Galway start-up reaches semi-finals in global maternal health competition

NUA Surgical, a start-up based in Galway, Ireland is one of eight semi-finalists in the 2021 Healthy Mom and Baby 2.0 Innovation Competition. The company is also the only semi-finalist from Europe.

Parkview Health, a not-for-profit, community-based health system serving more than 895,000 people in northeast Indiana and northwest Ohio, and MATTER, a healthcare incubator and innovation hub, announced the eight semi-finalists last week. Launched in May 2021, the competition challenged innovators to submit product, software or program solutions with the promise and potential of reducing the rates of maternal mortality.

NUA Surgical is an Enterprise Ireland supported company with a focus on women’s health. The company is a spin out from the BioInnovate Ireland programme at NUI Galway where it incubated for two years under an Enterprise Ireland Commercialisation Fund Grant. The spin out was founded in 2019 by Barry McCann, Padraig Maher and Marie-Therese Maher, and has achieved accolades including an EIT Health Headstart Award, a HIHI award and was crowned overall InterTrade Ireland Seedcorn winner in 2020, receiving a €100,000 cash prize. NUA Surgical has developed the SteriCISION C-Section Retractor, a device ergonomically designed for the obstetrician and their assistant, allowing hands-free unobstructed access to the uterus, delivering safer outcomes for mother and baby.

CEO Barry McCann said: “We aim to gain US regulatory approval at the end of 2022 so a potential partnership with a US health system such as Parkview Health is a fantastic opportunity for us.”

The Healthy Mom and Baby Innovation Competition 2.0 semi-finalists will present their solutions virtually on September 15, 2021. The winner of the innovation competition will receive a $10,000 cash prize. Following the innovation competition, up to five finalists will participate in a two-month virtual accelerator where they will continue to build and test their solutions with leaders from Parkview Health and MATTER. 

On December 15, 2021, finalist teams will present their final solutions to a community of healthcare professionals, Parkview leaders and outside investors to pitch for potential pilot opportunities and funding. All teams who participate in the final pitch day will receive a one-year global membership at MATTER.

Reporting: Med Tech News