From clot removal to vision repair: CNYBAC unveils 2025 medical device innovators
Advanced blood clot removal tools, an app to detect postpartum hemorrhage faster, a deep brain stimulation therapy to restore one’s ability to swallow, a spinal surgery implant system and a non-invasive alternative to refractive eye surgeries have been selected as the Upstate Medical University Central New York Biotechnology Accelerator’s Medical Device Innovation Challenge teams.
The MDIC teams will participate in the Empire State Development grant-supported program, now in its ninth year.
MDIC teams will receive intensive targeted mentorship and a wealth of matched resources from a strong New York state innovation ecosystem. They also receive student-based commercialization research through NYSTAR asset partner, the Innovation Law Center, Syracuse University College of Law.
CNYBAC staff coordinate monthly mentor meetings with each team, from August through December, and provide education through the Concept to Commercialization Virtual Series, introductions to programs and opportunities such as FuzeHub Manufacturing Grant and Commercialization Competition and NextCorps’ Manufacturing Accelerator as well as coordinated connections to Upstate Medical University research and clinical expertise and CORE facilities throughout the six-month program.
Upon graduation, those teams who have progressed successfully will be invited to become CNYBAC clients, making them eligible to apply to Upstate Biotech Ventures (UBV), an equity-investment program initiated through Upstate Medical University, The Research Foundation for SUNY and the Empire State Development Community and Regional Partner Fund. UBV is managed by investment expert organization Excell Partners.
Kathi Durdon, MA, CCRP, executive director of the CNYBAC, said this year 72 applications were submitted for the challenge. “It was a very competitive field this year with some innovative and exciting technology being developed,” she said. “It was a very difficult decision to select only five. These are medical device innovators working to commercialize exciting technology with the intent to positively impact how patients are diagnosed and treated.”
Good things come to those teams selected in the MDIC.
“To date we have graduated 47 teams from our MDIC program many have achieved of our significant milestones, such as receiving grant awards, winning competitions, partnering with Upstate researchers and being accepted into accelerator programs,” Durdon said.
Durdon says the program’s success can be seen in the funding and other accolades that have come to past winners. For example, 2024 MDIC winner Egrami Endoscopy (flexible endoscopic robotics device) secured a $400,000 grant from the NIH’s Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program; it also was a $50,000 grant winner at the FuzeHub Commercialization Competition. Another 2024 MDIC winner, BiRed Imaging (infrared breast imaging), received $305,000 in NSF Phase 1 funding and has received IRB approval for a clinical study at Rochester General Hospital
Since 2017, MDIC participants have been awarded more than $40 million in grant funding (both federal and non-federal) and investments and hired more than 60 employees.
The 2025 Medical Device Innovation Challenge participants are:
Emboa Medical
Emboa Medical uses nature-inspired design to transform blood clot removal tools. Its Thrombus Retrieval Aspiration Platform (TRAP) catheter uses microscale structures embedded inside the tip to create a new force, independent of catheter size. This extra gripping force lets the aspiration catheter clear blockages lodged in the brain’s delicate, winding vessels in a single pass at a higher rate when compared to conventional aspiration catheters. At the same time, TRAP preserves the safety advantage traditionally seen with aspiration catheters over stent retrievers.
Team Lead: Ángel Enríquez, Ph.D. Chief Executive Officer; Daniel Sahlein, M.D. Chief Medical Officer; Hugh Lee, Ph.D. Chief Tech Officer; Peter Kim Nelson, M.D. Board Director
HeraHealth
HeraHealth hopes to transform postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) detection and care. PPH, the leading cause of maternal mortality, affects one in 10 women after childbirth. Current methods rely on visual blood loss estimates, which can be off by up to 89 percent. HeraHealth uses a photo of the maternal pad, analyzed by the app’s algorithm, to measure blood volume with 97 percent accuracy. By tracking cumulative blood loss in real time, the app can alert physicians to early signs of PPH, thus enabling faster, less invasive interventions and shifting care from emergency response to proactive management.
Team Lead: Lauren Smith, Co-founder; Sophia Mains, Co-founder; Aya Zaatreh, Co-founder
Lexi Medical
Lexi Medical is developing a deep brain stimulation (DBS) therapy to restore natural swallowing in individuals with dysphagia following stroke or brain injury. Current treatments rely on compensatory strategies like restrictive diets or feeding tubes. Lexi Medical’s patented approach targets muscle weakness at its source by delivering electrical stimulation to specific motor thalamus nuclei, enhancing cortical excitability and muscle control. This neuromodulation promotes safer, more effective swallowing and reduces dependence on feeding aids—helping patients regain health and independence.
Team Lead: Jordyn Ting, PhD, Chief Executive Officer; Elvira Pirondini, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer; Jorge Gonzalez-Martinez, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer
Portico Health
Portico Health is redefining spinal surgery with its proprietary laminoplasty implant system. Designed to improve surgical precision, reduce recovery time, and preserve mobility, our system addresses key challenges faced by surgeons. Through close collaboration with clinicians and institutions, Portico says it is continuously refining its technology to enhance outcomes and quality of life for patients with spinal conditions.
Team Lead: Lucas Lassinger, Chief Executive Officer; Alex McMullen, Chief Tech Officer
Clearvision
Clearvision proposes a permanent, non-invasive vision correction treatment as an alternative to refractive surgeries like LASIK. Unlike surgery, our method is safer, suitable for a broader patient population, and slows vision degradation. It uses a low-powered femtosecond laser to trigger a photochemical reaction in the cornea, forming crosslinks that strengthen tissue without disrupting it. This targeted treatment adjusts corneal curvature to improve vision.
Team Lead: Sinisa Vukelic, PhD, Columbia University