Tens of thousands of central venous catheters designed for adult bodies are inserted into the delicate veins of newborns in Australian intensive care settings every year for life-saving care. 

But positioning the catheter tip can be challenging and if not done correctly, can lead to dangerous complications for children who are already critically ill.  

Navi Medical Technologies is developing the Neonav, an ECG tip location system to help guide clinicians during insertion of a central line, to get it right the first time and then to check it doesn’t move. 

Navi’s ‘smart catheter’ was recently granted Breakthrough Device Designation by the FDA in mid-December 2022; and the company was awarded funding in MTPConnect’s Clinical Translation and Commercialisation Medtech Program. And further clinical trials are due to start soon.

Navi’s Co-founders, CEO Alex Newton and Co-CFO Brad Bergmann, join host Caroline Duell to discuss how the idea of neonatologist Dr Christiane Theda has become a reality, the benefits of the FDA’s medical device programs and tips on how to successfully grow a start-up and attract funding support.