Alumni medical startup NERv primed for more growth

A medical startup company founded by two Nanotechnology Engineering graduates has raised US $2.65 million to continue its growth.

NERv Technology, which recently moved to the Medical Innovation Xchange (MIX) in Kitchener, said in a media release this week that it will use the seed funding to secure regulatory approvals, complete clinical studies and establish a manufacturing line.

Launched in 2014 by alumni Youssef Helwa (BASc ’15, nanotechnology engineering, MASc ’17, electrical engineering) and Amr Abdelgawad (BASc ’16, nanotechnology engineering, MBET ’17) when they were still students at Waterloo Engineering, NERv has developed a sensory platform to detect leaks following abdominal surgeries. Youssef Helwa is also a recipient of a WIN Nanofellowship in 2016.

Identifying leaks early can reduce the length of hospital stays, significantly reduce costs and help save lives.

The workforce at the company has grown to 24 from 16 during the COVID-19 pandemic.

About NERv Technology Inc.

NERv aims to create a paradigm shift in post-operative care, utilizing the plethora of data within the body, to help in the detection of post-operative complications at their onset. NERv's platform sensing technology augments existing wound drains and catheters, providing healthcare providers with a smart monitoring tool that can enhance the delivery of care. NERv's technology is being built with the goal of decreasing surgeon's response time to potential complications, making patient recovery easier, and hopefully saving lives.