The competition, in which more than 70 candidates from 22 countries took part this year, was held as part of the annual cardiology conference, the ICI 2012, which is considered a world leader in the field of innovation. At the conference that closed last night in Tel Aviv, over 1000 guests from Israel and the world participated
The British company Sky Medical won the title of Startup of the Year for 2012 in a competition held as part of the annual cardiology conference, the ICI Meeting 2012. The conference, attended by over 1000 guests from Israel and abroad, was held this week in Tel Aviv and the competition was open to doctors, entrepreneurs and companies Startups from around the world that were required to demonstrate "new and original ideas". The international panel of judges included engineers, doctors, entrepreneurs and venture capitalists, from Israel and the world. The competition is currently considered the largest and most respected competition in the world in the field of startups dealing in the cardiovascular field.
The winning start-up developed the geko, a non-invasive, patented device used to prevent deep vein thrombosis in the legs. Thrombosis, which means the presence of a blood clot in one of the deep veins of the body, usually forms in a large vein in the lower extremities. The blood clot forms in the vein cavity and interferes with the flow of blood through it and is manifested in pain and swelling in the leg. If part of the clot breaks off, drifts into the bloodstream and blocks the blood vessels in the lungs, a pulmonary embolism may occur, as a result of which the patient may die.
Deep vein thrombosis can occur at any age, but its incidence increases with age. The risk factors for deep vein thrombosis include: family history, medical conditions such as cancer, or heart failure, a state of inactivity (for example, such as after surgery or on a flight) and being overweight or obese. In the countries of the European Union, over half a million deaths occur every year due to venous thromboembolism. It is estimated that about 10% of deaths in hospitals are caused by the formation of blood clots. In Israel, about 50,000 cases of blood clot formation are discovered every year, of which, according to the estimate, about 1500 patients are expected to die.
The gekko, which can fit any patient, regardless of age and gender, stimulates and irritates the vein located behind the knee and the muscles located in the area. The action performed by the device improves blood circulation and the level of oxygen in the blood, and is a substitute for walking, especially when the patient cannot move, for example, after surgery or during a long flight. The company believes that the technology can replace more 'aggressive' treatments and make the patient return to walking faster than the currently accepted methods. "In the UK, there are currently more deaths from venous thrombosis than from breast cancer, car accidents and AIDS - combined, a statistic that encouraged us to find a more effective solution than the existing ones for the phenomenon," said Bernard Ross, CEO of Sky Medical, upon receiving the award. "The recognition we received in Israel from the international team will significantly advance the adoption of our technology and improve the treatment of patients around the world." The device received the CE certificate and is already approved for distribution in Europe, Australia and Canada.
According to Prof. Martin Rothman, chairman of the jury, the team was impressed by the variety of innovation and entrepreneurship presented by dozens of participants in the competition from around the world. "The winning company demonstrated simplicity, and great potential for business and medical achievements."
According to the co-chairs of the ICI conference, Prof. Raphael Biar and Prof. Haim Lotan, this year over 70 candidates from 22 countries took part in the competition. "Innovation, and especially in the field of medicine, is the engine of any organization that thinks about success in such an unstable economic era. I have no doubt that the winner, as well as the competitors who reached the finals, will attract the attention of venture capitalists and other investment professionals." According to them, the winner even gets a chance to present the innovation to the thousands of participants of the EuroPCR conference that will be held in May 2013.
The international conference ICI Meeting 2012, which ended yesterday, dealt with innovations in the field of interventional cardiology and emphasized innovation, technologies, equipment and new treatments. It was attended by doctors and medical teams involved in interventional cardiology, scientists and researchers, and senior representatives who represented the leading companies in the field.
