Startup Shoutouts: September 30, 2019

Every day, innovators across the MATTER community are building new solutions that accelerate innovation, advance care and improve lives. Here’s a look into the most noteworthy headlines from September.

Catalia Health teams up with Pfizer to pilot patient engagement robot

Catalia Health and Pfizer have launched a one year pilot study to explore how patients engage with artificial intelligence (AI) integrated robots. The software Mabu Care Insights, created by Catalia, converses with the patients, asking them about their feelings and answering any treatment questions. Mabu will report patient insights and data back to their caregivers. The partnership with Pfizer will allow for Mabu to interact with patients on a larger scale in the hopes of improving healthcare outcomes for people across the globe.

NeoLight receives $2.5 million from NFL quarterback

NeoLight, a babytech company making it easier to diagnose and treat infant jaundice, recently received $2.5 million in funding from NFL Quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Jaundice is a disease that affects 160,000 infants each year, and is a leading cause of death in developing countries. The investment will continue to help parents treat jaundice at home with Neolight’s phototherapy device, Skylife, as well as support the development of the company’s new diagnostic tool, Bilicount.

Scioto Biosciences secures $2.3 million in grant funding

Scioto Biosciences, an Indianapolis-based biotech company, received $2.3 million in funding from the National Institutes of Health. Scioto Biosciences is a preclinical stage biotech company that specializes in microbiome therapeutic research. The Scioto platform is focused on the activation of beneficial bacteria, probiotics, to aid in gastrointestinal tract, oncology and neurological disorders.

Surgical Innovation Associates wins first commercial use of new surgical mesh

Surgical Innovation Associates (SIA) announced the first commercial use of their product DuraSorb Monofilament Mesh by Chicago plastic surgeon Karol Gutowski, MD, FACS. DuraSorb is similar to an absorbable stitch: Once placed in the body, the mesh absorbs within one year. DuraSorb is designed to integrate itself into the person’s tissue to provide support through the healing process of soft tissue injuries — without absorbing too early and creating complications associated with other surgical meshes on the market. As SIA CEO Alexei Mlodinow explains, it’s “there when you need it, gone when you don’t.’’