A startup that recently relocated to an office at mHub in Chicago will compete in the NBA All-Star pitch competition.
Hosted by the NBA Foundation, the pitch competition takes place next week at the Indiana Convention Center during NBA All-Star weekend. The competition will include seven Indiana companies, including Wave Therapeutics, a medical device startup developing a new technology to prevent bedsores.
Founded by Dr. Ricardo Vasquez, Jessica Bussert and Sharon Bussert, Wave Therapeutics moved to mHub last year after initially launching from Nashville, Indiana, a town of roughly 1,000.
"It just really made sense to move up to the city considering how much we're doing here," Jessica Bussert told Chicago Inno.
Bussert said she has been involved in the Chicago tech ecosystem for a number of years in groups like Matter, and helped develop Wave Therapeutics to be the first affordable and effective soft robotics cushioning environment to prevent and treat bed sores.
She said the startup was first invited to the pitch competition over a year ago after around 160 companies applied.
Bussert credited her team that includes seasoned health care professionals, serial entrepreneurs and device engineers with getting Wave Therapeutics past the semifinals.
Prior to launching Wave Therapeutics, she spent time in engineering, professional services, entrepreneurship and as an ER nurse before realizing she wanted to help treat a condition that impacts 3 million Americans every year, killing 60,000 of them.
Wave Therapeutics has raised $1.2 million in funding so far and is currently raising a $3 million seed round, which Bussert said will power Wave Therapeutics' pilot studies and eventually will help the company launch to the commercial market.
A total of $150,000 will be awarded at the pitch competition.
Wave Therapeutics has won pitch competitions across the U.S., signed a contract with the Veterans Health Administration and completed accelerator programs through Techstars and mHub.
Bussert sees the technology being used in wheelchair cushions, mattress toppers, surgical beds and other comfort seating products.
