Atrility Medical LLC, which developed a device to better monitor the heart during surgery, was the grand prize winner of the 18th annual Wisconsin Governor’s Business Plan Contest, according to a June 3 announcement by the Wisconsin Technology Council.
Madison-based Atrility Medical was co-founded by Pete Lukszys and Nick Von Bergen, a pediatric cardiac electrophysiologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who noticed recurring issues in some operations, according to a press release.
“This company is an excellent example of a practitioner noting a problem, devising a solution, and working with others within and outside academia to make it as practical and efficient as possible,” Wisconsin Technology Council president Tom Still said in a statement. “It’s really ‘tech transfer’ at its finest.”
The company’s device, called the AtriAmp, facilitates more efficient monitoring and treatment of atrial arrhythmia, a rhythm disruption that can be hard to detect and can cause complications, extra costs and even death, according to the release. The device has been cleared for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Atrility Medical also won the competition in the life sciences category. It was alongside 11 other finalists from an initial pool of 251 entries. A panel of 80 independent judges recruited by the Tech Council reviewed the finalists’ business plans.
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