Cast21, the startup co-founded by recent University of Illinois engineering alumni, has raised $800k in funds for additional research and continuation of its product.
Written by Fatima Farha, MechSE Communications
Cast21, the startup co-founded by recent University of Illinois engineering alumni, has raised $800k in funds for additional research and continuation of its product.
The company— MechSE alumnus Jason Troutner (BSME ’16), along with bioengineering alumna Ashley Moy and ECE alumnus Justin Brooks—focuses on creating a waterproof, breathable cast to heal broken bones without causing discomfort. The cast is built with a material called medalist thermoplastic elastomer, which gives it the waterproof quality.
Immediate plans include mechanical testing, along with patient testing. The funds will be used toward this testing, along with completing the design and manufacture of the cast. At the moment, the cast’s function is being primarily focused on short-arm casting purposes. The device is also FDA-registered, and the team hopes to have the product out by the end of the year.
Last year was an eventful one for the startup. They won the St. Louis University “Real” Elevator Pitch Competition, and Troutner was a finalist for the campus’ Illinois Innovation Prize.
Their state-of-the-art cast design will allow those wearing it to still be as mobile as possible, despite having an injured limb. The lattice structure of the cast, along with its various functions of vibration therapy and reduction of muscle atrophy, is aimed toward making the wearer as comfortable as possible during the healing process.