Capabilities and Initiatives

The Medical Device Development Center (MDDC) couples ideas with resources and expertise to create ground-breaking medical innovations.

Innovation is a culture. The MDDC plans to revolutionize the innovative nature of Akron by providing inventive thinkers with the capabilities and resources they need to make their ideas into progressive medical advancements.

In order to inspire such an environment, the MDDC offers Akron’s most innovative thinkers a vast array of capabilities and resources including:

  • Business viability testing to assess product feasibility, market and intellectual property analysis
  • Advanced prototyping capabilities by a team of Northeast Ohio’s top biomedical and mechanical engineers
  • Technology development funding

In collaboration with its strategic partnering with specialized research laboratories in orthopaedics and biopolymers, the MDDC also provides:

  • Access to translational research
  • Animal facilities
  • Seed funding
  • Technology licensing and in-licensing capabilities
  • Clinical trials

Alongside its mission to provide innovative ideas with the resources needed to manufacture and commercialize life-saving devices, the MDDC has several initiatives strengthening its offering:

Global Organization of Orthopaedic Device and Tissue Engineering Collaboration

The Global Organization of Orthopaedic Device and Tissue Engineering Collaboration (GOODTEC) aims to further Akron’s distinction as a hub for healthcare innovation by leveraging the unmet needs of patients and physicians in the region with innovations in polymers/biomaterials and biomedical products.

Through GOODTEC, ABIA and its partners will develop a biomedical technology innovation and commercialization “machine” that will incorporate a state-of-the-art incubator, located in the new ABIA headquarters, and link ABIA/UARF i6 advisors with promising startups to guide new company leaders with technology development, commercialization, company formation and early-stage funding.

Structured Innovation

The MDDC has established a new initiative aimed at leveraging the exceptionally innovative capacity of ABIA, and advancing innovative technologies to commercialization for the benefit of modern healthcare. The Structured Innovation program brings clinicians, researchers and biomechanical engineers together to brainstorm solutions for identified problems in an intimate, round-table session, coupling fundamental scientific insights with those gained from the clinical use of thousands of medical products every day.

The program provides physicians with the brainpower, equipment and business know-how needed to take ideas from concept to product. Specifically, Structured Innovation participants have access to services and assets including, but not limited to:

  • Market research and feasibility analysis
  • Prototyping
  • Clinical trials
  • Engineering expertise
  • Venture capital advisers
  • Mentoring through each step of the innovation process

To participate in the MDDC’s Structured Innovation program, and for the chance to bring your unique ides to market, fill out an invention disclosure form available from the technology transfer offices at any of ABIA partner institutions, or email Ideas@abiakron.org.

Technology Development Funding

As a part of its mission to ensure future innovation, the MDDC has established the Technology Development Fund (TDF). In general, the TDF will be used to facilitate continued development of promising technologies generated within ABIA partner institutions. The TDF can be utilized for a number of purposes, including but not limited to prototype development, market analysis and intellectual property review.

Projects will be vetted internally at MDDC and presented to the MDDC committee on a monthly basis for final funding approval. To submit an innovative idea to the MDDC, complete an Invention Disclosure Form (IDF) available from the technology transfer offices at all ABIA partner institutions, or email Ideas@abiakron.org.

Learn more about the TDF Initiative (PDF)

Device in photo supplied by Orthopaedic Research Laboratories, Cleveland, Ohio