July 2018 – Strasbourg. MedFIT is the European event dedicated to business and innovation partnerships in the field of medical technologies and diagnostics. This has led to the new record of 1100 qualified meetings between academics, industrials, start-ups and investors during the two days of the event. The highlight of this 2nd edition was the Start-up Slams contest where the most promising European medtech start-ups were recognised by a jury of international experts.
The genesis of MedFIT
The increasing complexity of the required knowledge and expertise to innovate in medtech, the perceived necessity for large companies to early secure and get the most of their strategic assets and the rise in R&D costs are some key factors that make open innovation necessary today.
A main finding from MedFIT is that enabling partnerships between big companies and start-ups as well as between companies and academic world on the other, is turning out to be a real industry need. It is to answer to these expectations that MedFIT was born. Simultaneously, MedFIT consolidates its position as the primary early-stage medtech investment marketplace, meeting startups’ growing financial needs to support R&D costs.
MedFIT 2018’s most promising start-ups in the medtech sector awarded
More than 50 start-ups applied for the MedFIT Start-up Slams contest, delighted to showcase their innovation to an audience of potential investors, industrial and academic partners. 17 of them were selected before the event by an international jury chaired by Johnson & Johnson Innovation, sponsor of the competition.
The Start-ups Slams competition reflects and embodies both the reason to be of the MedFIT event.
Indeed, this pitch contest relies on the innovation aspect which is a core criterion of the jury. It also offers these young innovative entrepreneurs a platform linking them with a seasoned audience gathering the biggest industrials, academics and TTOs from the sector. Hence, this contest also helps entrepreneurs to set-up business partnerships paving the way for future success.
Alternatively, Start-ups slams eases connections with specialized investors of the sector since they areall gathered in the same place. What was a specificity of this 2nd edition of MedFIT now makes this event the main marketplace for early-stage investment in the medical technologies and diagnostics sector.
4 prizes were awarded:
2 Audience prizes:
– Defymed, with ExOlin, a device enabling the physiological administration via a simple
subcutaneous injection owing to a classic injection device such as a syringe.
“The Start-ups Slams were a logical answer to our needs: Seek funds for the development of our technologies and seize the opportunity to present our brand new medical device.” Richard Bouaoun, Defymed
– Miravas, with Vbox a unique medical device that combines two endothermal techniques (steam and segmental radiofrequency) to treat venous diseases on an outpatient basis as an alternative to surgery.
“We are very glad that the audience voted for us. It means they know who we are and what we do. It’s exactly why we applied: To make our product known to people, to boost the visibility of our company at a European scale.” Nicolas Rauber, Miravas
A special jury prize:
– Verapido, DERMAJECT®, an intradermal injection device for highly standardized skin
injections (intracutaneous, Mantoux) of all intradermal drugs and fluids
“The Start-up Slams are the perfect stage to gain visibility and find partners and investors. We were absolutely thrilled by two intense days fully packed with high-level meetings, great conferences by key note speakers delivering deep and relevant insights on the industry.” Markus Clemenz, Verapido
The Grand Jury Prize:
– AblaCare, with a device for the treatment of PolyCystic Ovary Syndrome (PCOS) related infertility, based on an effective surgical predicate and an access and delivery path routinely used by fertility physicians.
“We are proud to be rewarded with MedFIT’s Most innovative start-up Grand Jury
Prize. AblaCare is committed to providing millions of couples around the world facing fertility issues with a more humane and effective solution. We were very excited to be selected to present our mission to the medtech community present in Strasbourg.” Marion Gasperment, AblaCare
