by: TigerPosted on:

A Front-Row Seat into 1,000 Orthopedic Startups.

Imagine if someone had visibility into ALL early orthopedic innovation. Even more specifically, if someone had early discussions with startups that are working quietly in the shadows, pre-revenue, pre-IP, or even pre-website.

Well, no one person can claim to see every startup, but some of us get to see more startups than others.

I pinch myself every day. I get to have honest conversations with early startup leaders and get a glimpse into the shadow far upstream, through work in startup recruiting (Tiger Recruiting), the startup community (BoneChat) and this blog that follows startups (OrthoStreams).

I discover new startups each week. And have come the realization that there are many more than people realize.

Let me share an example of a startup in a few categories that you may not know (this is just a sampling, I can go on and on).

Personalized Implants

  • You know Restor3d/ConforMIS, a name synonymous with personalized orthopedic solutions,
  • But have you heard of Techfit Digital Surgery ? Techfit, based in Daytona Beach, is quietly disrupting the market with its DISRP tool that offers surgeons a streamlined, efficient platform for digital surgical planning and custom implant creation, enhancing patient outcomes and saving time.

Sports Medicine – Bracing

  • You know Enovis, Breg and Össur who dominate the industry,
  • But have you heard of Icarus Medical ? This small team based in Charlottesville, VA started with a patella unloading brace and they are killing it now with both DTC sales and prescription sales.

Poor bone purchase

  • You know X-Bolt for their molly bolt like mechanical fixation for poor bone quality in the femoral head,
  • But have you heard of Woven ? with their FDA cleared Ogmend sleeve for poor bone quality in the spine, and also have you heard of Allumin8 ? with their FDA pending 3D porous screw called Integr8 with a built-in delivery port.

Sports Medicine – Imaging

  • You know Arthrex and S+N who dominate with a few others,
  • But have you heard of Pristine Surgical ? This small team based in Manchester, NH started with digital scopes and they are killing it now with a focus on untethered connectivity and image quality.

Spine – Scoliosis

  • You know MAGEC rods now owned by Globus/Nuvasive,
  • But have you heard of Green Sun Medical ? The small team in Denver has created The Whisper smart brace that is an amazing, non-surgical solution for young teenagers with scoliosis, offering a comfortable, custom-fit design that applies corrective pressure to reverse spinal curvature while allowing normal movement, all monitored in real-time by physicians via Bluetooth technology.

Sports Medicine – Soft Tissue Fixation

  • You know Artelon that was acquired by Stryker,
  • But have you heard of CoNextions ? This small team in SLC, Utah, has developed a system which clearly addresses an unmet need. Standard of care, suture repair, is tedious and biomechanically inferior. Its early, but short-term results are fantastic.

Total Joints

  • You know the big 4 (ZB, Stryker, DePuy, S+N) that dominate the market,
  • But have you heard of NovoSource ? This small team in West Virginia that is quietly streamlining the total knee experience for surgeons. NovoSource provides affordable, proven knee implants, cutting costs by $500-$1,000 per case, unlike tech-focused competitors like Stryker and Zimmer Biomet. It emphasizes simplicity and reliability over costly innovation.

Sports Medicine – Soft Tissue Repair

  • You know Miach Orthopaedics and their BEAR implant for young athletes that obviates the need for harvesting,
  • But have you heard of Abanza ? Abanza based out of Pampalona Spain, they have introduced the WasherCap. This breakthrough enhances all mechanical outcomes, functioning effectively no matter the quality of cancellous bone. Abanza’s proprietary WasherCap Bi-Planar Fixation system is the first of its kind, offering knotless fixation with adjustable tensioning.

Sports Medicine – Meniscus

  • You know Phoenix Kinetics (fka Active Implants) that has been selling the NuSurface total meniscus replacement for decades in Europe,
  • But have you heard of OrthoPreserve ? This small team in Richmond VA that is taking a run at meniscus repair. They have developed the Defender, a meniscus replacement implant that restores knee joint function and cushioning while aiming to prevent arthritis and further surgeries through a MIS for patients with persistent pain after meniscus damage. Or have you heard of Native Orthopedics with a better meniscus root fixation system ?

Total Joints – PJI’s

  • You know that the big 5 total joint companies have ancillary products focused on post-periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) mainly to support their revision total joint businesses,
  • But have you heard of OsteoRemedies: A small team in Memphis has successfully carved out a niche in orthopedics by focusing entirely an PJIs bugs and taking market share from the big guys.

Foot and Ankle Solutions

  • You know OSSIO, the only non-metal small bone fixation company,
  • But have you heard of Fusion Orthopedics ? Fusion Orthopedics, based in Phoenix, Arizona, is growing revenue 100% and plans to launch 30 new products over the next 24 months, while operating profitably without debt or venture capital, positioning itself as a significant emerging competitor in the orthopedics industry. Recently, Fusion strategically acquired leading circle frame technology from the Metalogix product line, a deal Enovis finalized for $15 million in cash and $10 million in earnouts, totaling $25 million, further strengthening Fusion’s innovative edge.

Joints – Interpositional

  • You know that OrthoSpace was acquired by Stryker. The InSpace implant balloon implant was designed for patients with irreparable rotator cuff tears in the shoulder.
  • But have you heard of NanoChon ? Nanochon’s Chondrograft is a 3D-printed implant that repairs cartilage damage in joints, like the knee, caused by arthritis or injuries. It addresses focal cartilage lesions—painful “potholes” in the joint—offering an MIS alternative to knee replacements or grafts. Using synthetic nanomaterials, it replaces damaged cartilage instantly and promotes healthy regrowth, enabling faster recovery and immediate weight-bearing for active patients.

Sensors

  • You know Canary Medical and their embedded sensors in the ZB Persona IQ smart knee,
  • But have you heard of TracPatch Health ? The simple wearble sensor from TracPatch transforms post-surgery care with proactive, data-driven monitoring. Patients gain peace of mind through continuous tracking, early issue detection, and tailored recovery plans, while providers improve efficiency with remote monitoring and real-time data insights, enhancing overall care quality. Listen to the BoneChat discussion.

BioFilms

  • You know Zimmer Biomet has explored with antimicrobial coatings, like silver-based tech, to stop bacteria from sticking to implants,
  • But have you heard of Solenic Medical ? They are developing a non-invasive medical device that utilizes alternating magnetic fields to eradicate biofilms that form on implants. The company’s platform uses external magnetic coils to destroy infective biofilms on the surface of knee and hi replacement implants, as well as plates and rods for trauma related procedures. Solenic’s solution is being developed to replace the expensive and risky two-step revision surgery, which is the current standard of care for chronic infections on medical implants. If this works it could be big !

Trauma

  • You know Skeletal Dynamics the fast growing leader in upper extremity trauma (I call them Hand Innovations 2.0),
  • But have you heard of BoneBridge is a Swiss startup that is focused on the US market using AO principles with a focus on simplicity, less implants, less instrument, better surgical flow. and also have you heard of MY01 ? This Montreal-based startup sells devices in 60 trauma centers that con discover and alert the advent of compartment syndrome in real time that does not burden the hospital staff.