Danish Startups Pursue U.S. Expansion Opportunities Through TMC BioBridge

Three startups from the BioInnovation Institute (BII) have joined a customized accelerator program that helps early-stage companies build their U.S. go-to-market strategy. The specialized accelerator is modeled and builds off the success of the Texas Medical Center Innovation (TMCi) Health Tech Accelerator program.

The Denmark Biobridge between the Texas Medical Center and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark was signed in 2019. 
 
TMC Innovation Factory offers a strategic entry point with training, access, and support for these small and medium-sized enterprises seeking to learn, expand and commercialize in the U.S. market. Founders are immersed in an intensive program to learn about the potential challenges companies face when entering global business markets and connect with experts who can help them strategically navigate these hurdles. 
 
“At TMC, we are elevating our ability to create curated go-to-market experiences for hand-selected companies that have a relationship with our partners at the BioInnovation Institute and that are seeking to prepare for of market expansion in the U.S.,” TMC Innovation Associate Director Emily Reiser said. “We are excited about the opportunity to collaborate with BII and these founders.”
 
BII accelerates life science startup innovation. As a non-profit institute, BII operates the company creation programs, Bio Studio, Venture Lab, and Venture House, to support life science startups with knowledge, network, infrastructure, and funding of up to €3 million per project and €1.8 million for each startup. Through its expertise, network, funding, and infrastructure, BII assists startups in bringing ideas to life and research to market, and since its 2018 inauguration the Institute has financially supported 80 early-stage startups that has raised more than €413 million in external funding. 
 
“As we strengthen our offering to support visionary healthcare innovators to develop products and solutions to address clear unmet needs, our partnership with Texas Medical Center allows BII startups to gain exposure to US market and ready themselves for US market entry. We are thrilled about this collaboration with the Texas Medical Center which is one of the largest life science ecosystems in the world,” BioInnovation Institute Principal Tony Cheng-fu Chang stated. “Through the customized accelerator program, these three healthcare startups will acquire critical insight to create field-ready plans for bringing their products and solutions to the U.S. market.”
 
The startups’ areas of focus range from surgical devices to AI-enabled risk stratification and hospital efficiency. The selected cohort members are: 
 

• Aiomic, developer of an artificial intelligence (AI) platform (Aiomic360) to combat postoperative complications. With automated tracking and real-time risk assessment, Aiomic360 functions as a quality management tool for hospitals, a decision support tool for healthcare practitioners, and an individualized patient empowerment tool for surgical candidates
• Orbit Health, developer of an AI-enabled solution, Neptune, that uses simple motion data from smartwatches to track Parkinson’s motor state and treatment response passively. Its continuous and objective insights enable regular treatment personalization that is needed throughout the course of the disease to optimize patient outcomes and improve quality of life. 
• HEI Therapeutics, developer of the world’s first at-home disease management solution for patients with hypothyroidism. The innovative solution includes a patented finger stick blood test and digital patient empowerment tools and aims to significantly reduce the share of patients that is poorly regulated with medication. 

Program participants attended an inaugural session to undertake preliminary customer validation, and will now spend six months in the incubator where founders can experience a tailored program working with TMCi advisors and mentors to refine their strategic development plan and maximize their incubation experience.
 
Texas Medical Center is a comprehensive life science ecosystem at the forefront of advancing life sciences. TMC is on a mission to further accelerate the pace of healing by harnessing our collective expertise in innovation, research, development, production, and patient care within a single, centralized medical ecosystem. With more than 70 million square feet and 120,000-plus employees, TMC is pioneering a life sciences initiative to house the entire treatment of life cycle from discovery to delivery, within a single medical complex.
 
Texas Medical Center Innovation forms, fosters, recruits, and funds healthcare companies worldwide that are writing the future of healthcare. TMCi performs diligence on the companies seeking to progress toward clinical and business milestones in collaboration with Texas Medical Center member institutions and a global network of advisors and embedded corporate partners. It aligns these resources through several programs:  Biodesign, Accelerator for Cancer Therapeutics, and Health Tech. 
 
The BioInnovation Institute accelerates life science startup innovation. With its expertise, network, funding, and infrastructure, BII empowers startups to succeed.