Excerpt from Dayton Business Journal
Caroline Cao is a professor of biomedical, industrial and human factors engineering at Wright State University. Now, she's furthering her path down the local startup scene, after receiving funding to support her prototype development.
Her company, Endo Guidance Technologies LLC, was awarded $150,000 for the development and commercialization of a radiation-free alternative to X-ray imaging during endovascular surgery. This support was possible by the Ohio Third Frontier Commission, which approved $2.5 million in funding statewide to further develop testing, prototyping and technology.
Cao's research is focused on developing technology that will better enable performance in minimally invasive surgeries. Tools used in procedures such as microscopic surgeries, colonoscopies, endovascular surgeries and more are often limitedly tracked, providing an element of risk in a surgery. That's where Endo Guidance Technologies' products come in — to support surgeons and their procedures safely, which will then lead to better patient outcomes.
"There's a big need for this technology," she said. "That's why I decided to launch this project and I'm trying to push it commercially."
This newly obtained funding will help fill the gaps between Cao's research and technology development, bringing the startup one step closer to commercialization. Plus, the local startup scene's supportive atmosphere is a key reason she decided to relocate from Boston and grow her business in Dayton.
"Especially with The Entrepreneurs Center, I've been connected to the community and realized how vibrant it is," she said. "I'm excited to be a part of it."
