Natalie Artzi
BioDevek
Natalie Artzi, a chemical engineer from MIT, is the co-founder of BioDevek — a name that is derived from the Hebrew word for glue.
“We’re designing the next generation of adhesive materials,” said Artzi, an assistant professor at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
One of the company’s early products is a material that forms a protective layer over sutures to prevent leakages during surgeries.
Artzi’s company has already signed deals with major firms, including 3M and Johnson & Johnson.
The major benefit of the IGNITE program for BioDevek, according to Artzi, is the chance to learn how to most effectively build a team and run the business side of things.
“You need the tools to select the right people. The team is one of the most critical things. I see that in the lab and it’s the same when you start a company. So I wanted to make sure that I have the mentors in place who can help me build the team and have a business plan in place,” she said. “The contacts and exposure from IGNITE have already been immense and made a big difference to BioDevek and myself.”
