The game changer in surgical education – breaking bones for better patient outcomes

Cologne based MedTech start-up RIMASYS received financing from investor HTGF. The investment will be utilized to expand the fracture portfolio, upgrade production technology and increase international reach. RIMASYS is the worldwide sole manufacturer of life-like fractures in human specimen with intact soft tissue mantle. Enabling medical science to enhance surgical skills and the health care industry to develop better implants will result in improved patient outcomes at a lower cost of care. No risky training on the patient anymore – instead, becoming a skilled surgeon is achieved by this novel education concept.

Innovations in the area of trauma treatment are typically focusing on how to best fix the bone fracture – RIMASYS takes a completely opposite approach by breaking bones to enhance surgeon skills, techniques and implants.

Founded as an independent university spin-off from the “Institute of Biomechanics & Orthopaedics” of the “German Sports University Cologne” the company developed an algorithm and device to generate life-like fractures in human specimen. Those feature all characteristics and challenges that surgeons face in the operating room, thus overcoming the shortfalls of artificial or non-injured specimen. “All elements of a successful treatment can be practiced in a safe environment and not under supervision directly on the patient, as it’s done today. Surgeons can acquire all outcome-critical skills prior to treating the patient – comparable to a flight simulator in aviation” highlights Prof. Hoentzsch, the Medical Advisor of RIMASYS. Besides the increase in quality of care, there is also a direct economic benefit: young surgeons need nearly 20% [1] more treatment time than experienced surgeons – a difference which could be reduced by more realistic training and thus save costly operating room hours.

The fractured specimen have successfully been piloted with international top MedTech companies and hospital chains enhancing their educational offering for surgeons and supporting the development of new implants – first formal roll-out is scheduled for the upcoming year. Internationalization started this year with orders from Germany, Switzerland, and Australia; to be expanded into North America and Asia in 2018.

But the technology offers much more than just the fractures. Explained by Dr. Rittershaus, the responsible HTGF Investment Manager, “the team collects unique datasets which enable further business models around digital learning, implant development and even in adjacent industries like safety systems in automotive or preventive sportswear. These upside opportunities will be explored along with our seed investment”.

About the company RIMASYS GmbH
RIMASYS is located on the BioCampus Cologne since its foundation in January 2016. The team consists of five permanent employees and three temporary biomechanics students. The fracture portfolio covers all medical relevant traumata of the upper and lower limb. Further expansion is planned into hip, spine, and CMF. Revenues are generated with top international MedTech companies and hospital chains. Future developments target medical societies, health insurers, and areas of injury simulation, virtual reality, and 3D-printing.

Press contact
RIMASYS GmbH
André Passon
Nattermannallee 2
50829 Cologne
+49 221 5005 7671
info@rimasys.com
www.rimasys.com

About High-Tech Gründerfonds
High-Tech Gründerfonds (HTGF) is Germany’s most active seed stage investor. With about EUR 820 million under management (EUR 272 million HTGF I, EUR 304 million HTGF II, EUR 245 million HTGF III, 1. Closing), HTGF provide financing for technology-driven companies active in a wide range of fields, including robotics, IoT and energy, Medtech and Biotech, chemicals and software. The seed financing provided is designed to enable start-ups to take their ideas through prototyping and to market launch. HTGF can provide up to EUR 3 million in total financing per company in follow-on financing rounds. Furthermore, start-ups benefit from HTGF’s team experience and expertise as well as the extensive network of investors, experts, managers and scouts. Investors in this public-private partnership include the German Federal Ministry of Economics and Energy, the KfW, Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft e.V. and numerous strategic corporate investors, including ALTANA, BASF, B.Braun, Robert Bosch, BÜFA, CEWE, Deutsche Post DHL, Drillisch AG, EVONIK, Haniel, Hettich, Knauf, Körber, Lanxess, media + more venture Beteiligungs GmbH & Co. KG, PHOENIX CONTACT, Postbank, QIAGEN, SAP, Schufa, Schwarz Gruppe, STIHL, Thüga, Vector Informatik and WACKER.

Contact
High-Tech Gründerfonds Management GmbH
Dr. Philipp Rittershaus
Schlegelstraße 2
53113 Bonn
+49 228 823001-00
p.rittershaus@htgf.de
www.high-tech-gruenderfonds.de/en/

[1] Pförringer, D., Markgraf, B., Weber, M. et al. Ermittlung der operations-bezogenen Ausbildungskosten zum Facharzt für Orthopädie und Unfallchirurgie. Der Unfallchirurg (2016)