CLEMSON — CatheSure, a student startup team from Clemson University working to improve treatment for hydrocephalus, finished fourth at the 2023 Heartland Challenge.
CatheSure wirelessly detects a shunt malfunction in hydrocephalus patients in under five minutes to streamline the diagnostic process and prevent unnecessary exploratory brain surgeries, prolonged hospital stays, and repeated radiation exposure.
CatheSure captured $5,000 for the fourth-place prize, becoming the first team from a school affiliated with the Atlantic Coast Conference to win one of the competition’s top four prizes. The team includes Jordan Cole, Kathleen Fallon and Ally Reichart.
Held April 13-15 in downtown Bentonville, the Heartland Challenge featured 12 semifinalists from across the country, representing eight universities and seven states. This year’s prize pool was over $100,000.
Designed to simulate the process of raising venture capital for a high-growth enterprise, the Heartland Challenge is the first global student startup competition in Arkansas and has awarded over $350,000 since it was first held virtually in Spring 2020.