. Time is Brain was founded in 2020 by a multidisciplinary team with extensive knowledge and experience in neurology. The professional jury called Time is Brain 'a young company that uses promising technology that has the potential to create a new market'.

Alicia Martinez Pineiro: “This award is positive feedback to keep going further and make the BraiN20® be in hospitals everywhere”

SUTURION

SUTURION develops Suture-TOOL, a "sewing machine" that better sutures incisions in the abdominal wall after surgery. From the experience that complications after wound suturing, especially infections and hernias, are common , the team at SUTURION devised the tool. It helps practitioners to close the abdomen in a standardized way, faster and in accordance with the principles of best practices. SUTURION was founded in 2018 by a trauma and emergency room surgeon at a hospital in Helsingborg. The jury called SUTURION a company that already has some experience in the field and has a good idea of the problem they can solve with their product. That solution is 'promising' according to the jury.

Paan Hermansson: “This price is a proof that SUTURION does something that resonates with people”

MedLim program 

Initiators of the MedLim program, which was held for the second time this year, are Medtronic and LIOF. Medtronic is one of the world's largest medical technology companies, LIOF is the regional development agency for Limburg. Medtronic guides the startups in setting up clinical studies, a good quality and validation system and obtaining approval from regulatory authorities. LIOF prepares the startups for (follow-up) financing. Also contributing to the initiative are knowledge partners from Brightlands Maastricht Health Campus, Medace and startup financier imec.istart. 

Nine participants 

After an initial selection from the applications, seven other startups in the cardiovascular or neurological field, medical surgery or spine participated in MedLim in addition to Time is Brain and SUTURION. During a three-week sprint program they were supported in their ambition to bring their product to the market and got to know the initiators and partners of MedLim. 

Final pitch

On the last day of the program, Friday, June 10, all nine startups gave a presentation of their product and company during an online meeting. Their pitch was judged by a professional and an audience jury. The first consisted of Mark Lazeroms, Director of Engineering of Medtronic Netherlands, Charity Kufaas, Vice President Business Development and Strategy EMEA of Medtronic, Sven de Cleyn, Program Director of imec.istart and Tys van Elk, Managing Director of LIOF. Business developers from different business units of Medtronic worldwide, investors from Dutch and European funds and other parties from the Limburg ecosystem formed the public jury.

MedLim-deepdive in Limburg

The two selected startups have been invited to come to Limburg for a week in the fall for a so-called MedLim-deepdive. There they will continue to work on the development and marketing of their product. They will become better acquainted with Medtronic and will be linked to knowledge and market players that are interesting to them. Limburg has a unique ecosystem in the field of medical technology. In addition to the parties organizing the MedLim program, Maastricht UMC, TU-Eindhoven and the universities of Aachen, Leuven and Hasselt are also close by. The joint knowledge and expertise in the field of medical technology acts as a flywheel for innovations. This not only benefits the startups, but also provides opportunities for the province of Limburg in the form of international investors and employment.

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