This article first appeared in the Venture Atlanta blog in August 2015.
What do the following have in common: a social network for people with epilepsy, a robot that helps children with motor disabilities, and an app for individuals recovering from a concussion?
In addition to illustrating technologies that can spring from the intersection of cutting-edge research and bold entrepreneurship, these are also just a small sample of the startups that participated in this year’s NeuroLaunch Demo Day.
Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, NeuroLaunch is a full-service accelerator program that deals in the business of science. The second annual Demo Day is one of the ways the company applies the accelerator model – increasingly prevalent and well-loved in the world of technology startups – to the field of neuroscience. The mission, naturally, is as ambitious as it is vital: to bring together just the right intellectual and financial resources to encourage a new wave of innovation in neuroscience.
This year’s Demo Day took place on August 24 in the Atlanta Tech Village. Moderated by NeuroLaunch co-founder Jordan Amadio, M.D., M.B.A., the event featured five startups pitching their ideas as they vied for both funding and broader attention for their companies. A panel consisting of last year’s cohort was present, as well as more than 20 “poster companies” that traveled from around the world to showcase their neuroscience technologies.
More than one participant noted that funding is just the tip of the iceberg, which made the increased visibility and robust networking opportunities at the event all the more valuable.
The portfolio companies were front and center, and included:
- 45°Health, a data-rich platform that builds a customized path to recovery for patients who have sustained a concussion
- Atanse, a patent-pending provider of surgical instruments that reduce the invasiveness of therapeutic procedures in cases of brain injury
- MonitorMed Solutions, a malfunction-detecting device provider that allows hydrocephalus patients to monitor shunt performance
- Neurish, a social network that connects epilepsy patients with mentors, caregivers, events, and additional resources
- Zyrobotics, a hands-on therapy system for children with motor disabilities, complete with a helpful robot
One of the most exciting prospects to emerge from Batch 2 Demo Day was a sense of worldwide applicability – an immense scope of opportunity not only for neuroscientists and investors, but for patients suffering from a variety of ailments. Yes, wooing sponsors may require a great deal of talk about market size and revenue streams, but the financial opportunity represents a very real and tangible need. NeuroLaunch co-founder and Demo Day panelist Christopher Klaus channeled that need when asked the question, “What excites you most about science startups?”
“We’re starting to get more fidelity in the tools we use for looking at the brain,” Klaus replied, “and that’s important because there are 7 billion target customers. Everyone’s got a brain.”
After attending this year’s NeuroLaunch Demo Day, it’s encouraging to know that our brains are in good hands.
