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Capsule Photonics wins Venture Challenge Winter 2024 – 2025!

The winner of the Venture Challenge was announced today at Innovation for Health. The proud winner of the 2024 – 2025 winter edition is Capsule Photonics! The team has developed an innovative capsule endoscope: a pill-sized camera that creates microscopy-like images, highlighting areas where cancer biomarkers are present. It combines two advanced imaging technologies: Optical Coherence Tomography and targeted fluorescence. It allows full 360-degree visualization and subsurface imaging of the esophagus, enabling more accurate detection of esophageal cancer. The pill-sized endoscope does not only improve the survival chances of patients by detecting more cancer at an early stage, it also reduces the healthcare burden because the procedure can be done by a single nurse in a few minutes.

Every year, the Venture Challenge kicks of at Pivot Park. Tailor-made for aspiring entrepreneurs, the LifeSciences@Work Venture Challenge offers an intensive 10-week programme that guides participants from an initial idea to a well-developed business plan. Pivot Park remains committed to supporting innovation. 

The jury finds that Capsule Photonics is addressing a critical need as they target the growing demand for early and accurate detection of esophageal cancer — a condition often diagnosed too late due to limitations in current screening methods. The jury also noted the team’s strong presentation and Q&A, as well as their diversity, strength, and clear understanding of the regulatory pathway.

Each year, more than half a million people are diagnosed with esophageal cancer. Only 1 in 4 patients survive, because it is often diagnosed at a late stage. People with a higher risk of getting esophageal cancer are currently screened with endoscopy, but it misses 25% of early cancer, is time-consuming and labour-intensive. Capsule Photonics developed LightUp, a capsule endoscope that a patient can swallow without sedation. A nurse gently pulls it up by a string while it images the esophagus in a few minutes. In the future, Capsule Photonics aims to further develop miniaturized endoscopes with Optical Coherence Tomography and targeted fluorescence for applications in other organs. The Venture Challenge Winter started in November and today at Innovation for Health Capsule Photonics takes home the €25.000 prize money to invest in their growth. Contact Anouk Post for more information about Capsule Photonics.

Other participating teams were:

  • Oncochem
  • NeuroTidal Dx
  • Modular Tx
  • CellEKT
  • Gemini Theraonstics
 
Want to participate in the next venture challenge? Click here for more information. The call for the Venture Challenge Fall and Winter is open from 6 May till 1 July 2025, 2:00 p.m. 

 

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