PROVA Innovations Ltd. joined the latest cohort of 2020 ONtrepreneurs headed by the Ontario Brain Institute (OBI), winning Canada’s single largest award for early-stage neurotech entrepreneurs. PROVA Innovations is a medical start-up focused on developing smart, at-home wearable devices that aid in neuro motor control and neurorehabilitation in children and adults suffering from mobility restrictions. They received a $50K investment, training, mentorship, and commercialization support to continue the growth of their venture.
Matthew Rosato, president and founder of PROVA Innovations, noticed that his son would make significant gains in his mobility and gait pattern, but when they returned home his son would revert to old habits. This led to Rosato using his engineering and business background to develop wearable devices that would help thousands of people with cerebral palsy and other motor impairments.
“I wanted to make life easier for my child, and I was in a unique position to use my professional expertise to make that happen,” said Rosato.
“Launching PROVA Innovations has allowed me to merge the first-hand experience with my son and my engineering background, but what I was lacking was the expertise in neurology and life sciences to make sure we were on the right track. The partnership opportunities, training and mentoring from OBI will have a profound impact on our business’ trajectory.”
Their technology allows patients to engage in therapy in an intuitive way outside of a physical therapy session, during normal everyday activities. Their lead product is a wearable that measures the foot’s position and applies biofeedback encouraging the development and reinforcement of new neuromotor pathways and connections in the brain. Similar to how a rumble strip alerts a driver that they are veering off the road, the wearable provides sensory cueing in the form of small vibrations, lights and sounds to guide a patient’s foot throughout the entire gait cycle.
To read the full press release on OBI’s website click here.