Twelve finalists have been selected to pitch their pediatric medical device innovation during the National Capital Consortium for Pediatric Device Innovation’s (NCC-PDI) competition at the fourth annual Pediatric Surgical Innovation Symposium on Saturday, Oct. 8 hosted by the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation at Children’s National Health System. Up to six innovations will be awarded up to $50,000 each, with awards based on presentations given before a panel of expert judges.
 
Selected from a record number of 91 entries received from across the US and internationally, the finalists are:

• PECA Labs, Pittsburgh, Pa.—Synthetic vascular conduit for surgical repair of congenital heart defects that’s capable of minimally invasive, controlled expansion to grow with the patient
• Maternal Life, Palo Alto, Calif.—Low-cost closed system that captures and administers colostrum to newborns with zero percent loss
• Magnamosis Inc., San Francisco, Calif.—Device to provide safer, less invasive repair of the esophagus in newborns with esophageal atresia/tracheoesophageal fistula, a condition requiring surgery that is currently performed by hand
• JustRight Surgical, Louisville, Colo.—Second generation surgical 5mm stapler sized for use with a wider range of pediatric surgical procedures and bringing the benefits of laparoscopy to patients
• CareTaker Medical, Charlottesville, Va.—Disposable, finger cuff for single patient use to continuously and non-invasively monitor neonatal heart rate without adhesives, electrodes and wires
• Nebula Industries, Melrose, Mass.—Quick release medical tape to prevent neonatal and pediatric skin injuries
• Lully, San Francisco, Calif.—Moisture sensor and Smart Pod monitor, placed under the mattress, that are wirelessly connected to a smartphone app to prevent bedwetting episodes
• Center for Advanced Sensor Technology, University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, Md.—Low-cost, disposable multifunctional incubator for at-risk, low birth weight babies
• Multisensor Diagnostics, Baltimore, Md.—Non-invasive portable handheld device designed to perform rapid medical assessment of key vitals for pediatric patients
• May & Meadow Inc., Redwood City, Calif.—Low-cost, mobile medical device for assessing feeding ability in infants at risk for feeding problems
• PediaStent, Cleveland, Ohio—Novel pediatric bioresorbable stent for use in repairing congenital heart lesions
• Averia Health Solutions, Alexandria, Va.—Low-cost concussion screening and management system that uses smartphone technology

“The impressive number of well qualified applications we received from all over the US as well as from other countries speaks to the enthusiasm of Medtech innovators to develop and test devices specifically for children,” said Kolaleh Eskandanian, Ph.D., M.B.A., P.M.P., executive director of the Sheikh Zayed Institute for Pediatric Surgical Innovation and NCC-PDI. “We are committed to building on this momentum and keeping the conversation going with all who applied and will provide consultation services if needed.”
 
Each finalist will have five minutes to present their proposal to the judging panel, which includes Susan Alpert, M.D., a pediatrician and former director of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Device Evaluation and former senior vice president and chief regulatory officer of Medtronic; Noelle Dubiansky, of the law firm Goodwin; Julia Finkel, M.D., of Children’s National Health System and founder of AlgometRx, a medical device startup in Washington, D.C.; Rick Greenwald, Ph.D., of Simbex; Peyvand Khalighian, Ph.D., of Avicenna Partners in Dubai; Matt Maltese, Ph.D., of The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Eric Sugalski of Smithwise; and Tiffany Wilson of the Global Center for Medical Innovation. The format includes a five-minute question-and-answer period following each oral presentation.
 
The “Make Your Medical Device Pitch for Kids!” competition, funded by the FDA through NCC-PDI, is a part of the Sheikh Zayed Institute’s fourth annual Pediatric Surgical Innovation Symposium, “Helping Kids and the Economy Grow Stronger Through Innovation,” on Saturday, Oct. 8, 2016 at the Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, DC. The one-day conference and Medtech innovation showcase will bring together innovators, investors, patient advocates, children’s hospital executives, local economic development strategists, and policy makers, including key leaders from the FDA, to stimulate pediatric device innovation and bring solutions to market faster. The opening keynote speaker is Brian T. Kenner, deputy mayor for planning and economic development for the District of Columbia, who will speak to the role local economic development groups can play in creating ecosystems to promote innovation in science and technology.
 
For the symposium agenda and registration, visit www.pediatric-surgery-symposium.org.