This post was written by Leslie Adair, innovation project specialist, Parkview Mirro Center for Research and Innovation.
In 2022, NeuroBell, a pioneering medical technology (MedTech) startup from Ireland, won the Healthy Mom & Baby Innovation Competition, hosted by Parkview Health. That milestone opened the door to something much bigger: entry into the United States healthcare market through the MedTech Global Gateway. In this post, we’ll dig into this accomplishment a little deeper and learn how others can follow in their footsteps.
A launchpad for international MedTech startups
The MedTech Global Gateway is a strategic collaboration led by Parkview’s Mirro Center for Research and Innovation, Northeast Indiana Regional Partnership (NEI) and Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC), designed to help international health tech innovators navigate the complex U.S. healthcare market. For Dr. Mark O’Sullivan and his team at NeuroBell, it provided a clear path from concept to clinical testing.
NeuroBell’s portable neonatal EEG device, developed to detect seizures in newborns was selected for its potential to transform care in NICUs worldwide. Through the gateway, Parkview facilitated access to its Level III NICU at the Women & Children’s Hospital in Fort Wayne, Indiana, which is now the site of NeuroBell’s first U.S.-based clinical feasibility study.
Accelerating clinical validation
The study compares signals from NeuroBell’s wearable EEG device with those from traditional FDA-cleared monitors to validate clinical accuracy and usability. The goal? To provide real-time, AI-driven brain monitoring in settings that may not have immediate access to pediatric neurologists.
“Seizures in newborns often go undetected because traditional monitoring requires specialized expertise,” Dr. O’Sullivan, NeuroBell’s CEO and co-founder, said. “Our solution enables timely intervention in even the most resource-constrained hospitals.”
Support every step of the way
The MedTech Global Gateway didn’t just open clinic doors. It connected NeuroBell with Parkview’s regulatory, research and neonatal care teams, including Atiya Khan, MD, Pediatric Neurology, and Win Boon, MD, Neonatology, who helped guide protocol development and patient recruitment.
“We’re proud to support testing that could improve outcomes for babies worldwide,” Ethel Massing, director, PSE & Innovation at the Mirro Center, said. “This partnership shows how MedTech startups can scale faster with the right infrastructure, network and clinical guidance.”
A model for other MedTech founders
With €2.1 million in seed funding secured from Furthr VC, Atlantic Bridge and Enterprise Ireland, NeuroBell is on track to launch commercially in the U.S. in 2026, followed by expansion to Europe. It all began with a competition, a clinical champion and a gateway designed to accelerate global innovation.
Startups like NeuroBell prove that entering the U.S. healthcare MedTech market is possible when innovation is fueled by the right partnerships. With strategic support and a proven pathway, breaking into the health tech market becomes a launchpad for growth, not a barrier.
Join the MedTech Global Gateway
Join the MedTech Global Gateway and access the U.S. healthcare market with clinical credibility, expert mentorship and a network built to help you succeed. Learn more or apply now at MedTechNEI.com