Technology solution provider offers business acumen, guidance to support winning entrepreneurs
Milwaukee, WI, January 3, 2018 — Paragon Development Systems (PDS) has partnered with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) linQ program to support the 2017 IDEA² Global awardees as they work to commercialize their winning concepts. IDEA² Global is an international mentorship program that helps emerging innovators develop new medical technology ideas.
Of the 14 teams who made final presentations, the panel of judges selected four awardees:
- FIPSE Medical Innovator Award, recognizing an IDEA² Global team that exemplifies a spirit of innovation and multi-sector collaboration, went to CEMARK, a molecular tool to diagnose endometrial cancer. Their diagnostic kit aims to be more efficient and accurate than current diagnostic procedures.
- PDS Pathfinder Award, recognizing a team who has demonstrated a pioneering spirit and has provided a compelling impact proposition for the potential of their project to create a breakthrough solution to enhance healthcare outcomes, was given to Medical Devices in Anesthesiology and Critical Care, which has designed a new tracheal intubation device that protects both patients and medical instruments, avoids airway obstruction, and facilitates procedures.
- Industrial Farmacéutica de Cantabria IFC Award, recognizing a team whose project has the highest potential to change life quality of people, was given to iSOL: Recombinant protein for the diagnosis and treatment of Multiple Sclerosis, which proposes clinical implementation of a tool to detect a serum biomarker contributing to multiple sclerosis diagnosis, and the use of a recombinant protein (rh-iSOL) as a potential therapy for MS.
- IMES Award, recognizing a student team for research in the field of medical engineering or science, was given to Biologics on demand, which is designing a modular, small-scale, fully integrated and automated biomanufacturing system that would reduce both cost of goods and time to market for orphan drugs.
“PDS is honored to be part of this technology initiative program that is fostering creativity and innovation in the biomedical sphere,” said Dr. Asif Naseem, PDS President and CEO. “The MIT linQ awardees represent the leading edge of healthcare and medical technology, and we look forward to seeing what’s next from these great minds.”
Teams were recruited to the program in spring 2017 and were matched with technical experts and mentors who helped them develop their technologies and ventures. Over the following six months, they met with these groups and received training in innovation methods and communication skills. Project teams’ ideas ranged widely across medical areas and technologies. Some teams were inspired by challenges faced in the hospital setting, while others focused on new technologies to aid people who are not always able to take care of themselves. Two teams are tackling the global challenge of tuberculosis (TB), and various groups are exploring important areas of unmet medical needs.
A diverse panel representing medical, technical, and business expertise evaluated the teams. The panel included Antonio Diaz, Director of Operations for FIPSE, the Spanish Foundation for Innovation and Progress in Health; Joel Weinstein, President, MAVEN Medical Device Strategies; David Rothkopf, President of MEDIcept; Orhun Muratoglu, Director of the Harris Orthopaedic Laboratory, and Director of the Technology Implementation Research Center (TIRC) at Massachusetts General Hospital; Ron Thomkins, Founding Director of the Center for Surgery, Science & Bioengineering at Massachusetts General Hospital, and Guillermo García-Cardeña, Director of the Laboratory for Systems Biology at the Center for Excellence in Vascular Biology, Brigham and Women’s Hospital.
IDEA² looks ahead to another edition next year, and plans to expand on both the programming and the partner network. IDEA² Global, which is hosted by the MIT Institute for Medical and Engineering Sciences (IMES), was sponsored by FIPSE, Industrial Farmacéutica de Cantabria (IFC), and PDS. Organizers plan to launch a new round of recruiting in the spring. To learn more about IDEA² Global, please visit http://idea2.mit.edu.
About PDS
PDS is a Midwest-based Information Technology Solution Provider that supports healthcare, government, education, manufacturing, and corporate organizations with Digital Workspace, Security, and Digital Infrastructure solutions. PDS is a strategic partner that helps organizations reduce risk and total cost of ownership, and to move closer to the vision of fully Connected IT.
PDS was founded over 30 years ago with a simple Golden Rule: “Do the right thing for your clients…and all else will follow.” This client-centric approach has driven our commitment to be a high-touch, value-added partner with shared goals and shared risk. It’s this simple value that has driven us to adapt and innovate as technology has evolved through the decades, and it is what continues to drive us today. Learn more at www.pdsit.net.
About MIT linQ
MIT linQ is a new collaborative initiative focused on increasing the potential of innovative research to benefit society and the economy. linQ’s portfolio of international innovation programs demonstrate a new paradigm for technology research and training. Learn more at http://linq.mit.edu.
