Sense Neuro Diagnostics, a pioneering venture dedicated to transforming emergency neurocritical care, has successfully utilized over $17 million in funding. This funding will accelerate the development and commercialization of the company’s flagship device, NeuroHawk, a system designed for the rapid detection and monitoring of strokes and traumatic brain injuries.
The company’s journey from a concept sketched by academic physicians to a commercial-ready technology highlights a collaboration between a major university, regional business accelerators, venture funds, and government contracts.
The foundational idea for Sense Neuro Diagnostics emerged in 2008 during a critical discussion among researchers and physicians at the University of Cincinnati. Co-founders Opeolu Adeoye, MD, George Shaw, MD, PhD, Joseph Clark, PhD, and Matthew Flaherty, MD, recognized a significant gap in emergency medical care: the lack of an objective, reliable way to monitor patients with poor clinical exams outside of a hospital setting who may be suffering from a stroke or traumatic brain injury. Drawing on expertise in radar technology, Dr. Shaw envisioned a non-invasive device that could quickly scan the brain, which led to the co-founding of the company and the subsequent development of the NeuroHawk system. This rapid brain-scanning technology is engineered to detect neurological events in under four minutes, enabling life-saving triage in diverse environments, including emergency departments, remote disaster zones, and military operational areas.
The development and commercialization of such a complex medical technology required significant external support, which was provided in full measure by the Cincinnati entrepreneurial community. The University of Cincinnati’s Technology Transfer office provided crucial early guidance, assisting the team in protecting their discovery and licensing the intellectual property, a vital step in navigating the path toward market readiness.
At the center of this regional support is the University of Cincinnati’s 1819 Innovation Hub, which functions as a centralized hub within the Cincinnati Innovation District. This facility, anchored by the UC Venture Lab, unites industry leaders, students, and researchers. Sense Neuro benefited directly from the Venture Lab’s accelerator program, which provided essential early funding, strategic guidance, and leadership enhancement. Further deepening the local academic connection, Bearcat Ventures, the university’s student-managed venture fund, selected Sense Neuro Diagnostics for one of its first significant investments, demonstrating confidence in the technology’s potential.
This strong university backing was complemented by the broader Cincinnati entrepreneurial ecosystem, which acted as both a launchpad and a safety net for the startup. Key partners included Alloy Growth Lab, a nonprofit economic development organization specializing in hands-on business development support and network access to help entrepreneurs move from concept to full-fledged company. The collective, founder-focused programming from organizations like Alloy Growth Lab, combined with the backing from regional investors, was instrumental in propelling the company to secure its over $17 million in total funding.
Local investors, particularly Queen City Angels, have been pivotal, serving as lead investors in every funding round since the company’s inception and acting as a consistent partner throughout its growth. Beyond local and regional investors, the company has attracted support and funding from institutions such as Accelerant Dayton, the U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, the National Science Foundation, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, the Cleveland Clinic, and the Global Cardiovascular Innovation Fund. The critical nature of the technology for field medicine was recognized by the U.S. Department of Defense, which awarded Sense Neuro two major contracts totaling $4.43 million to accelerate the development and clinical testing of the device for military applications.
The NeuroHawk device itself represents a technological leap in non-invasive neurodiagnostics. It utilizes a wearable headset paired with safe, low-power radio waves to scan the brain. By analyzing how healthy brain tissue responds differently compared to areas affected by bleeding or blocked blood vessels, a sophisticated neural network algorithm can quickly analyze the data. This allows medical personnel to identify the type of stroke or traumatic brain injury, including bleeds as small as one milliliter, in real time, dramatically improving the speed and accuracy of critical treatment decisions.
Early clinical trials at the University of Cincinnati are paving the way for larger patient studies and beta testing. Following eventual clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the technology is poised for deployment in hospitals, ambulances, and military field units, drastically reducing the time to diagnosis, where every minute is crucial for saving lives and limiting long-term disability. The success story of Sense Neuro Diagnostics demonstrates the powerful effect a collaborative, resource-rich ecosystem can have in translating complex academic research into commercial products with significant life-saving impact.
KEY QUOTES:
“Our goal is simple: turn UC research into real products and partnerships that help people. Sense Neuro Diagnostics is a strong example of how UC research can move from the lab to the marketplace to change lives.”
Geoffrey Pinski, assistant vice president of Technology Transfer at UC’s 1819 Innovation Hub
“Through the 1819 Venture Lab and Bearcat Ventures, UC empowers students and founders alike, transforming bold ideas into high-growth startups while cultivating the next generation of entrepreneurs and venture leaders.”
Kate Harmon, assistant vice president of UC’s Office of Innovation and executive director of the school’s Center for Entrepreneurship
“Collaboration is the key to elevating Cincinnati’s innovation economy. We are all about creating opportunities and a foundation where businesses can grow and thrive. When you connect the dots in Cincinnati’s startup ecosystem, you get success stories like Sense Neuro.”
Antony Seppi, vice president of Alloy Growth Lab
“Sense Neuro is living proof of what happens when a community rallies around bold ideas. Cincinnati’s startup ecosystem has united resources, expertise and passion to accelerate our growth, helping us transform breakthrough science into lifesaving technology that can redefine emergency neurocare and improve outcomes for stroke and brain injury patients worldwide.”
Sense Neuro Diagnostics CEO Gary Kurdziel
