• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe

MassDevice

The Medical Device Business Journal — Medical Device News & Articles | MassDevice

  • Latest News
  • Technologies
    • Artificial Intelligence (AI)
    • Cardiovascular
    • Orthopedics
    • Neurological
    • Diabetes
    • Surgical Robotics
  • Business & Finance
    • Wall Street Beat
    • Earnings Reports
    • Funding Roundup
    • Mergers & Acquisitions
    • Initial Public Offering (IPO)
    • Legal News
    • Personnel Moves
    • Medtech 100 Stock Index
  • Regulatory & Compliance
    • Food & Drug Administration (FDA)
    • Recalls
    • 510(k)
    • Pre-Market Approval (PMA)
    • MDSAP
    • Clinical Trials
  • Special Content
    • Special Reports
    • In-Depth Coverage
    • DeviceTalks
  • Podcasts
    • MassDevice Fast Five
    • DeviceTalks Weekly
    • OEM Talks
      • AbbottTalks
      • Boston ScientificTalks
      • DeviceTalks AI
      • IntuitiveTalks
      • MedtechWOMEN Talks
      • MedtronicTalks
      • Neuro Innovation Talks
      • Ortho Innovation Talks
      • Structural Heart Talks
      • StrykerTalks
  • Resources
    • About MassDevice
    • DeviceTalks
    • Newsletter Signup
    • Leadership in Medtech
    • Manufacturers & Suppliers Search
    • MedTech100 Index
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Whitepapers
    • Voices
Home » UConn-grown startup aims to develop retinal implant

UConn-grown startup aims to develop retinal implant

October 5, 2011 By MassDevice Contributors Network

UConn-grown startup aims to develop retinal implant
Rocky Hill, Conn., October 3, 2011– Connecticut Innovations (CI), the state’s quasi-public authority responsible for technology investing and innovation development, today announced that it has committed $40,000 in financing to LambdaVision Inc. of Farmington, Conn., through its Pre-Seed Fund. The financing will be used to conduct proof-of-concept studies, to validate the use of an ion-mediated artificial retina for restoring sight. LambdaVision has secured required matching funds from the University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation.

“We are grateful to be awarded this pre-seed funding from Connecticut Innovations. These funds will allow LambdaVision to begin critical proof-of-concept studies in collaboration with the Center for Innovative Visual Rehabilitation at the Boston VA Medical Center,” stated Nicole Wagner, CEO of LambdaVision. “The high-resolution, protein-based retinal prosthesis, currently in the early stages of development by LambdaVision, has the potential to restore vision and improve the quality of life for those patients affected by retinal degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).”

LambdaVision, a startup medical device company created by the University of Connecticut Research and Development Corporation, is developing a protein-based retinal implant intended to provide sight to patients blinded by photoreceptor degeneration in the outer retina – specifically, individuals affected by age-related macular degeneration and related diseases. The core technology was developed by Robert Birge, Ph.D., a University of Connecticut professor of biological and physical chemistry, who, along with students in his lab, founded LambdaVision in 2009.

“Assisting startups with proof of concept is an important role of our Pre-Seed Fund – one that will help launch new technology companies in our state,” said Charlie Moret, CI managing director, business development. “LambdaVision is a good example of a startup with very promising technology, with the potential to offer substantial benefits to those suffering from serious vision problems.”

CI’s Pre-Seed Fund supports the formation of new Connecticut technology companies. The fund provides loans of up to $150,000 to Connecticut-based startup and early-stage technology companies. Funding may be used for a wide range of startup expenses such as accounting, legal, intellectual property development, technology and prototype development, business plan development, technology assessments, market analyses, market entry strategy development, and hiring of advisors and employees. CI’s team also provides mentoring and will help coordinate access to resources.

The Pre-Seed Fund is an important component of the state’s high-tech economic development engine, as it provides an avenue for initial startup funding for companies and entrepreneurs emerging from universities. The fund dovetails nicely with other technology startup resources like the CTech business incubators, the Connecticut Angel Investor Tax Credit (which stimulates private investments in early-stage companies) and private capital resources.

Filed Under: Uncategorized Tagged With: Press Release

More recent news

  • Ambu wins FDA clearance for first single-use cysto-nephroscope
  • Tandem Diabetes Care pairs t:slim X2 pump with Abbott FreeStyle Libre 3 Plus in U.S.
  • Ypsomed, CamDiab to integrate Abbott dual glucose-ketone sensor into automated insulin delivery system
  • Johnson & Johnson MedTech launches new Volt plating systems for radius, humerus
  • PharmaSens, SiBionics collab on all-in-one insulin patch pump

Primary Sidebar

“md
EXPAND YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND STAY CONNECTED
Get the latest med device regulatory, business and technology news.

DeviceTalks Weekly

See More >

MEDTECH 100 Stock INDEX

Medtech 100 logo
Market Summary > Current Price
The MedTech 100 is a financial index calculated using the BIG100 companies covered in Medical Design and Outsourcing.
MDO ad

Footer

MASSDEVICE MEDICAL NETWORK

DeviceTalks
Drug Delivery Business News
Medical Design & Outsourcing
Medical Tubing + Extrusion
Drug Discovery & Development
Pharmaceutical Processing World
MedTech 100 Index
R&D World
Medical Design Sourcing

DeviceTalks Webinars, Podcasts, & Discussions

Attend our Monthly Webinars
Listen to our Weekly Podcasts
Join our DeviceTalks Tuesdays Discussion

MASSDEVICE

Subscribe to MassDevice E-Newsletter
Advertise with us
About
Contact us

Copyright © 2025 · WTWH Media LLC and its licensors. All rights reserved.
The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of WTWH Media.

Privacy Policy