CentriCycle

CATEGORY: Health

CentriCycle

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CentriCycle is a non-profit working to improve healthcare in rural India through the implementation of sustainable diagnostic technology and healthcare education.

Standings & Awards

77 out of 1313 in Asia
32 out of 284 in Health
69 out of 935 in Design
95 out of 1066 in Blended
199 out of 4003 Overall

12

VOTES

CentriCycle, Inc.

We aim to reduce hepatitis, anemia, HIV, and diabetes prevalence through innovative, point-of-care diagnostics

CentriCycle is a non-profit that believes healthcare should not be stationary, not rely on electricity, and should be able to reach those who lack access: India's rural population. We are launching our office in Bangalore, India in the fall of 2013 with a simple, sustainable, and manually powered centrifuge to allow for better disease diagnostics, without electricity. We aim to impact 300 million people who live in rural India and are afflicted with diseases that can be diagnosed using our centrifuge.

In India, 1 out of every 3 people live in rural areas and lack local access to basic healthcare (Indian Census 2011, PHC Emerging Market Report). Despite investment of financial resources, medical expertise, and government involvement, rural disease incidence has only worsened in recent years (WHO). We have identified one key factor in the increasing disease incidence: the lack of point-of-care diagnostics in rural villages.

We are launching with our first device: the CentriCycle Centrifuge. A centrifuge is a standard medical device that spins at high speeds to separate blood into its component parts. Once blood is separated, simple paper strips called rapid diagnostic tests (RDTs) are used to diagnose diseases such as HIV, syphilis, and malaria. RDTs are the medical standard in India. Our device is hand-powered, affordable ($30), and enables point-of-care diagnosis in less than 5 minutes.

In addition to the centrifuge, the components of CentriCycle’s business are:

1. Education to ensure that once patients are diagnosed, they know the next steps to take.
2. Quality control and a maintenance system to ensure our device is used properly.
3. Evaluation systems to drive continuous improvement.
4. Partnerships with other organizations to extend our reach.

We will have full-time operations in India, while maintaining an innovations hub out of the University of Michigan to develop new medical technologies.

Roadmap to Success Optional (1 - 3 minutes to upload)

Roadmap to Success:

roadmap_to_success.pdf

Sponsors, Investors, and Supporters

FIVE PROJECT QUESTIONS Required (60 - 90 minutes)

1. What is your innovation?

CentriCycle's innovation stems from our product's design based entirely around rural functionality, as well as our holistic system of customer care. Our product is used in combination with rapid diagnostic test strips (RDTs) to provide on-site disease diagnoses in rural areas. We have unique value due to our device's ability to operate without electricity, low cost ($30), portability, speed of diagnosis (<5min) and the safety of fully enclosed blood samples.

2. Who gains the most?

In India, 1 in 3 people lack the local resources, financial means, and access to basic medical diagnostics. If an individual is sick, they must often travel for a day to the nearest clinic to receive a diagnosis. CentriCycle ensures that these patients are able to be diagnosed within their own village, in under 5 minutes. They are then able to be directed to receive effective treatment without risking the uncertainty of seeking help for an unknown disease at a location many miles away.

3. Who pays?

We are targeting our sales to rural health NGOs, for-profit diagnostic companies, and government healthcare clinics. We are selling a powerful diagnostic technology that easily integrates into their existing health care delivery structure and offers a holistic support system. We have currently engaged primarily with NGOs and are aiming to target the Indian national government after we have secured sufficient local traction in India.

4. What is your success?

Within year one (Winter 2013): $750,000 raised, launch in India, successful clinical trials, market pilot of 50 centrifuges. Within year three (Fall 2016): State government support of CentriCycle, clinical trials of second product, significant number of patients directed to local clinics. Within year five (Fall 2018): Be cash-flow positive, national government support of CentriCycle, demonstrable state-wide reduction of target disease morbidity, 14,000 centrifuges implemented.

5. How will you do it?

After cultivating relationships with Indian NGOs and rural health centers, we aim to partner with the Swami Vivekananda Youth Movement. To maintain these relationships, we will establish an office responsible for assembly, facilitating distribution, and customer service. Then, we will utilize our connections to implement and distribute our product to the points of care in need of our innovation. Further, we will collaborate with our partners to educate the public and spread disease awareness.