Seeing his mother in great pain from wearing prostheses on her amputated legs, Louis Philippe-Garneau had only one desire: to develop a prosthetic product that would combine high performance and comfort in order to improve his life and that of all. amputees.
“In 2011, my mother had serious health problems that resulted in sepsis, an infection that spreads through the blood. Doctors had no choice but to amputate both legs below the knees. His prostheses were very uncomfortable. I told myself that there was a way to do better, ”says Louis-Philippe Garneau, co-founder of Ethnocare.
He looked into the issue as part of his graduation project for his bachelor’s degree in product design at Laval University.
It took him 18 months of research and development to develop what would become Ethnocare’s first product, the Airstream Liner. It is a prosthesis that incorporates a personalized adjustment system to the residual limb and which greatly improves comfort and allows greater mobility. It is also equipped with a technological solution that promotes ventilation.
“Traditional prostheses are very warm to wear. They also cause pain and injury because they are often ill-fitting. Our prosthesis uses an extension system that allows easy and efficient adjustment of the volume and a better adjustment in the socket, ”explains Louis-Philippe Garneau.
A global market
In 2020, the academic project became a business. Two student colleagues, Marc Antoine Malouin and Vincent Breton, joined the adventure. The three partners are tackling a major market.
“In North America alone, there are 2.3 million amputees mainly due to diabetes and an aging population,” says the young entrepreneur. The global prosthesis market is valued at US $ 1.4 billion, and is growing at 7% per year. ”
Ethnocare, who received the 2e prize of $ 50,000 within the framework of the Pierre-Péladeau Bursaries competition, intends to become a major player on an international scale. Before it gets to that, it needs to complete prototyping and conduct clinical trials.
“Our proof of concept is complete. We have tested our product with amputees and the results have been conclusive. Now we need to test on a larger scale. The scholarship we have won will help us finalize the development ”, maintains Louis-Philippe Garneau.
Local manufacturing
In addition to being associated with research centers, Ethnocare works with two technical partners, namely Alto Design, which has expertise in the development of products for the medical field, and Tactix, which designs equipment for sports d. ‘team.
The partners are aiming for commercialization in 2022 and already plan to conduct a first round of financing by the end of the year to raise the necessary capital, ie $ 500,000. They will first attack the Canadian and American markets.
“We will deal with distributors to ensure rapid delivery,” he explains. Our product will be prescribed by prosthetists and specialist doctors. We already know that the price of our prosthesis could be covered by the RAMQ. In the United States, we also meet the standards of the insurers. ”
At the beginning, Ethnocare plans to have its products manufactured in Asia, but with the objective of quickly repatriating production to Quebec. “We are studying different options, including buying our own machinery. Our ambition is to create jobs here. ”
Even if the entrepreneurial adventure is made up of ups and downs, Louis-Philippe Garneau and his associates do not let themselves be discouraged.
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