ABLE Human Motion

ABLE Human Motion is a Barcelona-based medical device startup that is focused on developing robotic exoskeletons for neurorehabilitation to enhance mobility, health, and quality of life for individuals with disabilities. The company was founded by engineers Alfons Carnicero and Alex Garcia, along with Professor Josep Font in October 2018 as a spin-out from the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya. The founding of the company follows years of research at UPC’s Biomechanical Engineering Lab.

The company’s flagship product, the ABLE Exoskeleton, is a lightweight, hip-knee-powered device designed for clinical neurorehabilitation of individuals with spinal cord injuries (SCI). It assists users in standing, walking, turning, and sitting, promoting motor learning and reducing spasticity. The exoskeleton allows for quick donning (less than six minutes), adjustable support, and intuitive controls for both therapists and patients.

In 2024, the ABLE Exoskeleton received CE marking under the EU Medical Device Regulation, which allows for the commercial distribution across the European Union. This milestone followed clinical trials that were conducted in leading neurorehabilitation hospitals in Germany and Spain, supported by €2.8 million in funding from EIT Health between 2020 and 2022.

Looking to the future, ABLE Human Motion plans to expand its offerings to include a personal-use exoskeleton tailored for individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). This initiative is part of the Freedom Eurostars Project, which emphasises co-creation with patients and clinicians. Clinical trials for this new device are scheduled for 2026 at Tech2People in Vienna and Hobbs Rehabilitation in the UK.

EvoEndo

US-based EvoEndo is a medical device startup that specialises in sedation-free upper gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, particularly for paediatric patients. EvoEndo was co-founded in 2017 by Dr. Joel Friedlander, a paediatric gastroenterologist, and the interdisciplinary aerodigestive medicine team at Children’s Hospital of Colorado.

EvoEndo has developed the EvoEndo Single-Use Endoscopy System, which received FDA 510(k) clearance in February 2022. This system enables transnasal endoscopy (TNE) without the need for general anaesthesia or sedation in patients aged five and older. The system comprises:

• Ultra-slim, single-use flexible gastroscopes available in 85cm and 110cm lengths
• A portable controller with advanced imaging capabilities
• A virtual reality-based patient distraction system to enhance comfort during procedures

Its approach aims to reduce procedure time, eliminate the risks related to sedation, and lower the costs associated with traditional endoscopy methods.

Until July 2024, only one size was available in its gastroscopes, but after feedback from real-world usage, the startup launched its 85cm option. “Our commitment to integrating physician and patient feedback leads to the next generation of product functionality and performance,” explained Paul Imaoka, Senior Vice President of Manufacturing & Operations, EvoEndo.

EvoEndo's Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Hartmann, has stated: “Our team is driving innovation to provide patients, families, and physicians with safe and effective devices that enable successful procedures while ensuring the most comfortable experience possible.”

As of April 2024, the EvoEndo System was already in 25 hospitals across the USA, with new locations being added every month to bring sedation-free TNE to more patients.

Grey Matter Neurosciences

Grey Matter Neurosciences is a Toronto-based neurotechnology startup developing a portable ultrasound helmet that has been designed to restore brain function in seniors, with an initial focus on Alzheimer's disease. The company’s technology is based on transcranial focused-ultrasound technology, which was invented by Kullervo Hynynen at Sunnybrook Research Institute. This is enabling non-invasive, precise stimulation of deep brain structures without the need for external image guidance.

The startup offers focused ultrasound technology for neuromodulation (the alteration of nerve activity through targeted delivery of a stimulus), with the aim of allowing seniors with Alzheimer's disease to experience enhanced brain-function recovery.

In January 2025, Grey Matter Neurosciences announced it had secured $14 million in seed funding. These funds will be used to develop the ultrasound helmet, as well as test the device in clinical trials.

“Generally speaking, there are no marketed therapies that can significantly and sustainably enhance cognitive function in individuals with dementia,” said Dr. Jeffrey Coull, Founder and CEO of Grey Matter. “I believe that our technology, which can reach the deepest recesses of the brain that control memory and learning, holds massive potential to boost cognition and, more generally, revolutionise how Alzheimer’s and other diseases of the brain are treated.”

Noze

Noze is a Montreal-based startup that specialises in breath-based diagnostics. The startup is currently developing a handheld device called DiagNoze, which uses digital odour perception technology to detect disease biomarkers in exhaled breath.

This non-invasive, portable, and cost-effective device aims to provide real-time detection of serious illnesses such as cancers and infectious diseases, without the need for blood draws, lab equipment, or visits to healthcare facilities.

Traditional diagnostic tools are invasive, and not only that, they also tend to be costly and involve long wait times due to the specialised equipment needed and the demand for these tests. This has exacerbated the healthcare accessibility gap, particularly in underserved and rural areas. DiagNoze has been designed to transcend geographical and economic boundaries, enabling earlier diagnosis, timely treatment, and improved health outcomes.

“Our handheld diagnostic breathalyser, DiagNoze, uses the world's leading and only digital odour perception technology to detect disease biomarkers in the breath,” Karim Aly, CEO, Noze, explained. “This device will allow for real-time detection of serious illnesses such as cancers and infectious diseases, along with other clinical conditions, without requiring blood draws, lab equipment, or visits to healthcare facilities. DiagNoze is a low-cost, completely non-invasive, and fully portable device that can be used in any point-of-care, even a patient's home.”

Noze has received multiple grants from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and more impressively, in 2024, it received a $5 million equity investment from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, marking the first time the foundation has made an equity investment in Canada.

This article originally appeared in the May/June 2025 issue of Startups Magazine. Click here to subscribe