Cascara Ventures

ATRO Medical B.V., based in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, specializes in the development of anatomically shaped polymer meniscus implants, specifically the Trammpolin. This innovative prosthesis is designed to replace damaged menisci, restoring their protective function by acting as a joint spacer and shock absorber. The Trammpolin mimics the natural meniscus, facilitating adequate load distribution within the knee joint, which can provide significant relief for osteoarthritis patients suffering from severe pain. ATRO Medical emerged as a spin-out from DSM and Radboudumc, leveraging expertise from a public-private collaboration initiated in 2010 that involved various universities, private companies, and support from the Dutch government. This collaborative effort has been instrumental in the design and development of the Trammpolin prototype.

Surgify is focused on the commercialization of an innovative technology designed for bone surgery, developed at Aalto University with support from the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation. The company collaborates closely with the Neurosurgical Department of Helsinki University Central Hospital to ensure effective communication with clinicians. Surgify's technology aims to protect proximal soft structures during surgery, thereby minimizing complications such as bleeding, infections, and nerve injuries. This advancement not only enhances surgical safety but also aims to improve patient outcomes and quality of life by reducing suffering associated with these procedures.

ATRO Medical B.V., based in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, specializes in the development of anatomically shaped polymer meniscus implants, specifically the Trammpolin. This innovative prosthesis is designed to replace damaged menisci, restoring their protective function by acting as a joint spacer and shock absorber. The Trammpolin mimics the natural meniscus, facilitating adequate load distribution within the knee joint, which can provide significant relief for osteoarthritis patients suffering from severe pain. ATRO Medical emerged as a spin-out from DSM and Radboudumc, leveraging expertise from a public-private collaboration initiated in 2010 that involved various universities, private companies, and support from the Dutch government. This collaborative effort has been instrumental in the design and development of the Trammpolin prototype.

Desentum Oy, established in 2011 and headquartered in Finland, is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to developing innovative allergy vaccines. The company focuses on creating hypoallergenic vaccines targeting common allergens such as birch pollen, pet dander, and food proteins like fish and nuts. Desentum's unique approach involves designing vaccines that switch the immune system's response from hypersensitivity to tolerance, aiming to provide long-term relief for allergy sufferers while reducing societal burdens.

microDimensions develops software solutions for processing, analyzing, and visualizing microscopic image data, primarily in biomedical fields. Its key products include Voloom (for automated 3D reconstruction), Zoom (for fast visualization of whole slide images), and anyslide/slidematch. These tools assist pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and pathology researchers with tasks like cell counting, tumor border computation, scoring, volume measurements, and finding regions in serial sections. microDimensions offers its products through distribution partners.

Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Jena, Germany, Preventicus develops certified medical device software for smartphones and smartwatches. Its primary product, Preventicus Heartbeats, identifies atrial fibrillation for stroke prevention by analyzing patients' vital parameters, enabling early detection of lifestyle-related illnesses.

xbird GmbH is a medical artificial intelligence company headquartered in Berlin, Germany, founded in 2015. The company specializes in developing software solutions that utilize algorithms to analyze micro-movements detected by sensors in smartphones and wearables. These algorithms interpret daily activities and significant events affecting patients' health, particularly in the context of diabetes management. By capturing data related to patients' behavior and lifestyles, xbird aims to personalize therapies, identify potential health risks, and optimize long-term treatment outcomes. The company's innovative approach contributes to holistic care in the healthcare sector, enhancing the ability of caregivers to monitor and support patients effectively.

Fiagon GmbH, founded in 2007 and based in Hennigsdorf, Germany, specializes in the development and manufacture of navigation systems for surgical applications. The company focuses on areas such as ENT, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and neurosurgery. Fiagon's innovative clinical navigation systems enhance image guidance through advanced electromagnetic tracking matrix algorithms and flexible pointer technology. These systems enable precise instrument positioning within CT or MRI image data, allowing physicians to plan operations accurately and improve patient outcomes. As a subsidiary of Fiagon AG Medical Technologies, the company is dedicated to advancing surgical navigation technology to support healthcare professionals in delivering better surgical care.

microDimensions develops software solutions for processing, analyzing, and visualizing microscopic image data, primarily in biomedical fields. Its key products include Voloom (for automated 3D reconstruction), Zoom (for fast visualization of whole slide images), and anyslide/slidematch. These tools assist pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and pathology researchers with tasks like cell counting, tumor border computation, scoring, volume measurements, and finding regions in serial sections. microDimensions offers its products through distribution partners.

Fiagon GmbH, founded in 2007 and based in Hennigsdorf, Germany, specializes in the development and manufacture of navigation systems for surgical applications. The company focuses on areas such as ENT, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and neurosurgery. Fiagon's innovative clinical navigation systems enhance image guidance through advanced electromagnetic tracking matrix algorithms and flexible pointer technology. These systems enable precise instrument positioning within CT or MRI image data, allowing physicians to plan operations accurately and improve patient outcomes. As a subsidiary of Fiagon AG Medical Technologies, the company is dedicated to advancing surgical navigation technology to support healthcare professionals in delivering better surgical care.

SurgicEye GmbH, founded in 2008 and based in Munich, Germany, develops advanced intra-operative imaging and instrument navigation solutions for surgical procedures. The company specializes in navigated radio-guided surgery through its declipse SPECT open surgery technology, which utilizes handheld 3-D freehand SPECT imaging. It also offers the declipse SPECT Laparascopy, an intraoperative 3D imaging system designed for invasive sentinel lymph node biopsy, and the declipse SPECT imaging probe, a compact mobile SPECT imaging solution with high resolution. In addition to its imaging technologies, SurgicEye provides consulting services for medical device development, including requirements engineering, software specification, software development and testing, as well as support for the design and conduction of clinical studies.

Meidrix Biomedicals is a medical biotechnology company that specializes in medical devices for cartilage repair. Meidrix Biomedicals also offers regenerative and biological medical products. Meidrix Biomedicals was founded in 2009 and was headquartered in Bayern, Germany.

Surgify is focused on the commercialization of an innovative technology designed for bone surgery, developed at Aalto University with support from the Finnish Funding Agency for Innovation. The company collaborates closely with the Neurosurgical Department of Helsinki University Central Hospital to ensure effective communication with clinicians. Surgify's technology aims to protect proximal soft structures during surgery, thereby minimizing complications such as bleeding, infections, and nerve injuries. This advancement not only enhances surgical safety but also aims to improve patient outcomes and quality of life by reducing suffering associated with these procedures.