Description:

Abstract

Patient-focused research at Shirley Ryan AbilityLab often leads to invention of new medical devices and medical processes that could represent valuable new products. The transition from laboratory to commercial product is often long, complicated, and expensive. New technologies are often licensed to existing companies, but sometimes new technologies are brought to market through creation of startup companies. A valuable resource available to startup companies is MATTER. MATTER is a healthcare incubator in Chicago’s Merchandise Mart that has over 210 stage- and sector-agnostic startup companies within its portfolio. In addition to incubating startups, MATTER partners with industry leading companies, health systems, and universities to help facilitate partnerships and pilots. As a result, companies have raised approximately $530M since the inception of MATTER 3.5 years ago. MATTER hosts a number of programs and workshops to help startups commercialize ideas and obtain feedback from key stakeholders.

Speaker info

Monica Vajani is the Partnerships Director at MATTER. She is responsible for engaging with key stakeholders across the healthcare landscape that can benefit from innovative solutions developed by MATTER companies. Monica works with the management team to ensure that each partnership helps drive the company mission: innovation through collaboration. She is passionate about changing the healthcare conversation from treatment to prevention with the goal of radically improving patient outcomes. Prior to MATTER, Monica was a cardiac medical device sales professional for Medtronic and St. Jude Medical. She has extensive experience building relationships with health systems and driving patient compliance through education, all while operating in the ever changing landscape of healthcare. Monica holds a BS in biomedical engineering from Washington University in St. Louis and an MBA from the Booth School of Business with concentrations in marketing, entrepreneurship and strategy.

Dr. David Zembower leads SRAlab’s technology transfer efforts, focused on developing commercialization strategies for the unique discoveries that come out of our research and clinical operations. Dr. Zembower spent 15 years in the biotechnology industry where he worked in new drug discovery and business development. He also co-founded a start-up biotechnology company, Rhythmos Therapeutics, Inc., focused on repurposing abandoned pharmaceutical assets as new agents to treat heart rhythm disorders. Dr. Zembower holds a BS in Chemistry from the University of Central Florida; a PhD in Organic Chemistry from the Georgia Institute of Technology; and an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.