The 2023 Wisconsin Biohealth Summit embarked on an exciting journey into the realm of personalized medicine in Wisconsin during the second afternoon session. Emerging Growth Company Presentations were at the forefront of this enlightening exploration, spotlighting innovative startups and early-stage companies that are revolutionizing the biohealth industry.
In the context of modern healthcare, personalized medicine represents a significant paradigm shift. Instead of following a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment, personalized medicine leverages an individual’s unique genetic makeup, lifestyle, and other factors to tailor medical care. This innovative approach aims to provide the right treatment to the right patient at the right time, maximizing therapeutic effectiveness while minimizing side effects.
Jill Enos, the Managing Director at TitletownTech, a venture capital firm, moderated the session. TitletownTech, a unique partnership between the Green Bay Packers and Microsoft, invests in early-stage ventures helmed by exceptional founders. They focus on tech-enabled solutions in core industries like sports, media, entertainment, health and wellness, agriculture, water, manufacturing, construction, and cross-industry technology.
John Reimer, VP Business Development at Xiogenix, shared an exciting journey that began in 2001 as a family-owned business specializing in steel rule dies for various industries. However, they saw an opportunity in regenerative medicine and, in 2017, partnered with BreakthrU to elevate their game. This partnership provided them with resources and strategic guidance, allowing them to expand their product offerings in the Tissue Banking space. In 2022, they entered the Cell & Gene therapy market, introducing groundbreaking solutions in fill and finish processes, cell suspension, and cryopreservation. Xiogenix is committed to making a positive impact on people’s lives through innovation, quality, and customer satisfaction.
Indrajit Choudhuri, the Founder & CEO of Medicardia Health, presented their smart digital medicine platform designed to improve patient interactions and outcomes while streamlining remote care. It aggregates, organizes, and operationalizes cardiovascular data, enhancing the economic opportunity for digital medicine. By presenting data in context and offering analytics at the fingertips, Medicardia Health significantly improves both provider and patient experiences. Their Cardiology Visual Workspace provides clinical context for data, streamlining the delivery of care by presenting information in an organized and easily accessible manner.
Khalid K. Alam, Founder & CEO of Stemloop, Inc., showcased their mission to unlock biology’s power to sense and respond to global challenges. Stemloop’s venture, founded in 2019, has global licensing for technology published in peer-reviewed journals and offers biosensing solutions. Their focus on addressing issues like lead in drinking water, with plans to go to market in 2024, demonstrates their commitment to improving public health.
Julie Tetzlaff, COO of Diverge Translational Science Laboratory, explained the role of her company as a Boutique CRO (Contract Research Organization) that conducts scientific experiments for biotech and pharma. They advise on pre-clinical experimental planning, guide clinical trial design and execution, and specialize in muscle disorders. Diverge TSL plays a crucial role in improving the pace of treatment development for genetic diseases.
Lara Riem, Director of AI and Data Science at Springbok Analytics, revealed their mission to produce never-before-seen musculoskeletal data, transforming complex MRI data into simple 3D visualizations and analyses for real-world applications. They focus on building muscle mass, which is essential for long-term health, chronic disease prevention, and quality of life. Springbok’s technology allows for advanced evaluation of exercise, nutrition, and interventions to preserve muscle health.
This session not only highlighted the groundbreaking work of these companies but also served as an inspiring testament to Wisconsin’s role in advancing the future of personalized medicine. These startups and early-stage companies are dedicated to improving patient health, making a positive impact on society, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in biohealth. Stay tuned for more insights from the 2023 Wisconsin Biohealth Summit!
