Medical device startup wins McCloskey New Venture Competition
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A medical device startup created by three University of Notre Dame graduate students took home nearly $130,000 in cash and in-kind services by winning the 2024 McCloskey New Venture Competition.
VisiLocate has developed a light-driven breast tumor localization device designed to improve the process of removing breast tumors.
The company’s device lights up and changes color as a surgeon gets closer to the tumor, VisiLocate CEO Ciara Dillion said in the team’s pitch during the competition, which was held during IDEA Week last month on the South Bend campus.
Dillion, along with her co-founders Nicholas Ross and Sunghoon Rho, received the $50,000 McCloskey Grand Prize, as well as $27,000 in additional cash prizes. VisiLocate was also one of three teams to receive $50,000 in in-kind services.
The prizes were among $600,000 awarded to participating teams during the competition.
“Each participant exemplified the spirit of innovation that defines our institution, showcasing the very best of Notre Dame talent to the world,” Patti Reinhardt, director of student engagement, competition and events at Notre Dame’s IDEA Center, said in a news release. “As we celebrate the success of this competition, we look forward to witnessing the continued impact of our student entrepreneurs, shaping a brighter future for generations to come.”
You can view the full list of winners by clicking here.
Notre Dame said since its inception in 2001, the McCloskey New Venture Competition has awarded more than $2 million in prizes to 2,360 teams with over 7,000 participants.
You can watch the full pitch competition finals in the video below. VisiLocate’s pitch begins at the 1:07:00 mark.