When Charlotte Jones joined the Biodesign Innovation program at the University of Melbourne, she didn’t imagine her final year of engineering would end with pitching a medtech startup in front of a live audience. “It’s been a really enjoyable journey,” she says, reflecting on the whirlwind that is ELEN MedTech. “We’re hoping to make a real difference in the lives of women with endometriosis.”
Co-founder Fernando Gargollo agrees. After selling his last company and moving to Melbourne for his MBA, it was fate that in a Biodesign course landed Charlotte, Fernando and the rest of the ELEN founding team Ryan Armin, Jade Wang and Charlotte Thomas, starting their journey to revolutionise the way endometriosis is diagnosed.
Endometriosis is a debilitating condition affecting 1 in 7 women globally, often causing chronic pain and infertility. But the real kicker? Diagnosis takes an average of seven years. The real question, why?
“That’s because upwards of 50% of Endometriosis cases have lesions that (an area with abnormal tissue) are too small to detect with standard imaging,” Charlotte explains. “So the only conclusive diagnosis method is surgery which is costly, invasive, and not something you want to go through unless you really have to.”
ELEN MedTech’s solution is an ultrasound probe designed to detect those elusive lesions earlier and non-invasively. The goal? Get women clarity and care years earlier than current pathways allow.
“Our engineers built a prototype that could detect these tiny lesions in the lab,” Fernando says, still in awe. “Now our job is to bring it to market.”
Since their Biodesign year ended, the team has hit the ground running. They’ve won a string of programs including StartSpace's Future Founders Venture Scholarship, MAP Velocity, and most recently, MedTech Actuator. They also made waves with a standout pitch at Startmate’s bi-annual showcase for early-stage founders.
“It’s been intense,” Charlotte admits. “The last three months have been about learning, meeting people, and figuring out how we actually work together as a team.”
The technical challenge is one thing. The operational lift of building a company is another. “We realised we love working together,” says Fernando. “But without university deadlines, we were kind of floundering. These programs helped us build structure. Now we’re accountable to each other.”
That structure will come in handy as the team gears up for its next phase: developing an MVP ready for clinical trials. “We're meeting with product specialists next week,” Fernando shares. “We're trying to figure out if we build the plane and add wheels, or take a car and glue on wings.”
Metaphors aside, the medtech journey is a long one. Regulatory approvals alone could take eight years. But in a world of two-week app launches, being in a community that understands the slow burn has been crucial. “MedTech Actuator gets it,” Charlotte says. “There’s no pressure to move fast and break things. We have to do this right.”
Keen to get involved?
ELEN MedTech is finalising funding to build their next prototype, aiming to prove its clinical value. The ultimate goal? A non-invasive diagnostic tool that could transform how endometriosis is detected.
“We pitch a lot,” Fernando says. “I think I practiced three times a day last year. And the key is relatability. Most people either know someone with endo, or have gone undiagnosed themselves. That makes this personal.”
Backed by a team as passionate as they are technical, ELEN MedTech is just getting started.
“We’re not just building a product,” says Charlotte. “We’re building hope.”
Learn more about ELEN MedTech and connect with the team.
