StartUp Breeding 2022 - MIT4LS SUB2022, the call for start-ups in the life sciences sector held as part of its main national partnering and professional development meeting, ended with the final event on October 19: Meet in Italy for Life Sciences.
The 15 young companies finalists presented their business proposals in front of international investors and corporate representatives at the Atlantis Pitching Arena 2022, in Milan, and were judged by the jury of experts, which awarded the title of most innovative start-up of the MIT4LS2022 to two winners on equal merit: U-Care Medical and Recornea. As for the sponsors' awards, Polhyrnatech was awarded the Life Science District Special Prize SUB2022, while the start-up VCD Medical was awarded the Special Prize I3P SUB2022, offered by Politecnico di Torino's Incubator.
Award-winning start-ups
U-Care Medical, spin-off of Politecnico di Torino and start-up incubated at I3P is developing the first digital platform for personalized management of kidney health within the Intensive Care. With its proprietary AI-power clinical decision support the platform will empower clinicians to make personalized and faster decisions, facilitate proactive kidney care & saves lives. As the winner of the call, U-Care Medical will be able to follow the tailor-made entrepreneurial path offered by the organizers of the initiative, with thematic insights and coaching sessions to refine the approach to business and communication of its innovative value held by experts and mentors in the sector.
Recornea is a medtech company, formerly incubated at I3P, which develops therapeutic solutions for the treatment of eye diseases. Its first product is GROSSO® Implant, a nitinol corneal implant that restores the physiological curvature of the cornea in people with keratoconus in a single, simple and minimally-invasive surgical procedure and with predictable visual outcomes, a critical point of current solutions. As a winner, Recornea will also benefit from the tailor-made entrepreneurial path offered by the organisers of the initiative.
Polhyrnatech, spin-off of Politecnico di Torino and start-up supported by I3P, contributes to the success of RNA therapies by developing new hybrid polymeric nanoparticles capable of efficiently delivering RNA molecules to target cells, for future clinical applications, and kits for their preparation, for use in preclinical in vitro and in vivo research. The project won the Special Award Life Science District SUB2022, which will consist of a mentoring and advisoring program provided by the Life Science District.
VCD Medical develops a new minimally invasive device for the treatment of varicose veins. The company’s goal is to provide a simple and easy-to-use device to physicians, for the selective closure of superficial veins through percutaneous access under ultrasound guidance. By winning the Special Prize I3P SUB2022 the start-up will benefit from a 12-month support programme offered by Politecnico di Torino's Incubator, including tutoring and mentoring from its experts; participation in all networking events organised by I3P; presentation and support in contacts with potential national and international customers, investors, industrial partners and local suppliers; support in the relationship with banks for debt financing in accordance with I3P agreements.
"We had a very good response to the initiative, in line with the last edition: over 500 participants, 40% of which came from abroad, and about 1000 meetings were scheduled. In particular, the percentage of participants from abroad was the highest we have had in the past editions", stated Francesco Mazzini, coordinator of StartUp Breeding and member of the organising committee of MIT4LS. "We are strengthening a community of partners and coaches, who are the core and value of the initiative; the standard of the selected proposals is rising, the formula is objectively effective and the feedback has been very positive."