We are thrilled to announce our newest engagement with a leader in the wound care space, Defender!

For those with diabetes, wound care is a significant challenge. In the United States alone, over 1.6 million cases of Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFUs) are identified annually, and about 24% result in limb amputation within 6 to 18 months of the initial diagnosis. Globally, every 20 seconds someone’s leg is amputated due to the complications of diabetes. Thus, it's essential to discover effective treatments for these wounds. Defender is focused on creating innovative and highly effective solutions that combine advanced offloading technology with smart monitoring for enhanced and faster healing of DFUs. Their flagship product, Foot Defender, offers a sophisticated, fashionable and easy to use boot that significantly boosts patient compliance and can reduce DFU healing times by more than 66% compared to existing care methods.

Why Defender?

Defender is a wound care life cycle treatment company that is shifting the traditional care to be patient-centric, with an effective offloading option that patients are comfortable wearing, easier to use, and cosmetically acceptable - designed by the expert, Michael DiTullo (designer for Nike, Jordan & Brooks). Unlike alternatives, such as a cam walker, a surgical shoe, or a cast, Foot Defender is the combination of exceptional patient-focused design and cutting-edge materials in a device that prioritizes reducing pressure on the foot and preventing amputations.

The market is taking notice, and Defender has demonstrated tremendous year-over-year growth in every area from product development to marketing, sales, and financial results:

• 10 US patents granted to date, with 11 patents pending for approval 

• $1.4MM annual revenue for 2023

• More than 17,000 Foot Defenders and 26,000 Heel Defenders sold 

• Foot Defender+ with built-in Remote Patient Monitoring, approved for billing at $1,800 per month for significant recurring revenue

• $5.9MM capital raised to date

• Established strategic partnerships with leading Durable Medical Equipment (DME) providers and distributors

  
  

Please contact Tony Coretto for more information or to arrange a meeting with Jason Hanft, Defender’s CEO.

Smart, Wearable Technology in Healthcare: Changing the Game

Wearable technology in healthcare is almost ubiquitous; wristbands, patches, and other unobtrusive devices help to collect a broad spectrum of health and fitness data, which can be provided to medical professionals, insurance companies, and other health providers. These devices include fitness trackers, blood pressure monitors, glucose monitors, biosensors, and more. 

The next generation of smart wearables, including more sophisticated data capture, analytics, reporting, and alerts, is set to transform the healthcare industry. Initially conceptualized as sophisticated performance trackers for athletes and fitness enthusiasts, these wearables have now evolved to include monitoring tools for patients with chronic ailments and injuries.

At the same time, wearable tech has also had a transformative impact on the insurance industry’s approach to risk assessment and customer engagement. In a study it was found that “steps per day can effectively segment mortality risk even after controlling for age, gender, smoking status, and various health indicators”.

In 2020, the market for smart wearable health devices was valued at $13.8 billion. By 2028, it is  expected to reach more than $37 billion.  

Wearable Technology and Orthopedics

Orthopedics focuses on the treatment of injuries to the musculoskeletal system. Over the years, doctors and surgeons have relied heavily on medical wearable devices for precise diagnosis, effective treatment and rehabilitation programs, and thorough patient monitoring for trauma prevention. 

Health-monitoring smartwatches continuously track vital signs like heart rate, oxygen levels, and even sleep patterns, providing real-time data for doctors. Patients using smart braces equipped with sensors allow doctors and surgeons to remotely monitor their mobility and customize rehabilitation plans for optimal recovery. Post-surgery, temperature-sensing wearables are used to detect signs of infection or inflammation. Wearable devices like transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) units can provide relief by delivering electrical impulses to affected areas. 

For injury prevention, pressure sensing insoles, and gait-monitoring devices alert individuals to unsafe movements and environments, reducing the risk of traumatic incidents. Additionally, some of these devices can assist in detecting, monitoring and assessing fractures, muscle activity, and joint kinematics like joint angles and forces, ultimately enabling quicker diagnosis and treatment. For diabetics in particular, this is a huge game-changer. 

Wearable Technologies Available for Diabetics

Smart Watch. Smart watches have become increasingly popular for diabetics. They offer features such as alerts for low blood sugar readings and alerts to caretakers when needed. Aside from the modern convenience factor, the health-tracking benefits are helpful in monitoring activity levels and help regulate the movement of patients with limited mobility.

Continuous Glucose Monitor. Typically worn on the back of the upper arm, this device measures glucose levels in real-time through a sensor inserted under the skin, gathers data and sends it to a mobile phone app to keep track of fluctuations in blood sugar levels. This device offers a more convenient way of tracking real time glucose levels without the finger pricking or test strips.

Insulin Pump. An insulin pump is infused through a tube beneath the skin around the abdomen area and delivers fast-acting insulin for up to 3 days at a time. Small enough to be worn discreetly, this pump makes it possible for patients to do away with multiple daily injections regimen.

For diabetics, another major problem is wound care. With more than 1.6 million Diabetic Foot Ulcers (DFU’s) diagnosed each year in the USA (24% of which lead to limb amputation within 6-18 months of initial evaluation), finding effective healing treatments is critical. A leading company in this sector is Foot Defender, with highly-effective, innovative products that incorporate smart monitoring and data capture for faster, better healing of DFUs. The Foot Defender+, a smart and stylish boot with built-in sensors to monitor patient activity, helps dramatically improve patient compliance and can reduce the healing time for DFUs by over 66% compared to the current standard of care. 

As access to this next-gen technology is made available to more people, doctors and other healthcare professionals are now able to take a more informed, data-driven approach to patient care, from monitoring ongoing health concerns to immediately spotting developing emergencies. And, with the continuing rise of chronic diseases like diabetes and cardiovascular problems, so too does the demand for wearable medical devices continue to increase.

The accuracy, efficiency, flexibility, and precision of EMPEQ’s Fast Site Survey data capture app has led to new commitments and contracts:

• EMPEQ was awarded a $1.2 million Direct-to-Phase II SBIR contract from the Air Forces AFWERX program, which supports technology innovations with air and space applications. To read more click here.

• Leonid Capital Partners,  a leading provider of alternative financing solutions for US Defense contractors, expands its National Security portfolio through a tactical investment in EMPEQ. To read more click here.

• EMPEQ wins $150,000 grand prize from Hustle Defense Accelerator Program. The investment in EMPEQ highlights its capacity to revolutionize site survey methods, driving additional growth, expansion, and employment opportunities To read more click here.

For further information on EMPEQ or to arrange a call with the CEO, Hebert Dwyer, please contact Mitchell Hauser.

YouSolar is a renewable energy company that aims to address the problem of unreliable power supply and high energy costs. They offer innovative solar energy solutions that combine solar panels, battery storage, and an intelligent energy management system into a solar micro-grid by harnessing solar power and efficiently storing excess energy.

YouSolar raised $400,000 in funding through its third StartEngine campaign. To read more, click here.

For further information on YouSolar or to arrange a call with the CEO, Arnold Leitner, please contact Mitchell Hauser. 

CircuitMeter continues to sign industry leaders in energy and carbon management onto its market leading energy metering and analytics technology. Joining CircuitMeter's growing distribution network are Anthesis Group and Precision Metering Distribution.

Anthesis is the world's largest group of sustainability experts, with over 1,200 sustainability experts worldwide. Headquartered in London, England, Anthesis leads the way in delivering sustainable performance and has extensive operations in the United States. By adopting the CircuitMeter platform, Anthesis will have the tools to extend its carbon management accounting and strategic planning into bottom up, cost effective energy and carbon reduction planning and implementation.

Precision Metering Distribution is a newly formed business unit from Enerpro Systems, headquartered in North Vancouver, B.C., Enerpro has been a leading energy management firm in western Canada for almost 30 years, with extensive experience in all metering technologies. Precision Metering was created to focus on meeting the massive projected growth in demand for services and technologies that can produce cost effective reduction in energy use in all building types, and has adopted the CircuitMeter platform as its preferred metering and energy analytics technology.

For further information on CircuitMeter or to arrange a call with the CEO, Paul Mertes, please contact Mitchell Hauser. 

This month, we welcome Katrina Tan to the SV team as Communications Manager. She is in charge of client outreach, research, and other administrative tasks. She is from the Philippines and has worked extensively in the BPO industry as a Product Trainer and Operations Manager for various firms. To learn more about Kat, please click here.