Amsterdam’s LAYCO raises €300K to make healthcare more sustainable and accessible

Amsterdam-based LAYCO, a startup that provides high-quality medical equipment at affordable pricing, has secured a convertible loan of €300K from the North Holland Innovation Fund (INH).

INH is an initiative of the Province of North Holland, University of Amsterdam, Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam UMC and Sanquin. The Fund offers loans to companies that need to prove new ideas and concepts, the so-called ‘Proof-of-Concept’ phase.

The INH oversees two funds: one for innovative startups supported by RVO and another for academic startups supported by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).

Medical devices at affordable pricing

Founded in 2020 by Dieuwertje Drexhage and Thom Weustink, LAYCO is a spin-off from TU Delft’s “Surgery for All” research group. Since 2023, the company has been situated in the former Slotervaart Hospital in Amsterdam.

LAYCO develops reusable medical devices to enhance healthcare accessibility and minimise the environmental footprint of the healthcare sector.

Co-founder Weustink says, “Distributors worldwide are receiving much more demand for sustainable equipment from hospitals. Unfortunately, the medical industry still clings to the lucrative business model surrounding disposable equipment.”

“With LAYCO, we would like to show, in collaboration with hospitals and distributors, how things can be done differently. Global healthcare really needs to be more sustainable and fairer for the children born today.”

LAYCO brings its first product to the market with vela, the reusable vacuum extractor. It is a patented innovation developed in-house by inventor Christiaan Bakker. vela offers hospitals globally access to reusable and sustainable technology in the field of vacuum extraction.

Vacuum extraction is a crucial delivery procedure employed in the second stage of labour (childbirth).

Wouter Keij, fund manager at INH adds, “Layco’s reusable vacuum extractor makes an essential contribution to making healthcare more sustainable and transcends national borders, making this method of childbirth more accessible worldwide.”

“The timing is opportune, given the growing awareness of sustainable care. Wider acceptance, aided by increasing availability, could lead to improved health of mothers and babies worldwide.”

vela not only offers cost savings for hospitals but also achieves a 40 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions and a waste reduction of no less than a factor of 43.

Recently, the vacuum extractor earned Dieuwertje Drexhage, LAYCO’s co-founder, the Albert Schweitzer Fund prize.

Capital utilisation

LAYCO will use the funds to advance the development and conduct testing of vela in a practical environment, with specific emphasis on trials at the Amsterdam UMC.

Co-founder Dieuwertje Drexhage says, “The development of vela started at TU Delft in 2020. In collaboration with Professor Jenny Dankelman and 200 gynaecologists from all over the world, we came up with this patented design. We are very proud of the award from the North Holland Innovation Fund to take the next step.”