Lansing-Based Medical Startup, SteriDev, forms licensing partnership with Fortune 500 Medical Device Company
LANSING— SteriDev, a Lansing-based medical device company announced that it has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Zimmer Biomet—a globally-recognized medical technology leader—to manufacture, market and sell the startup’s CleanCase sterile mobile device cover, the first device-specific, fully FDA-compliant product on the market that allows the safe use of mobile devices in the surgical field.
The CleanCase mobile device cover uses patented technology to allow surgeons full mobile device functionality in the operating room without compromising patient safety. Robert Zondervan, DO, PhD, now an orthopedic surgery resident at McLaren Greater Lansing Hospital with over 15 years of clinical and academic medical experience, came up with the idea while he was finishing medical school and his PhD at Michigan State University. It was while he was assisting in an operation that he realized there needed to be a safe way to bring mobile technology into the sterile field. With an idea and the help of Michigan State University’s entrepreneurship center, Spartan Innovations, Zondervan started SteriDev and developed the CleanCase mobile device cover.
“This is an exciting step in our efforts to unlock the benefits mobile device technology can bring to surgery,” said Zondervan, Chief Executive Officer at SteriDev. “Mobile applications with the potential to improve the delivery of healthcare have been developing at a remarkable rate for years now, but until the development of the CleanCase technology, only patients in non-sterile settings were benefiting. With this licensing agreement in place, Zimmer Biomet now has the functionality it needs to safely deploy mobile healthcare applications which will have positive impact on patient outcomes in surgical settings. Initially, Zimmer Biomet will be using the CleanCase mobile device cover to enable the use of mobile-based augmented reality technology to improve hip and knee replacement surgery.”
Zondervan was able to develop and launch the novel technology thanks in part to an early-seed investment from several Michigan-based venture capital funds, including TriCoast Ventures, Invest Detroit, Red Cedar Ventures and Quantum Medical Concepts—an investment fund founded by the Michigan State Medical Society committed to providing early-stage investment funding to medical startup businesses. Investment from these funds into SteriDev has directly impacted economic growth in Michigan. SteriDev’s CleanCase mobile device cover was designed, patented, validated, and manufactured using exclusively Michigan-based companies.
“It’s so great to see something like the CleanCase go from a promising idea to a success, and the fact that SteriDev and Doctor Zondervan’s groundbreaking technology made that leap is no surprise.” said Benjamin Louagie, managing director of Quantum Medical Concepts. “We’re so happy to have played a role in helping this idea get off the ground and we’re excited to see SteriDev now go to the next level. The CleanCase sterile mobile device cover is a tremendous piece of technology and there’s no question this licensing agreement will ensure more physicians are now able to use it to better care for their patients.”
Jeff Wesley, executive director of Red Cedar Ventures added: “It is exciting to see SteriDev consummate this licensing agreement with Zimmer Biomet—it’s an awesome accomplishment for both SteriDev’s CleanCase technology and Doctor Zondervan himself. To be a Michigan State University student, entrepreneur, innovator and CEO all at the same time is truly inspiring and a testament to the Doctor Zondervan’s passion and drive to positively impact the medical field.”
For more information about the CleanCase sterile mobile cover please visit www.SteriDev.com.
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About Quantum Medical Concepts
Quantum Medical Concepts is a partnership of the Michigan State Medical Society and Common Wealth Enterprises. Through this partnership Quantum provides early-stage investment funding to Michigan companies in the medical sector. In addition to investing in startup funding, Quantum provides access to more than 15,000 medical professionals and active management support for our portfolio companies. For more information, please visit http://quantummedicalconcepts.com.
About Red Cedar Ventures
Red Cedar Ventures, the wholly owned venture investment subsidiary of the Michigan State Foundation, supports promising Michigan State University student and faculty initiatives through investment capital and programming. Red Cedar Ventures’s investments are inspired by the thinkers, innovators, and doers at MSU—the faculty, researchers, and student entrepreneurs ready to bring their technologies and companies to market.