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    Luminoah was named Startup of the Year at the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council (CBIC) 25th Annual Gala. “We are grateful for this recognition and proud to grow our company in Charlottesville,” said Luminoah’s Founder and CEO Neal Piper. “Our mission is to build a brighter future for people requiring tube feeding. This award is dedicated to our fellow Lumineers and the millions of enteral users who depend on us.”

    “This year’s awardees represent the pinnacle of innovation, perseverance and community spirit that define our region’s dynamic tech ecosystem,” said CBIC Executive Director Tracey Greene. “Their achievements inspire us all, and it’s an honor to recognize their extraordinary contributions.”

    About Luminoah
    Luminoah is a medical technology company dedicated to improving the standard of care for patients requiring enteral nutrition. The company’s portable, intuitive, and connected nutrition system creates a new reality for patients and providers, enabling the freedom to feed anytime, anywhere with robust data tracking and remote patient monitoring. To learn more, visit Luminoah.com.

    Hello friendly traveler! My name is Marty Weiner. I was a founding engineer at Pinterest, the first CTO Reddit, and now a “retired” mad scientist who loves to build anything and everything, especially if it helps make the world a better place… or at least funnier. 

    One of the ways I could help make the world a better place happened by accident when I met Neal, The Nicest Guy in the WorldTM. No really. Like Mr. Rogers nice. Neal had an idea for a product that all began when his 3-year-old son was diagnosed with cancer. Quick spoiler so I don’t keep you stressed: Noah is now 7 and fully recovered and thriving! For Neal and his wife Val, while dealing with the unfathomable hell I can only imagine of having a child with cancer, one of the many really hard things was feeding. For about 18 months, Noah couldn’t swallow. Food slush had to be pushed through a tube straight to his stomach via a surgically implanted connection. That meant Noah sitting there for hours next to an IV pushing liquid food straight into his stomach. That meant going anywhere was a hassle. That meant this little kid that just wanted to jump and run and play had to just sit there. That meant other kids at school teasing him. That meant (and this competes for the best/worst new failure mode phrase I’ve heard) “feeding the bed” on occasion. What’s “feeding the bed”? That’s when the IV line detaches at night and the pump keeps pushing food slush out onto the bed. Eech. 

    Through all that pain, Neal didn’t seem to lose his drive and passion. He’s got like Serena Williams level of drive and passion. I find that truly inspiring – to go through such a hard life path and come out of it with his burning need to do something to make the world a better place.

    Neal had a vision. What if the liquid food and pump were compact and portable so that going places was easy? So that a child or grownup who needs this kind of feeding can jump up and run and play and work and relax? What if this device was also fun and cool (you know, maybe some sweet Spiderman graphics on the screen)? What if the alert sounds emanating from this device didn’t sound like the panic-inducing sounds of the ICU, but rather, were relaxing, fun, or enjoyable? Seems doable and definitely revolutionary for people going through this. This is some Steve Jobs level vision Neal had.

    So, I started chatting with Neal about how I could help as an advisor and possibly more. Cause when you meet a Mr. Roger + Serena Williams + Steve Jobs, you just gotta amplify them.

    We chatted about funding, hiring, and building a software team—all the usual startup stuff. But then I asked that fateful question: who’s building your circuit board? Nobody?? Dude, I wanna build it!

    And for a year and a half, while my kids were in bed, I did. I’ve built maybe 20 circuit boards in my life, but never one for production and certainly never one that would need to also get FDA approval and be in the hands of small children pouring orange juice on it and dropping it in the mud 🙂. I had to learn a lot for my part. We pumped out 8 or PCBs until honing in on the one that’s going to the FDA. 

    A little aside cause I gotta geek out with you – it’s insane how fast you can prototype hardware now! I can iterate a design on Kicad (which, if you haven’t tried it, is amazing), ship it out to PCBWay (today’s sponsor… just kidding), and have it back in my hands in a week. For just about $80. Holy crap… that’s nearing the speed of software development. (And don’t get me started on how amazing 3D Printers are…). Ok, geek out over. Back to it.

    We set out to build this portable food pump and did just that. In the earliest days, I hacked alongside Neal, Hill Johnson (an excellent product manager), Landon Gilkey (an excellent mechanical engineer), and Kevin Owen (an excellent electrical engineer). Once the company was able to get some funding underneath it, the team rapidly expanded with more brilliant people to cover all the areas needed to bring this device to market. And now we’re off to the races, quickly stepping over each hurdle as any great team does. 

    Why am I telling you all this? Well, one to introduce you to Luminoah, soon to be the hot new kid on the med tech block :). And two, I want to reach out to all of you out there who find yourselves in the same lucky position I’ve found myself – having a little extra time on my hands (or hate sleep) and a background that helps startups get off the ground – and encourage you to find and amplify another Mr. Rogers… err… I mean Neal Piper.  You might just help change the world for the better :). 

    CHARLOTTESVILLE, VA – January 11, 2024 – Luminoah Inc., a medical technology company dedicated to improving the standard of care for patients requiring enteral nutrition, has been awarded a $463,000 grant from Virginia Catalyst. This funding propels Luminoah’s innovative enteral feeding system one step closer to commercialization, poised to grant millions of users the freedom to feed themselves anytime, anywhere, while empowering healthcare providers to support their patients remotely. 

    The Virginia Catalyst, also known as the Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC), announced that it has awarded $2.2 million in grants to four life and bioscience projects in the Commonwealth of Virginia. These grants, which will be met with significant matching funds from partner companies, were awarded through Grant Round 15 of Virginia Catalyst’s ongoing mission to stimulate economic development by promoting collaborative projects that address large, unmet needs for improving human health, and that can create high-paying jobs in the Commonwealth.

    “This grant will accelerate our efforts,” says Neal Piper, Founder and CEO. “Born from a personal need right here in Virginia, we’re proud to collaborate with two of Virginia’s leading universities: The University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University. This grant marks a significant milestone for Luminoah, propelling us towards bringing our transformative technology to the millions who need it most. It’s a testament to the power of collaboration, innovation, and unwavering dedication to improving healthcare for all.”

    Mike Grisham, CEO, Virginia Catalyst said, “We are excited to fund this cohort of companies and their collaborating university partners on these important life science innovations. Together, they will have a significant impact on economic development in the Commonwealth of Virginia while improving human health.”

    Through this 15th round of funding, Virginia Catalyst has awarded 61 grants totaling $29.7 million, resulting in over $47 million in matching funds and an additional $821 million in follow-on funding to date.

    Other Grant Round 15 project awardees include Adovate, LLC (Charlottesville, VA), Nanochon, Inc. (Washington, DC), and S1P Therapeutics, Inc. (Blacksburg, VA)

    About Luminoah
    Luminoah is a medical technology company dedicated to improving the standard of care for patients requiring enteral nutrition. The company’s portable, intuitive, and connected nutrition system creates a new reality for patients and providers, enabling the freedom to feed anytime, anywhere with robust data tracking and remote patient monitoring. To learn more, visit Luminoah.com.

    About Virginia Catalyst

    Virginia Biosciences Health Research Corporation (VBHRC), doing business as Virginia Catalyst, has a vision of advancing life sciences throughout Virginia as a means of addressing large unmet medical needs to improve human health and to create high-paying jobs throughout the Commonwealth. Funded by the Virginia General Assembly’s General fund, the University of Virginia, Virginia Commonwealth University, Virginia Tech, Eastern Virginia Medical School, George Mason University, and Old Dominion University. Virginia Catalyst has funding opportunities to support collaborative projects in the Commonwealth. For more information, visit www.virginiacatalyst.org.

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    Luminoah, a company that develops innovative products and resources for tube-fed children, recently collaborated with Kristin Meyer, the author of the book “The Adventures of Team Super Tubie,” to bring joy and empowerment to tube-fed children attending the Oley Foundation conference.

    Neal Piper, founder and CEO of Luminoah, shared his personal experience reading The Adventures of Team Super Tubie book to his son, Noah, during his chemotherapy. Noah had wholeheartedly embraced being a Super Tubie and cherished the book, making it his personal favorite. Recognizing the tremendous impact it had on his son, Neal was determined to ensure more children could access this incredible resource.

    Kristin Meyer, a passionate advocate for tube-fed children, highlighted the importance of children’s books that educate and empower those who require enteral or total parental nutrition. She spoke from her own journey with her son, Camden, emphasizing the need for resources that not only inform but also instill a sense of pride and empowerment. Luminoah proved to be the perfect collaborator, deeply understanding the personal significance of such resources.

    During the Oley Foundation conference, Kristin signed and provided copies of the book to the tube-fed children in attendance. As she read the stories aloud to these children, who intimately understood the tubie experience, the children’s eyes sparkled with excitement as they connected with the characters and their tubie superpowers. They felt seen, understood, and proud of their uniqueness.

    “The Adventures of Team Super Tubie” is a book of hope for families seeking to educate and empower their tube-fed children. Luminoah made the book available at their booth, ensuring its accessibility to families attending the 40th Annual Oley Foundation Conference in St. Louis. This invaluable resource promises to make a significant difference in the lives of countless children and their loved ones.

    To learn more or to purchase the book, visit SuperTubie.com and Amazon.

    CHARLOTTESVILLE – June 15, 2023 – Luminoah Inc., a medical technology company dedicated to improving the standard of care for patients requiring enteral nutrition, has closed a $6 million Series A funding round led by Fry’s Path Capital, with participation from Sands Capital, CAV Angels, Virginia Venture Partners, and 757 Angels. The funding will be used to complete the development of Luminoah’s portable, data-driven enteral nutrition system.

    “Inspired by my son’s personal journey with tube feeding, we are excited to bring this new technology to market and help improve the lives of patients who rely on enteral nutrition,” said Neal Piper, CEO and founder of Luminoah.

    Born from Piper’s first-hand experience caring for his three-year-old son, Noah, who required tube feeding during cancer treatment, Luminoah is reimagining enteral health with a safer, more portable, and intuitive device. “During his treatment, Noah was tethered to a pole-mounted tube feeding system for up to 15 hours per day,” said Piper. “This outdated technology limited his mobility, reduced his quality of life, and presented numerous well-documented health risks. Luminoah is addressing these challenges with an innovative, wearable solution that will give patients the freedom to lead healthy, active lives.”

    Luminoah’s digital health platform will also enable robust data tracking and remote patient monitoring, providing actionable insights to clinicians and revolutionizing care in the $12B enteral technology space.

    “As a medical provider, the Luminoah solution will allow me to monitor and adjust patients’ feeding regimens in real time to optimize their nutrition, said Dr. Vesta Salehi, Chief of Gastroenterology at St. Christopher’s Hospital for Children. “Patients should also benefit from improved safety, privacy, and freedom of movement which will enhance their quality of life.”

    Joe Andrasko, Managing Partner of Fry’s Path Capital, said “Fry’s Path is thrilled to support Luminoah’s ambitious plans to improve the standard of care for a large, underserved patient population. Enteral nutrition patients deserve a better solution and Luminoah’s experienced team is poised to deliver it.”

    About Luminoah
    Luminoah is a medical technology company dedicated to improving the standard of care for patients requiring enteral nutrition. The company’s portable, intuitive, and connected nutrition system creates a new reality for patients and providers, enabling the freedom to feed anytime, anywhere with robust data tracking and remote patient monitoring. To learn more, visit Luminoah.com.

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    Press Contact: Hill Johnson | [email protected]

    Follow: Luminoah.com | LinkedIn | Facebook | Twitter

    Subscribe: Luminoah’s Newsletter

    Charlottesville medical device company Luminoah won over the judges and claimed the people’s choice award Tuesday at Lighthouse Labs’ Demo Day competition at Richmond’s Hardywood Park Craft Brewery.

    The company is behind a mobile feeding tube device that collects data. It competed against seven other companies in a pitch competition as part of the event. All eight had just completed Lighthouse Labs’ accelerator program.

    Luminoah was awarded $1,000 for winning the people’s choice award and $2,000 for winning over the judges, or panel of “sharks”, that included Meg Pryde, co-founder of Brandefy, Aaron Montgomery, co-founder of CarLotz, and Ebonie Atkins, managing director at Henrico EDA.

    Luminoah founder and CEO Neal Piper said winning both competitions was “humbling” and that he was grateful to be able to go through Lighthouse Labs with the other founders. He said he learned a lot from the accelerator program, especially financial modeling, go-to-market strategies and communications.

    “I found tremendous value in just sharing ideas and being authentic with one another about the challenges that we are facing,” Piper said.

    The company had never participated in an accelerator program but felt it was time to enter a program. Accelerators are a common method for startups to realize a path forward.

    “We were looking at several opportunities,” Piper said. “We looked at Y Combinator, Techstars and Lighthouse Labs. Being a Virginia-based company, we thought it was important to be in a Virginia-based accelerator. This is the first accelerator we applied for and were accepted into.”

    Luminoah is set to close on a $6 million Series A funding round in the next couple of weeks, Piper said. The company plans to expand the team and further develop its product. The goal is to apply for Food and Drug Administration approval in 2024. Luminoah wants to go after the pediatric home health care market initially but also seeks to move into senior and rehabilitation markets.

    Piper said the program opened a bunch of opportunities for Luminoah. The company had a network in Charlottesville and within the University of Virginia but not around Richmond. The program connected Luminoah with mentors and experts at Virginia Commonwealth University.

    “They opened their arms to their providers and gave us support,” Piper said. “They gave us feedback on the product.”

    Overall, he said he realized the hubs being created across Central Virginia are becoming a powerful source of entrepreneurship. People are starting to realize the state is supporting the startup community, and 757 in Norfolk and Lighthouse Labs accelerator programs are getting noticed across the country. Cville Biohub is building a biotech hub in Charlottesville.

    “Each of these pockets are having events with the leaders, and you are building relationships,” Piper said. “What we are finding is that there are VCs coming from the Bay Area, and they are seeing Virginia as an opportunity to invest. That was not the case prior to Covid.”

    Piper started the company after his young son was diagnosed with cancer. The treatment required him to be fed through a tube, a process that involved him being constrained by a medical pole and a pump.

    “[Our] device is small,” Piper said. “It’s so small you can’t tell anyone is wearing it.”

    Around 500,000 children could benefit from the product, and it solves a problem in the market. While his son no longer needs a feeding tube and is cancer free, other kids can benefit from the technology.

    “It’s just a no-brainer to let a kid be active while you pump nutrition into their stomach,” Piper said.

    The other companies who competed in the pitch competition were medical device maker E-Sentience (Durham, North Carolina); health-tech company Healp (Fairfax Station, Virginia), shipping solutions company Heroshe (Houston), cybersecurity company Karambit.AI (Annandale, Virginia), AI and augmented reality software maker Kilsar (Virginia Beach), online fitting room company Modi (Miami) and smart-home-as-a-service company HIO (Richmond), which was formerly called Project Mongoose.

    A highlight of the event was the presentation of a state decree honoring Larkin Garbee and Todd Nuckols. The two played a key role in founding Lighthouse Labs and Startup Virginia.

    We are proud that Luminoah has been recognized as a finalist for the Charlottesville Business Innovation Council’s Startup of the Year award. This award acknowledges companies with a focus on innovation, scalability, and significant progress in recent years. As we reflect on this achievement, we are grateful for the support of our community and excited to share our journey thus far.

    A Journey of Innovation and Growth

    Since our inception, Luminoah has been on a mission to disrupt the tube feeding industry by reinventing solutions that address critical challenges. Our passion for innovation and our commitment to making a positive impact have propelled us forward, and being named a finalist for Startup of the Year affirms that we are on the right track.

    At the heart of our success lies the transformative power of what we are building. Whether it’s enabling mobility through innovative delivery technology, creating an intuitive design by partnering with our users during development or enhancing communication with providers through a connected solution, our product development approach will consistently deliver tangible benefits. Our team’s relentless pursuit of excellence has allowed us to build a reputation for innovation in the community.

    The Importance of Community Support

    None of this would have been possible without the incredible support of our community. From our early collaborators at the University of Virginia, to our dedicated team members and loyal advisors every individual has played an integral role in our journey. We are grateful for the trust and belief that has been placed in us, as it has been the driving force behind our growth and accomplishments. By working hand in hand with industry experts, mentors, investors, and fellow startups, we have been able to leverage diverse perspectives, invaluable expertise, and shared resources to overcome challenges and fuel our growth.

    We would like to extend our deepest gratitude to our supporters and everyone who has supported us for their unwavering belief in our mission. We are excited about the possibilities that lie ahead and are honored to be recognized among the top startups in our community.

    Stay tuned as we continue our journey, bringing forth exciting developments, and pushing the boundaries of what is possible.

    Luminoah Website: luminoah.com  LinkedIn Twitter

    CBIC Website: cvilleinnovation.org Twitter

    Luminoah has achieved a remarkable feat by winning the Southwest National Pediatric Device Innovation Consortium (SWPDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Advances in Therapeutics and Technology (AAP SOATT) Pediatric Device Prizes. This recognition highlights Luminoah’s commitment to pediatric healthcare and our dedication to creating cutting-edge medical devices tailored specifically for children. With a pressing need for pediatric medical solutions, Luminoah’s groundbreaking innovations in enteral nutrition care are poised to make a profound impact on children’s lives.

    Addressing the Need for Pediatric Medical Devices

    The lack of medical devices designed specifically for children is a pressing issue. Luminoah’s breakthrough innovations directly address this critical need. Their purpose-built devices consider children’s unique physiological and anatomical characteristics, offering size-appropriate, comfortable, and safe solutions for tube feeders of all ages. By winning the prestigious SWPDC and AAP SOATT Pediatric Device Prizes, Luminoah gains recognition for our commitment to revolutionizing pediatric healthcare.

    Impacting Children’s Health and Beyond

    Luminoah’s success in winning the Pediatric Device Prizes has far-reaching implications for pediatric healthcare. Their groundbreaking devices have the potential to improve care quality, reduce treatment complexities, and enhance patient outcomes for children nationwide. With the funding awarded by the prizes, Luminoah is empowered to refine our innovations and bring them to market, benefiting countless young lives. Moreover, their achievements emphasize the importance of collaboration and partnership in advancing pediatric medical technology, showcasing the power of collective efforts in driving progress.

    We extend our deepest gratitude to the Texas Children’s Hospital and American Academy of Pediatrics Section on Urology for recognizing our potential, and to all those who have supported us on this remarkable journey. Together, we will forge ahead, fueled by the knowledge that our work can positively impact lives and shape the future of healthcare.

    Stay tuned as we embark on this exciting chapter and continue to share updates on our progress.

    Luminoah Website: luminoah.com  LinkedIn Twitter

    For more information on the Texas Children’s P50 Grant

    Luminoah, a cutting-edge technology company specializing in enteral nutrition technology, has achieved a significant milestone by winning the Catalyzing Pediatric Innovation (CPI) Grant. This prestigious grant, supported by the West Coast Consortium for Technology & Innovation in Pediatrics (CTIP) through an FDA pediatric device consortia grant, recognizes Luminoah’s commitment to advancing pediatric technology and devices. With funds provided to support the development of pediatric innovations, Luminoah is poised to revolutionize the field of pediatric healthcare.

    Empowering Pediatric Innovation

    The CPI Grant, offering grants ranging from $25,000 to $50,000 for a duration of one year, aims to advance the development of novel pediatric medical devices and technology. Luminoah’s success in winning this highly competitive grant highlights the company’s groundbreaking work in the field. With a focus on improving patient experience, quality, outcomes, and efficiency, Luminoah’s innovative solutions in enteral nutrition technology have the potential to transform pediatric healthcare. Through this grant, Luminoah will continue to push our product closer to commercialization where it will impact all stakeholders from clinicians to users.

    CTIP’s Support and Collaborative Approach

    The West Coast Consortium for Technology & Innovation in Pediatrics (CTIP), centered at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA) and the University of Southern California (USC), plays a pivotal role in supporting and accelerating pediatric medical device technology. CTIP’s network, which includes prominent hospitals, academic institutions, and accelerators, provides invaluable support to companies like Luminoah. Through networking opportunities, financial assistance, and guidance on various aspects such as prototyping, engineering, testing, and grant writing, CTIP enables Luminoah to bring our pioneering pediatric devices closer to commercialization.

    With the support of the West Coast Consortium for Technology & Innovation in Pediatrics (CTIP), our enteral nutrition technology is set to revolutionize the field of pediatric medical devices. This grant not only provides us with the necessary funding but also acknowledges our potential to improve the lives of young patients through their pioneering innovations.

    The Luminoah team expresses their deep gratitude towards CTIP, without their unwavering support, none of this innovation is possible.

    Luminoah Website: luminoah.com  LinkedIn Twitter

    For more information about CTIP visit their website: https://www.westcoastctip.org/about-us