When we opened our headquarters on NDSU’s Research and Technology Park in January 2022, we were optimistic to build long-lasting relationships within the North Dakotan community and establish a strong medical device presence. Looking now six months later, we could never have imagined the reception we have received, streaming in from all facets of the community.
Small but mighty. There is an unspoken bond between the people and businesses of North Dakota that only those who have a chance to experience can attest to. For CorVent, we have been actively engaged with universities such as NDSU and UND, local companies such as ComDel Innovation and Northern Plains Label, organizations such as Bioscience Association of North Dakota and the Fargo Moorhead West Fargo Chamber of Commerce, and state-level representatives ranging from Senator Kramer, Mayor Tim Mahoney, and many more. Uncanny for any company to engage so actively in 6 months, and even more exceptional observing internally from a small startup like ourselves at CorVent.
Pay it forward. As part of the ongoing commitment to engage with the local North Dakotan ecosystem, CorVent has hired six (6) full-time interns to develop and commercialize their next-generation ventilation technology. These interns, ranging from undergraduate to PhD students, are currently taking part in a 14-week long summer internship, with positions ranging from marketing, new product development, mechanical and electrical engineering.
As we expected, their tenacity to master the medical device and respiratory support space and veracity to tackle new challenges embodies the culture that CorVent has established. Their efforts, which are focused on driving our next generation design towards FDA submission, have been well received by a team that at one point only had two engineers to design an entire electromechanical ventilator design. As a company, we believe that exposing interns to design problems that full-time engineers would tackle not only provides a meaningful experience for them, but also empowers them to understand what the industry requires of them to be successful. Conversely, training can be a massive resource drain for smaller companies, so treating them as full-time employees can pay dividends in the future.
An Immediate Response
What has filtered out of the mainstream media but continues to have a growing global impact is the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine. As we mentioned in our last blog post, CorVent committed over 1100 life-saving resuscitation bags and over 30 RESPOND™ Ventilators of relief aid for those in need in Ukraine. What is often the case is that companies do not get to see the impact of their donations in situations like these, typically manifesting in situations like damaged equipment or lost in the shuffle of the crisis.
We are fortunate to be working with NOVA Ukraine, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing humanitarian aid to the people of Ukraine. Their impact has been substantial during the crisis, raising over $30 million through donations alone. Thanks to their help, they have delivered over a million meals and over 200,000 aid packages, which includes sending the RESPOND™ Ventilators to areas that are severely affected.
We are proud to engage with an organization such as NOVA Ukraine and to provide continued support in any relief efforts. Thanks to NOVA, the video below shows the RESPOND™ Ventilator in action at a burn clinic in Ukraine – check it out!
(Warning: viewer discretion is advised – graphic and sensitive content)
