What is the name of your organization?
Davenger Pump
What is the name of your solution?
Davenger Pump
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
Davenger is a low-cost, discreet, precise, and wireless micropump that provides precision therapy with bandage simplicity for diabetes patients.
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Orange, CT 06477, USA
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
United States
What type of organization is your solution team?
Other, including part of a larger organization (please explain below)
If you selected Other, please explain here.
We are partnered with Pump Avenue Foundation, a nonprofit organization that collects and donates diabetes supplies, and they act as our fiscal sponsor.
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Diabetes affected over 830 million people globally in 2022 and is on the rise (WHO). Type 1 diabetes (affecting 8.4 million in 2021 - NIH) requires lifelong insulin management through insulin pumps or injections. However, for the 80% of diabetics that live in low/middle-income countries, access to insulin devices poses a great challenge due to limited accessibility and high costs (Lam et. al). Situations like these force people to ration insulin out, leading to severe complications such as neuropathy affecting 50% of diabetics, nephropathy 30-50%, and retinopathy 22-34% (causes 1 million cases of blindness). Furthermore, diabetes causes over 2 million deaths (WHO) and, in recent years, more than that of malaria, HIV, and AIDS combined. People diagnosed with diabetes, on average, have medical expenditures 2.6 times higher than those without diabetes (ADA), and insulin pumps cost $6,000 without insurance. Yet pumps are the state-of-the-art treatment method, but they have high costs, inconvenient long tubing, fixed dosages, and large size. These disadvantages inhibit freedom of movement and cause insulin waste, but can also lead to life-threatening complications. Patients require a convenient and effective solution; Davenger offers that– a $50 insulin micropump system with safe, affordable, and efficient treatment.
What is your solution?
Our solution is a $50 insulin pump system for diabetes patients. Davenger distinguishes itself by using piezoelectric actuation, allowing flexible yet precise dosages tailored to each patient’s needs. The micropump starts with the patient inputting their usual basal and bolus insulin doses through our mobile app. That data gets mapped into sinusoidal signals and transported through miniature electronics to actuate the piezoelectric buzzer, which delivers insulin at the intended flow rate. The micropump was low-cost manufactured with a DIY Paper Cutter, which carved out thin layers and valves to later be assembled into the pump chamber. The piezoelectric buzzer is at the top of the chamber and converts electrical energy into mechanical energy, producing accurate vertical displacement when given signals (the displacement is linear with the actuation voltage and frequency, so the flow rate is controllable based on electrical signals). This creates a pressure difference in the chamber, drawing in insulin from the reservoir and transporting it to the microneedles, which painlessly deliver insulin to the patient. The hollow and minimally invasive microneedles reach the dermis, and the insulin will flow from there to the subcutaneous tissue and finally into the bloodstream, ensuring a painless experience with accurate delivery.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
Our solution aims to serve the over 200 million patients that require insulin treatment (both Type 1, 2, and Gestational diabetics), and the millions more who will be diagnosed in the years to come. We aim to make the transition between everyday life and diabetes management seamless, serving low/middle-class diabetics, young diabetics, and the 10% of diabetics who suffer from needle phobia. Our technology utilizes painless microneedles and piezoelectric actuation to efficiently deliver insulin from the reservoir to the bloodstream, eliminating the discomfort and anxiety of traditional needles. While most insulin pumps have wires and are painful, bulky, and expensive, such as the Medtronic Minimed (priced at $8,574), Davenger Pump is catered to those who cannot afford such costs at only $16.50 for production ($50 for retail) and comes with a custom app. The pump connects to the app via Bluetooth, allowing users to effortlessly monitor glucose levels (compatible with Continuous Glucose Monitors aka CGM), track insulin dosage history, and explore additional features tailored for those just beginning their diabetes journey.
