Company: C. Light Technologies, Medford MA
Nomination Submitted by: Cooth
Company Description: C. Light Technologies, Inc. is an AI-driven health tech company whose primary mission is to create digital tools and solutions to assess eye and brain health. C. Light redefines the boundaries of human healthcare and performance, leading the charge toward a future where precision and innovation unite. Their retinal tracking device, the Retitrack™ stands at the forefront of this advancement.
Nomination Category: Company/Organization Awards Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Most Innovative Company of the Year – 10 or Less Employees
 Nomination Title: C. Light Technologies
- Which will you submit for your nomination in this category, a video of up to five (5) minutes, explaining the achievements since July 1, 2021 of the nominated organization, OR written answers to the questions? (Choose one):
Written answers to the questions
- If you are submitting a video of up to five (5) minutes in length, provide the URL of the video here, OR attach it to your entry via the "Add Attachments, Videos, or Links to This Entry" link above, through which you may also upload a copy of your video. If you are submitting written answers to the questions for this category, provide them in the appropriate spaces below:
No Video - Supporting URLs attached.
- Briefly describe the nominated organization: history and past performance (up to 200 words):
Total 186 words used.
With incredible determination to see advancement in cures for neurodegenerative diseases, CEO & Founder, Christy Sheehy-Bensinger, first concepted and created a device capable of tracking retinal eye movements, now called the Retitrack™, during her time as a PhD student at UC Berkeley. At the time of invention, similar eye-tracking devices were being created for ~$250,000 a piece. Christy was not only able to create her own device for ~$50,000 but created a solution with more accuracy and efficiency than anyone could have anticipated. Clearly, this device had the potential to disrupt and revolutionize the healthcare industry, so she quickly realized that bringing this product to market would be critical to help revolutionize early detection and earlier intervention.
From this invention, C. Light Technologies was born. In her first three years after founding C. Light, Christy was able to bring in $475,000 in Phase I NIH grants, plus $100,000 from angel investors to create their proof of concept and perform clinical validation. Now, Christy and team have secured over $6m in total funding, and are preparing for their Series A in late 2023.
- Outline the organization's achievements since July 1 2021 that you wish to bring to the judges' attention (up to 250 words):
Total 206 words used.
We’re excited to submit C. Light for this award – the timing could not be better. This Spring the Retitrack™ became the very first FDA 510(k)-cleared eye-movement monitor of its kind. It’s a monocular, tabletop eye movement monitor used for recording, viewing, measuring, and analyzing characteristics of fixation and saccadic responses. The device provides the ability to detect early changes a patient may experience but clinicians don’t have tools to see. It’s capable of capturing movements the size of 1/4th of a human hair, and is easy for patients requiring no dilation drops: you simply rest your chin on the chin rest and focus your eyes for the 10-second recording. This quick-to-use solution will provide clinicians with better understanding of oculomotor function via the retina, providing concrete and objective metrics.
The Retitrack retinal scan is quick and easy for patients, too. Seated patients simply rest their chins on the chin rest and focus their eyes for the 10-second recording. No pain, no discomfort, no dilation. On top of that, this will change the game for Physicians and Clinicians: purchasing a Retitrack™ will cost providers less than one quarter of the cost of today’s SLOs (Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscope)—making it more affordable for neurologists, ophthalmologists, and optometrists alike.
- Reference any attachments of supporting materials throughout this nomination and how they provide evidence of the claims you have made in this nomination (up to 250 words):
Total 113 words used.
Attached you will find the press release from the FDA 510k approval for the Retitrack™ device which outlines the use for the device with this approval. In addition, you’ll find two links showcasing their seed round and current fundraising statistics (this does not include the grant received by the National Institute of Health to further study the impact of visual fixation after concussion).
We’ve also included supporting documentation that features C. Light’s patent report, and articles on their device and the impact on neurological disorders from VentureBeat, Ophthalmology Management and R&D world. Lastly, you can find Christy’s acceptance into NASDAQ’s Milestone Makers Cohort which was a big achievement for the Founder & CEO.
- Explain why the achievements you have highlighted are unique or significant. If possible compare the achievements to the performance of other players in your industry and/or to the organization's past performance (up to 250 words):
Total 203 words used.
While retinal tracking devices are starting to pop up in the market, this is the very first product with 501(k) approval, making it a first-mover and disruptor in the market. When you compare this solution to competitors and alternatives, you have retinal scans, which are a) not nearly as sensitive/accurate, and b) not cost-effective. There are many pupil tracking devices as well as phone/webcam trackers in the industry as well. These do not capture the same data and are not nearly as sensitive. They will not be able to produce the same type of analysis needed to detect neurological disorders. The Retitrack™ can detect movements so small (¼th size of a human hair) that are impossible to analyze with current pupil-tracking devices.
While blood tests and enhanced MRIs are also within the market landscape, they do not compare in terms of speed, cost, invasiveness, or sensitivity. Retinal tracking devices are truly a first in neuroscience, and C. Light Technologies is proud to be at the forefront of both the hardware and software solutions in the market. In the future, C. Light’s analytics can be applied to any condition involving FEMs and saccades including neurodegenerative, neurologic, retinal, acquired brain injury, psychiatric, and cardiovascular conditions.
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