Healthcare: SEMDA Nashville event affirms
connections of Devices, IT/Data, Services

Milt Capps Updated 16 May 2016 11:51am
Published Friday, May 6, 2016 1:15 pm

Healthcare: SEMDA Nashville event affirmsconnections of Devices, IT/Data, Services | Jim Stefansic, Jason Rupp, SEMDA, Southeastern Medical Devices Association, AdvaMed, Baker Hostetler, Bauerfeind, Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Boston Scientific, Carestream Health, Center for Medical Interoperability, Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Duke University, Georgia Tech, Global Center for Medical Innovation, Hangenics, HCA, Health Here, IBHC Advisors, Memphis Bioworks Foundation, NextGxDx, Numerof, OrthoWorx, Philips Healthcare, Sarnova, Secure BioMed Evaluations, SI Bone, SweetBio, T3 Labs, TriStar Technology Ventures, University of Virginia, Vanderbilt University, Wright Medical, Waller Lansden, Adhesys Medical, Amend Surgical, Arcato Laboratories, Cardiac Profiles, Evoke Medical, Faros Healthcare, General Graphene, Innara Health, Intent Solutions, Nfant Labs, Promeditec, Sanguina, Strataca Systems, Surgitrac, SweetBio, Butler Snow, Baker Hostetler, Johnson and Johnson, Glenveigh Medical, Solas Bioventures, 2nd Generation Capital, Bio/Med Investor Network, Harbert Venture Partners, Hatteras Venture Partners, HealthQuest Capital, Innova Memphis, Mountain Group Partners, NueCura, River Cities Capital Funds, Sante Ventures, Silicon Valley Bank, Solas BioVentures, TriStar Technology Ventures, Valor Ventures, King and Spalding, Tao Life Sciences, Prism Technologies, DigitalVision Systems, Innovasan OBMedical, PreTel, Pristine Surgical, uLiV, Ed Cantwell,

May 16: See updated startup list below. -Ed.

FOR the first time in a decade, Music City's HealthIT and Healthcare Services sectors, as well as its budding Medical Devices industry, have helped lure a key industry association out of Atlanta for its annual meeting.

The Southeastern Medical Device Association (SEMDA) convenes here May 18-19 in Music City Center.

The event -- expected to draw north of 450 -- features pitches by medtech startups or early-stage companies, as well as participation by 15 or more "true investors," said Jim Stefansic, the Nashville entrepreneur who's been working with SEMDA Executive Director Jason Rupp and the group's board to convene the 2016 SEMDA conference in Nashville.

Stefansic said key factors in SEMDA's decision to meet in Nashville included growing appreciation for the interrelated roles and interests of device makers, HealthIT and healthcare providers, including influential companies based in the Nashville area.

SEMDA's Rupp emphasized that the list of pitching companies is likely to expand dramatically and diversify somewhat prior to the conference, as discussions with potential presenters are still underway. Stefansic said talks continue with some HealthIT/analytics startups, among others.

Tiffany Wilson
Global Center
for Medical Innovation
among Semda speakers

Rupp provided Venture Nashville the identities of startups scheduled to speak. They are:

Newly listed May 16: DigitalVision Systems (Atlanta); Innovasan (Knoxville); OBMedical (Gainesville); PreTel (Memphis); Pristine Surgical (Illinois); and, uLiV (Nashville).

Previously listed: Adhesys Medical (Germany; Texas); Amend Surgical (Florida); Arcato Laboratories (North Carolina); Cardiac Profiles (Nashville); Evoke Medical (Kansas); Faros Healthcare (Nashville); General Graphene (Oak Ridge); Innara Health (Kansas); Intent Solutions (Atlanta); Nfant Labs (Atlanta); Promeditec (Italy); Sanguina (Atlanta); Strataca Systems (Atlanta); Surgitrac (North Carolina); SweetBio (Memphis).

The startups list will be updated as warranted. Other pitch details here.

SEMDA says investors attending include 2nd Generation Capital (Nashville), Bio/Med Investor Network (Atlanta), Harbert Venture Partners (Birmingham, Richmond), Hatteras Venture Partners (Durham), HealthQuest Capital (Menlo Park, Atlanta), Innova Memphis (Memphis), Mountain Group Partners (Nashville), NueCura (Nashville), River Cities Capital Funds (Cincinnati, Raleigh), Sante Ventures (Austin), Silicon Valley Bank (Santa Clara, Atlanta), Solas BioVentures (Chattanooga), TriStar Technology Ventures (Nashville) and Valor Ventures (Atlanta).

While generally creating stronger ties with the Southeast's medtech players, the SEMDA event also represents a potential new rallying-point for Tennessee actors -- and might help build a better bridge between Nashville's Healthcare/HealthIT sectors and Memphis' medical devices sector.

Ed Cantwell
Center for Medical
Interoperability

The SEMDA program promises fresh content centered on key topics, including:

► Outcomes/Costs: How Payers, Providers, Clinicians shape medtech revenue.

► CEO Panel: Making the product value/use case for stakeholders.

► Entrepreneurial Panel: Interoperability and the Future of Digital Health.

► Leveraging CMS Data to accelerate Health System change.

► Panel: Making the industry case to medtech investors, partners, strategics.

► Evidence Street, the branded proprietary Web platform for reviewing healthcare evidence reviews.

► Key Factors in Online presence for early-stage medtech companies.

► Talent Pipeline: Vanderbilt, Duke, Virginia, GeorgiaTech discuss campus-industry ties.

► Panel: Developing, Defending and Leveraging Intellectual Property.

► Spotlight Awards Speaker: Sam Lynch, founder and former CEO, Biomimetic Therapeutics

► Conference Keynote: Bruce Rosengard, M.D., FRCS, FACS, who is Johnson & Johnson's global Chief Medical Science Technology Officer for Medical Devices

Other organizations providing speakers and panelists:
  1. AdvaMed
  2. Baker & Hostetler
  3. Bauerfeind
  4. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association
  5. Boston Scientific
  6. Carestream Health
  7. Center for Medical Interoperability
  8. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
  9. Device Talks
  10. Duke University
  11. Georgia Tech
  12. Global Center for Medical Innovation
  13. Hangenics
  14. HCA
  15. Health Here
  16. IBHC Advisors
  17. Memphis Bioworks Foundation
  18. NextGxDx
  19. Numerof & Assocs.
  20. OrthoWorx
  21. Philips Healthcare
  22. Prism Technologies
  23. Sarnova
  24. Secure BioMed Evaluations
  25. SI Bone
  26. SweetBio
  27. Tao Life Sciences
  28. T3 Labs
  29. TriStar Technology Ventures
  30. University of Virginia
  31. Vanderbilt University
  32. Wright Medical (BioMimetic)
  33. Waller Lansden

The conference has nearly 50 sponsoring, cooperating and/or supporting organizations, with the most prominently listed names including Butler Snow, BakerHofstetler, Johnson & Johnson, Glenveigh Medical and Solas Bioventures. The full list is here.

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