Two Amsterdam UMC teams selected for Venture Challenge 2020

In April two teams of Amsterdam UMC researchers from location AMC were selected for the Venture Challenge 2020, a bootcamp for entrepreneurs in life science to help them kick-start their businesses. The Venture Challenge, this year organized by NWO, consists of two workshop session of three days where the teams sharpen their business plan and prepare to pitch their innovation in front of a jury. A total of six teams has been selected, including the two Amsterdam UMC teams PacingCure and the Ventilation Perfusion Protector.

PacingCure is developing biological pacemakers, using gene therapy vectors to deliver therapeutic ion channel proteins to restore the function of the heart’s natural pacemaker and conduction system. The team consists of Geert Boink, Osne Kirzner and Hanno Tan. They will take part in the spring edition of the Venture Challenge. Due to the Covid-19 restrictions, this edition is delayed and will most likely take place in July and September.

Evert Scholten, Gilmer Sussenbach, Cornelis Romijn have created the Ventilation Perfusion Protector (VPP). This device gives a warning signal to the medical staff when a patient undergoing cardiac surgery is not supported by either the heart-lung-machine or the anaesthetic machine. The VPP protects the patients’ need for oxygen. As the team was not available for the spring edition, they will take part in the autumn edition of the Venture Challenge 2020.

• Read more about the Venture Challenge.