Impressive developments for projects in Open Diagnostics Ecosystem
9-2-2023
The Open Diagnostics Ecosystem (ODE) started in the beginning of 2021 to give start-up companies access to funding, knowledge, a strong network, and research & development facilities within the Northern diagnostics ecosystem. Peter Ketelaar, Director Open Diagnostics is proud of the achievements since the start of ODE: ‘’In the last year four startups were supported with their growth ambitions and in 2023 there are four more to come. Cooperation between the startups and more established companies is something that impressed me the most. An example is the way they represented the Open Diagnostics Ecosystem together during the LIFE Sciences Conference last September.” In this article ODE would like to share the developments from some projects in 2022. Open Diagnostics is an initiative from the LIFE Cooperative.
Collaboration is key
Detact Diagnostics, the first start-up that started within the Open Diagnostics Ecosystem, had a year with lots of innovative projects and achievements. One of the highlights was connecting with various dialysis centers for the collection of peritoneal dialysis waste fluid for the development of RenoTact. On top of that was the SynoTact project, the rapid test for diagnosing periprosthetic joint infections used at the UMCG in a pilot study in collaboration with the department of orthopedic surgery. ’Hedi Koning, COO of Detact Diagnostics, is very happy with the achievements over the last year. Key aspect in these achievements is collaboration: ‘We finished the first study investigating clinical samples for the SynoTact project together with the UMCG. This collaboration was initiated through to the Open Diagnostics Ecosystem. Besides, collaboration with the other start-ups was very valuable for performing our first internal audit.’’ In 2023, Detact Diagnostics is preparing for their Stage 2 audit for ISO13485 certification and expanding their clinical studies for both RenoTact and SynoTact
Successful pilot studies
Reperio, a start-up that is developing non-invasive, portable diagnostic tests using eye movements, had received positive results from pilot studies conducted at the UMCG in preparation for the clinical trials. They created a first fully functioning prototype of SONDA (Standardized Oculomotor Neuro-ophthalmic Disorders Assessment). And they also started generating revenue through R&D consultancy and received the Horizon 2020 ELISE grant, which is awarded to the 16 best start-ups in Europe that use AI for societal improvements.
Major step forward
Richard Rushby, CO-founder and COO at SG Papertronics is enthusiastic about their results in 2022: ‘’The pilot testing of our flagship product, the Beer-o-meter, among some of the best craft breweries in the industry, has been a major step forward for the company’’. The Beer-o-meter is a device that allows craft brewers to measure the quality and consistency of their beer in real-time, giving them the ability to make adjustments and improvements. The feedback from early adopters has been positive, complimenting the Beer-o-meter for its fast and accurate results, as well as its ease of use. With this positive start, SG Papertronics is excited to officially launch the Beer-o-meter in 2023 and to continue expanding its reach into other markets such as agriculture and point-of-care diagnostics.
Newest project
Tagworks, the newest project within Open Diagnostics works on developing a novel radio immunoimaging approach to improve tumor imaging techniques for breast cancer patients. The intended advantages of the technology include improved imaging quality and shorter exposure time to radiation for patients resulting in fewer side effects. Next to Tagworks the Open Diagnostics Ecosystem foresees four more projects in 2023.
Open Diagnostics Events
In 2023 Open Diagnostics is working on helping more start-ups and keeps focusing on sharing knowledge within the diagnostic field in the Northern Netherlands.
“Furthermore, the knowledge sharing from our ecosystem will also be conducted together with HTRIC during our joint Innovation Boosters. Stay tuned, because there is more excitement to come !’’ says Peter Ketelaar.
The final of Groningen OPEN has resulted in two matches for Open Diagnostics!
Last Thursday the final of Groningen OPEN took place in Plus Ultra Groningen on the Zernike Campus. Instead of one winner, Open Diagnostics chose two winners. “We were lucky enough to be able to choose from many applications. This worked out very positively for us because we chose not 1 but 2 winners,” said Elke Veenman, Open Diagnostics project leader during the final.
The winners are Protyon and Nostics. Both start-ups are developing in the medical diagnostics field and with a contribution of €1,500 from Groningen OPEN they can now develop an application for the Open Diagnostics Ecosystem. Congratulations on behalf of the Open Diagnostics team. We look forward to working together.
Groningen OPEN has matched three different established companies from the Northern Netherlands to start-ups. The matches help established companies to innovate and start-ups to find customers in the field. For the NNZ | the packaging network match, start-up [BEBR] has been chosen as the winner. Established company KroeseWevers has chosen LEF.
Open Diagnostics joins newest edition Groningen Open
The goal of Groningen OPEN is to link established companies to startups. With this they help established companies from the Northern Netherlands to innovate and prepare them for the future. On the other hand, they help startups find customers. By collecting targeted challenges from established companies, they can find the ideal match for the collaborations of the future.
Through Groningen OPEN Open Diagnostics is searching for startups with innovative ideas in medical diagnostics. The whole challenge is explained by Elke Veenman in the video underneath.
Pitches by possible new learning projects and ODE stakeholder meeting
The advisory board met to hear various pitches of possible new learning projects. The results of these pitches will be announced shortly. Immediately after the pitches, all stakeholders of Open Diagnostics met. The current learning projects presented their developments within the project, the Open Diagnostics team explained the current state of affairs and together they looked at the coming months. All in all a fruitful day.
LIFE Science Conference Aftermovie 2022
We proudly present the Life Science Conference Aftermovie! The Life Science Conference, organised by the LIFE Cooperative, took place in a packed Forum Groningen. Central were the collaborations within and with the LIFE Cooperative, of diagnostics, drug discovery to the clinic and medical technology. Next to keynote Speaker Ben Feringa, panel sessions and a walking lunch, the first LIFE Science Innovation Award was also awarded to the winner Detact Diagnostics.
The LIFE Science Conference and Innovation Award 2022 are made possible by NV NOM, gemeente Groningen, Bedrijvenvereniging WEST, provincie Groningen, Campus Groningen, Symeres, ICON, Open Diagnostics, Kadans Science Partner, Pharma Connect Capital, CantorClin, Lode Holding and the LIFE Cooperative. 📽 The aftermovie is created by: Ruben Walma
Open Diagnostics is exhibiting at #BIOEurope in Leipzig, Germany!
BIO-EUROPE is the gateway to the Global Biopharma Community and the north of the Netherlands is represented by the LifeCooperative, InnoCore Pharmaceuticals, Symeres, Ardena and Open Diagnostics. Come meet us at booth 22, October 24–26, 2022!
Brandstof voor diagnostiek
Start-ups in de medische diagnostiek die een zetje in de goede richting willen, kunnen aankloppen bij Open Diagnostics. Behalve een relevant netwerk krijgen ze ook financiële hulp.
Elke Veenman, projectleider bij ODE zegt hierover in de nieuwste editie van NoordZ: ,,Veel innovatie bleef op de plank liggen. Dat willen we nu voorkomen.”
Lees hier het hele artikel en interview met Elke Veenman en Ep Oosting!
The Open Diagnostics ecosystem (ODE) proudly presents to you: the Open Diagnostics movie!
Since the start of Open Diagnostics, the ecosystem is growing and three projects have started. In this short movie Detact Diagnostics, Reperio Medtech and SG Papertronics B.V. display how they are developing their diagnostic tools. Find out more about the Open Diagnostics Ecosystem and our projects!
Ton Vries, director of Open Diagnostics: ‘’We are proud of the achievements already made within the ecosystem. Together we will turn the Northern Netherlands into a global expert in the development of diagnostics.”
Video by: Ruben Walma
First Open Diagnostics Event highlights novel diagnostics that arrive from Groningen
Diagnostics is more visible than ever, and it is all happening in Groningen and the Northern Netherlands. On May 10th, more than 40 people from the diagnostics ecosystem gathered in the Forum Groningen for the very first Open Diagnostics Ecosystem Event. Not only the strong network of the Northern provinces was present, but also key entrepreneurs and researchers from Leiden and Wijchen joined the event. The innovative and in 2020 launched Open Diagnostics Ecosystem (ODE) looks back at a successful event.
After an introduction from the director of ODE, Ton Vries, the afternoon started with Mike Martens, who is a member of the Advisory Board and working at Future Diagnostics. Martens related in his presentation to the many key trends that are fueling the global in-vitro diagnostics (IVD) and also that the existing diagnostic tools are minimalizing and making it easier to do rapid tests at the bedside of the patients.
“Nowadays it becomes easier to test nearby the patients, and I think that in the future it also will be the patient who has control over a lot of diagnostic tools. Look at what is already existing in your phone and smart watch. I think that Apple and Google will be the next diagnostic company”, Mike Martens explains.
Open Diagnostics facilitates the network
The Open Diagnostics Ecosystem is an initiative from the LIFE Cooperative that will turn the Northern Netherlands into a global expert in the development of diagnostics. Open Diagnostics gives access to knowledge, a strong network, and research & development facilities within the diagnostics ecosystem.
Reperio Medtech is one of the projects within ODE and is developing non-invasive, portable diagnostic tests using eye movements. Their current diagnostic tool for indicating whether someone has Glaucoma will be further developed within ODE for diabetic retinopathy. Alessandro Grillini, Managing Director (Reperio) added: “We are very happy to be part of ODE, because of the network and the access to bigger companies. We believe in the power of networks”
Next to Reperio, also Linic Ventures joined the stage to talk more about their current developments and innovations. Linic is currently developing a software application to support vascular diagnostics. The software is based on the principles of Machine Learning.
It happens in Groningen
Next to the previous speakers, Prof. Dr. Matthias Barz from the University of Leiden was invited to give insights into the therapeutic efficiency of targeted nanomedicines, and that their efficiency requires clinically applicable imaging tools. And also, Albert Wolthuis gave insights into new medical laboratory diagnostics. The crowd noticed that some chemistry structures used in the presentations where great, and that it was all created here in Groningen!
Open Diagnostics is made possible by
