For a few weeks now, a white gym shoe has been mechanically going up and down in the office of Rezolve Medical Opens an external link. Between the laces is a plate attached to a brace that runs along the ankle to the simulated calf of the machine. Every day, the shoe takes about 25,000 steps to test whether the innovative brace can last at least 2 years (about 2.5 million steps). “Our brace is designed to help people with foot drop walk better in a discreet and comfortable way,” co-founder Joris Zielstra explains in the building in Amsterdam-Zuid.  

The idea for the brace comes from brother and co-founder Lennart Zielstra. He developed foot drop at the age of 16 due to an accident on the trampoline. The nerve pathway to his foot tore, preventing him from lifting his foot. During his biomedical technology studies at TU Delft, Lennart discovered that he could improve existing aids with new production technologies. Joris: “He was always dissatisfied with the solutions that were offered and decided to create something himself after his studies and internship with a Canadian brace maker.” Joris already had experience in starting his own business, so they decided to take the plunge together. 

Innovative

The problem with existing braces is that they are uncomfortable. Joris: “More than 300,000 people in the Netherlands have a muscle disease or nerve damage and are entitled to a new brace every 2 years. A large part of these people choose to live without a brace or leave the brace in the closet because it is uncomfortable. The footplate of the brace, under the foot, cuts into the skin. This is not only a waste of money but also affects these peoples participation in society. What is innovative about our brace is that we transfer forces to the foot in a different way. Instead of pushing the foot up from underneath, we pull the foot up with our brace via the shoe. This way, people can continue to wear their own insoles. The result is a functional, comfortable, and discreet brace that people can walk much better with.”

Prototypes

To find out if this technique really works and is suitable for the market, Joris and Lennart conducted a feasibility study with a subsidy from the Province of North Holland. “With a 3D printer, we made various prototypes to get the brace working and investigated how and whether we could protect our idea with a patent.” An additional benefit of 3D printing: the brace can be completely adjusted to the person. Joris: “Think of it as a toolbox from which the instrument maker can choose, so you get the best outcome for the patient.”

Springboard

After a few months, the brothers concluded that there is a future for the brace. “Without the MIT feasibility (SME innovation stimulation top sectors, ed.) of nearly €20,000, we would not have been able to get here. It has really been the springboard to our own company. We have experienced this process as very clear and could turn to a nice contact person at the province with questions.”

Now, the development of the brace has progressed to the point that Rezolve Medical can receive feedback from the market in September. “Then we will really collaborate with doctors and instrument makers to provide the brace to other people. It will be very exciting to test whether they experience the same benefits as Lennart. He has so far been our biggest test subject. He walks every day with the brace and even runs marathons with it.”

MIT Feasibility

The province provides subsidies to SMEs that want to investigate whether an innovative product, process, service, or technology is feasible. In this feasibility study, the company looks at the risks. The outcomes of the study help the company make a good choice: whether or not to continue developing their idea, and how they will do that. This subsidy is also known as the implementation regulation SME innovation stimulation top sectors (short: MIT feasibility projects). The goal of the subsidy is to stimulate innovative entrepreneurship by SMEs. The projects must contribute to the Knowledge and Innovation agendas (KIAs) of the mission-driven innovation policy. These are government plans that outline what we as a society need to know and develop to solve major problems. Think of topics such as climate, health, or safety. In these agendas, government, businesses, and researchers work together on smart solutions for the future. Read more about the subsidy on the subsidy page of the province.