For the sixth year in a row, Businessweek.com set out in search of the 25 most promising young entrepreneurs in the United States.
To help identify the best of the best, Businessweek.com asked its’ readers to suggest young entrepreneurs whom they thought fit the bill. Based on user submissions, Business week narrowed it down to the Top 25. And no surprise to The Plus, two of the finalists were from Northeast Ohio:
• CitizenGroove
• LifeServe Innovations
How were the finalists chosen?
Each of the finalists was selected based on qualities such as:
• Founders were 25 years old or younger
• Promising business model
• Founders’ experience
• Outside capital
• Revenue
Vote for Your Favorite
Now until Thursday, October 21st you can vote for your favorite young entrepreneur. The top young entrepreneurs will be announced on Thursday, October 28th.
To help you get to know the two Northeast Ohio finalists in Businessweek.com’sAmerica’s Best Young Entrepreneurs, CitizenGroove and LifeServe Innovations, we are spotlighting each one. Last week we featured CitizenGroove’s innovative program that helps to streamline music auditions for schools across the country. Today we will be moving the focus over to LifeServe Innovations and its medical device advancement.
LifeServe Innovations Spotlight
LifeServe Innovations’ Smart Airways medical devices were created to open patients’ airways in emergency situations, such as combat zones where personal might have minimal training and need to respond quickly. This unique device was created by Zach Bloom and Rick Arlow, students at Lehigh University and Case Western Reserve University. According to the entrepreneurs, their inspiration came from Rick Arlow’s experience as a paramedic and his vast understanding of emergency medicine.
LifeServe Innovations has three medical device products. One of the devices, the Viper Cric: SMART Emergency Cricothyrotomy, is based on the design of a viper’s fangs. This allows emergency providers to open patients’ airways through a minimally invasive procedure within 60 seconds or less, compared to 10 to 15 minutes for a comparably effective surgical procedure.
To help get the ball rolling, LifeServe Innovations owners raised $100,000 in grants and prizes. Currently the product is in pre-clinical testing at Lehigh University and Case Western Reserve University.
Vote for Your Favorite Young Entrepreneur
Want to vote for LifeServe Innovations or CitizenGroove? You can do so via Businessweek’s, Vote for Your Favorite Young Entrepreneur page. Remember voting ends Thursday, October 21st.