Page 15 - EIF_CIP case studies

There are situations in life when every second counts… such as when doctors treat patients with heart or vascular conditions in an emergency. For vital rapid diagnosis, they need equipment which will be easily accessible and which will give them fast yet reliable information. This is where BMEYE steps in.

This Dutch company based in Amsterdam develops and sells cardiac monitoring devices. The latest BMEYE technology called Nexfn® offers one of the most advanced cardiovascular monitoring capabilities utilising a simple fnger cuff to capture and measure patients’ blood pressure and cardiac output continuously, or “beat-to-beat” as doctors say, in a non-invasive way. The device is able to help determine the care path to be taken in emergency situations, and the detailed life-saving data it provides allows clinicians to predict and proactively address the early signs of hemodynamic instability in critical situations.

Company founder Jeroen van Goudeover and CEO Rob de Ree knew that after 30 years of research and several prior pilot devices, with Nexfn® they had achieved the miniaturisation and increased user-accessibility required for broad adoption. For them, this was a breakthrough that would take the company to a new level. However, they needed help with registration and approval from the food and drugs authorities and assistance with the commercialisation and distribution of the device. In late 2009, they found the expert advice and fnancial support they were seeking from a number of venture capital fund managers including 360 Capital Partners.

Thanks to their support and the CIP funding, the company has been able to hire 11 new staff members, obtained clearance from the authorities and gathered enough clinical evidence for the product to be commercially launched. Nexfn® is now being used in emergency and intermediate care units, operating and recovering rooms, and could have numerous other felds of application which could translate into an even larger market reach.

For its outstanding technology, the company was also selected for the “2010 Red Herring 100” company awards.

Company: BMEYE B.V., Amsterdam Type of business: Cardiovascular monitoring devices EU-supported investment through 360 Capital Partners: EUR 2 million

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Netherlands

Beat-to-beat