When a new surgical tool hits the market, there is usually a learning curve involved. Often that means a representative of the manufacturer needs to be in the operating room during the procedure to help guide the surgeon.
"That's very costly," says Mike Weber, president and CEO of
Quipzor. "It drives the cost of the products up."
That is why Quipzor, a Bloomfield Hills-based startup, is developing a teleconferencing platform that will eliminate the need for the manufacturer's representative to be physically in the room.
The technology is essentially FaceTime for surgeons, allowing a manufacturer's rep to teleconference into the operating room to guide them. A surgeon will have access to the same expertise, but with one fewer body in her way. Quipzor will also cut down on travel expenses for manufacturers, allowing them to lower the prices of their products. Quipzor plans to start testing its platform later this winter in dry runs (not actual procedures) with surgeons.
"We plan to do 1-2 pilots this year in southeast Michigan," Weber says.
Quipzor recently joined
Automation Alley's 7Cs program, which helps local startups with advanced manufacturing through coaching, mentoring, and access to Automation Alley's resources and capital. Weber plans to use the program to help Quipzor's team of two people focus on their core audience and develop a game plan to bring its technology to market later this year.
"It's a really big issue to tackle," Weber says. "There are a lot of different players."
Source: Mike Weber, president & CEO of Quipzor
Writer: Jon Zemke
Read more about Metro Detroit's growing entrepreneurial ecosystem at SEMichiganStartup.com.
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