Founded in 2024, Sharp Biomedical is redefining minimally invasive pain care with expertly redesigned solutions built specifically for interventional pain specialists. Founded by Dan Newman, a doctoral student in UND’s Biomedical Engineering Department, the company is driven by innovation at the intersection of engineering and patient-centered care.
About Sharp Biomedical
Sharp Biomedical focuses on addressing the unmet needs of individuals living with chronic pain by developing an innovative, minimally invasive alternative to traditional surgery. The company aims to support specialists in delivering effective pain relief while reducing the need for more invasive surgical interventions.
While Sharp Biomedical’s current primary focus is on advancing product development, the company intends to shift toward building strong relationships with UND and other local institutions in the future.
Turning Ideas into Impact
Sharp Biomedical translated an identified gap in interventional pain care into a focused solution designed to meet specialist and patient needs. Since identifying the need, Sharp Biomedical has moved to validate the concept through development milestones and strategic team growth.
The company has attracted expertise, respected physicians and a high-impact spine CEO, highlighting the credibility of Sharp Biomedical, along with the company’s long-term potential.
CFI’s Impact
The Runway Accelerator program at UND’s Center for Innovation (CFI) is a two-phase program designed to provide mentorship, start-up training, and access to funding to support UND student ventures.
Following an introduction from Dr. Kouhyar Tavakolian, Sharp Biomedical connected with the UND Center for Innovation and enrolled in the Runway Accelerator program. “The timing proved to be perfect for the stage Sharp Biomedical was in,” Newman shared. Through Runway, the team received critical support—most notably guidance through the customer discovery process, which helped refine and strengthen their core concept.
After completing the Runway Accelerator program at CFI, Newman continued building momentum by joining the gBeta program in Grand Forks. Designed for high-potential startups with local roots, gBeta is a pre-accelerator that provides intensive one-on-one mentorship, focused growth strategy, and preparation for raising capital. The program also connects founders to a powerful network of mentors, investors, and prospective customers.
With strategic support from Runway and initial grant funding, Sharp Biomedical strengthened its foundation and positioned itself for rapid growth. Through a recommendation and introduction to gBeta, CFI helped further expand Sharp Biomedical’s network—“providing additional connections and accelerating the company’s growth,” Newman shared. The continued progression through these programs played a key role in securing additional investment and increasing the company’s valuation.
Looking Ahead
Funding is a top priority for Sharp Biomedical, supporting ongoing product development, testing, and efforts to bring the technology to market. At the same time, the team is preparing to file a non-provisional patent to protect its intellectual property.
They are also refining the device through cadaver testing with physician partners, ensuring it performs effectively across the variety of anatomies found in real-world patients.
Learn More
To learn more about Sharp Biomedical and their mission to make interventional procedures more accessible, visit sharpbiomedical.com.