Texas HALO Fund is an investment company that specializes in investing in early-stage businesses with promising growth prospects and exceptional management teams. Its investment approach identifies compelling businesses from multiple sources and without regard to the industry or geographic location.  Quite simply, it seeks the best opportunities, locally, regionally, and nationally, in order to generate the highest returns for the investors with the lowest possible risk. The firm was founded in 2012 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Texas HALO Fund

MedTech Innovator is the industry’s nonprofit global competition and accelerator for medical device, digital health and diagnostic companies. Our mission is to improve the lives of patients by accelerating the growth of companies that are transforming the healthcare system. MedTech Innovator annually features 100 companies that address one or more of the transformative themes identified in an annual survey of leading manufacturers and providers.

MedTech Innovator

The University of Texas at Austin is one of the largest public universities in the United States and is the largest institution of The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, the university has grown from a single building, eight teachers, two departments and 221 students to a 350-acre main campus with 17 colleges and schools, about 24,000 faculty and staff, and more than 50,000 students. The university’s reach goes far beyond the borders of the main campus with satellite campuses and research centers across Texas, including the J.J. Pickle Research Campus, the Marine Science Institute, the McDonald Observatory, the Montopolis Research Center and the Brackenridge tract. With an enrollment of 11,000 students and more than 3,500 master’s and doctor’s degrees awarded annually, the Graduate School is a national leader in graduate degrees awarded and one of the largest graduate schools in the nation. More than 8,700 bachelor’s degrees are awarded annually in more than 170 fields of study and 100 majors. The university has one of the most diverse student populations in the country and is a national leader in the number of undergraduate degrees awarded to minority students.

The University of Texas at Austin

Hal Jones Development is a family office that focuses on real estate development.

Hal Jones Development

ClearCam

ClearCam provides clinicians with innovative tools and technologies that improve their vision and skill in the operating room. ClearCam was founded in 2018 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

ClearCam Inc. offers ClearScope, a disposable in-vivo laparoscopic lens cleaner that eliminates the need for clinicians to remove and clean the scope during surgery continually. The device consists of a 5mm design compatible with standard 5mm and 5.5mm laparoscopes with 0° and 30° angles. It features a dynamic spacer to ensure optimal wiper-lens contact, providing clear visual and tactile assistance. ClearScope enables surgeons to maintain their visual field and momentum throughout surgery, reducing a patient's time in the operating room (OR) and maximizing surgical excellence while improving safety. The device had been used in close to 2000 procedures across the US, gaining traction in thoracic, general, and gynecologic surgeries. ClearCam planned to launch an improved version of ClearScope in June 2023.

ClearCam — Laparoscope Lens Cleaning

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ClearCam Inc. offers ClearScope, a disposable in-vivo laparoscopic lens cleaner that eliminates the need for clinicians to remove and clean the scope during surgery continually. The device consists of a 5mm design compatible with standard 5mm and 5.5mm laparoscopes with 0° and 30° angles. It features a dynamic spacer to ensure optimal wiper-lens contact, providing clear visual and tactile assistance. ClearScope enables surgeons to maintain their visual field and momentum throughout surgery, reducing a patient's time in the operating room (OR) and maximizing surgical excellence while improving safety. The device had been used in close to 2000 procedures across the US, gaining traction in thoracic, general, and gynecologic surgeries. ClearCam planned to launch an improved version of ClearScope in June 2023.

Convergent Dental, Inc. is a privately owned dental equipment and technology company. Its flagship product, Solea, is the only CO2 laser cleared by the FDA for all-tissue indications, delivering an anesthesia-free, blood-free, and suture-free experience for dentists and patients. Solea represents a breakthrough in dental laser technology, offering a distinct experience compared to traditional instruments or earlier laser treatments.
Solea is a novel 9.3-micron CO2 laser that nears the peak absorption of hydroxyapatite (enamel), enabling it to vaporize enamel with speed and precision. This unique wavelength, coupled with computer-controlled motors (galvos) that manipulate the beam thousands of times per second, allows dentists to perform procedures ranging from hard tissue to soft tissue with total control and efficiency.
A key feature of Solea is its variable-speed foot pedal, which lets dentists seamlessly transition from hard to soft tissue by adjusting the pressure applied. This intuitive design streamlines the learning curve for dentists accustomed to using a drill. Solea's three ergonomic handpieces – Contra-Angle, Straight, and Ultraguide – further enhance its versatility across various procedures.
Solea not only improves patient experiences but also offers practice benefits such as increased productivity, new patient flow, and efficiency gains. In October 2022, Convergent Dental received FDA clearance for Solea to aid in reducing mineral loss in dental enamel, protecting teeth against acid attack and caries development. This breakthrough application was commercially launched in November 2023 under the name Solea Protect.

Convergent Dental

Ossio is an orthopedic fixation technology company that has developed OSSIOfiber Intelligent Bone Regeneration Technology, a breakthrough implant material designed to securely fixate and fully integrate into the body's native anatomy without leaving any permanent hardware behind. This technology addresses the limitations of conventional metal and resorbable implants, combining unparalleled mechanical strength with natural bone healing.
Made from a proprietary mineral fiber matrix held together by a naturally degradable polymer, OSSIOfiber implants provide surgeons with a more biologically friendly way to restore patient stability and mobility. These implants are engineered to provide the strength required for functional fixation while allowing full integration into the native bone without adverse biological response.
Ossio's product portfolio includes compression screws, trimmable fixation nails, hammertoe fixation systems, suture anchors, and compression staples, all made with OSSIOfiber technology. These implants have received multiple FDA clearances since 2019, and the company has initiated commercialization of its products in the US. As of March 2022, over 6,000 implantations of OSSIOfiber products had been performed, demonstrating adoption of this innovative technology.
OSSIOfiber Intelligent Bone Regeneration Technology can address various surgical applications through the manufacturing of implant designs like nails, screws, staples, anchors, and plates. Ossio plans to pursue multiple applications in distal extremities, trauma, sports, reconstruction, pediatrics, and spine segments.
In February 2023, Ossio launched the world's first and only non-permanent compression staple made with OSSIOfiber technology, designed for predictable bone in-growth, regeneration, and replacement.

Ossio

Casana is a healthcare technology company that has developed the Heart Seat, an innovative toilet seat that enables effortless, integrated, and consistent in-home health monitoring. The Heart Seat is a replacement for a standard toilet seat and is designed to measure key clinical parameters such as heart rate, blood oxygen saturation (SpO2), and blood pressure.
In May 2023, Casana received FDA clearance for the Heart Seat to measure heart rate and SpO2 in adults aged 22 years and older, weighing between 90 to 350 pounds. The company plans to file for additional indications, including systolic and diastolic blood pressure, with the goal of launching the product in the market by the end of 2023.
The Heart Seat is equipped with sensors that passively capture health data whenever the seat is used, eliminating the need for user compliance or behavior changes. The data is automatically uploaded to the Casana Cloud, where it can be viewed by healthcare providers, enabling them to monitor patients' health trends and respond to changes in near real-time.
Casana's technology allows for the effortless collection of consistent and reliable data, assisting medical teams in monitoring chronic conditions beyond the hospital or physician's office. The company aims to unlock a new category in healthcare technologies that enables seamless, integrated, and continuous in-home health monitoring.
In January 2022, Casana was acquired by an undisclosed entity, further accelerating the commercialization of the Heart Seat.

Casana

Neurent Medical is a company pioneering innovative non-surgical interventions to treat chronic inflammatory sinonasal diseases, particularly chronic rhinitis. The company's flagship product is the NEUROMARK System, a device that received US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) 510(k) clearance in October 2021.
The NEUROMARK System is designed to gently apply controlled low-power radio frequency (RF) energy to target regions of the nasal cavity, disrupting the parasympathetic nerve signals that can trigger an inflammatory response. This alleviates chronic rhinitis symptoms such as persistent congestion, rhinorrhea (runny nose), swelling of the mucosal membrane, sneezing, and nasal itching. The system's unique flexible leaflet design and proprietary smart algorithms enable precise neurolysis (disruption) of the posterior nasal nerves (PNN) and accessory pathways, accommodating a range of patient anatomies while maintaining mucosal and vascular integrity.
Neurent Medical announced the limited market release of the NEUROMARK System in the US in February 2023, following the establishment of a new Category I Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) code by the American Medical Association (AMA) for PNN procedures, effective January 2024. The American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (AAO-HNS) also endorsed the PNN procedure in 2023.

Neurent Medical

Genetesis is a medical imaging company specializing in biomagnetic cardiac imaging solutions. It has developed CardioFlux, a flagship magnetocardiography (MCG) system that non-invasively identifies myocardial ischemia, a condition where blood flow to the heart muscle is reduced. The technology measures the magnetic fields generated by the heart's electrical activity to detect ischemia within minutes, without using pharmaceuticals or radiation. CardioFlux MCG is designed to provide advanced imaging while prioritizing patient comfort.
The company's solutions target the diagnosis of coronary microvascular disease (CMD), a condition that has been challenging to identify due to a lack of effective functional diagnostics. By offering an accurate and rapid test for CMD, Genetesis aims to address an unmet clinical need and enable timely management of the condition.
In April 2023, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted CardioFlux MCG Breakthrough Device designation for the non-invasive diagnosis of myocardial ischemia in patients suspected of having CMD.
Genetesis was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Mason, Ohio. The company has received over USD 40 million in funding to date, including a USD 17.5 million Series C round in October 2022. In April 2020, TDK Ventures, the corporate venture capital arm of TDK Corporation, invested in Genetesis, providing access to TDK's expertise in areas like biomagnetic sensors and magnetic noise suppression.

Genetesis

Companies that develop diagnostic devices used in a hospital setting to identify a disease, condition, or injury, such as imaging systems and endoscopes

Companies that develop implantable medical devices designed to be surgically placed inside the human body, either temporarily or permanently, including devices such as pacemakers, artificial joints, stents, and cochlear implants

Companies that develop non-surgical devices that are used in a procedure or intervention to cure or relieve a patient from an illness or disease such as laser treatments, dental equipment, and wound care management

Companies that develop monitoring devices that are used in a hospital setting to measure patient vital signs and ensure patient well-being post-treatment, such as cardiac and respiratory monitoring systems

Providers of software that enhances the functionality of medical device hardware (diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring)

Companies that develop surgical devices involving invasive interventions (cutting into a patient's body tissues) to treat, cure, or relieve a patient of an illness or disease

Companies that develop devices to administer pharmaceutical substances into a patient's body, ensuring controlled release or targeted delivery, specifically for use in clinical settings to treat or manage medical conditions effectively

Providers of software that helps manage risks, ensure quality, and streamline audit processes during medical device development

IoT connects devices to EHR systems for precise patient diagnosis and treatment support

Devices are linked to software platforms that use digital technologies such as AI/ML and VR

Startups leverage AI/ML and deep learning to support patient diagnosis and early detection

ClearCam

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