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April 17, 2023 | Tom Ballard

Vanderbilt and Harvard student team places second in “2023 Heartland Challenge Startup Challenge”

EndoShunt is both the name of the company and its device which is a length-adjustable shunt for the targeted control of non-compressible hemorrhage.

EndoShunt, a student start-up team from Vanderbilt University and Harvard University, finished second at the “2023 Heartland Challenge Startup Challenge” hosted this past weekend by the Sam M Walton College of Business at the University of Arkansas.

By placing second, the team captured $25,000 along with $3,000 via an Investor Round Table award sponsored by Cadron Capital Partners. EndoShunt is a length-adjustable shunt for the targeted control of non-compressible hemorrhage. The device allows for the occlusion of hemorrhaging vessels or organs while maintaining blood flow to the rest of the body.

To address the critical need for time during repair of bleeding, EndoShunt aims to reduce peri- and post-operative complications, while providing trauma surgeons the time they need to perform definitive repairs.

The team includes Michael Finn-Henry (Vanderbilt ’22), Olivia Busk (Vanderbilt ’22), Dr. Jeremy Levin; and Dr. Milad Behbahaninia. Finn-Henry and Busk are currently pursuing graduate degrees at Harvard University.

Held in downtown Bentonville, the fourth annual “Heartland Challenge” featured 12 semifinalists from across the country, representing eight universities and seven states. This year’s prize pool exceeded $100,000.

Designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital for a high-growth enterprise, the event is the first global student start-up competition in Arkansas and has awarded over $350,000 since it was first held virtually in Spring 2020.


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