What is the name of your organization?
Quantum Medical
What is the name of your solution?
The Quantum Conversion System
Provide a one-line summary or tagline for your solution.
The Quantum Conversion System adapts dialysis machines for affordable hemodiafiltration, offering superior, scalable care for CKD patients
In what city, town, or region is your solution team headquartered?
Quito, Ecuador
In what country is your solution team headquartered?
Ecuador
What type of organization is your solution team?
For-profit, including B-Corp or similar models
Film your elevator pitch.
What specific problem are you solving?
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) has emerged as a critical global health crisis, affecting close to 800 million people in the world; escalating from the 27th to 18th leading cause of death worldwide between 1990 and 2010—a rise second only to HIV/AIDS. This surge underscores CKD’s devastating and growing impact on the general population, driven by aging societies, rising rates of hypertension/diabetes, and environmental factors. Despite this, 80% of dialysis machines globally remain conventional, unable to deliver advanced hemodiafiltration—a treatment proven to improve survival and quality of life. This results in:
1. Preventable Mortality: Millions die annually due to lack of access to kidney replacement therapy (KRT), especially in low-resource regions.
2. Suboptimal Care: Even with dialysis, patients endure high mortality, comorbidities, and poor quality of life.
3. Cost Barriers: Hemodiafiltration is often unaffordable due to expensive new machines or retrofits.
What is your solution?
The Quantum Conversion System (QCS) retrofits existing dialysis machines to perform hemodiafiltration without hardware or software upgrades. Inspired by our founder Dr. Cesar Vasconez’s, our QCS reduces treatment time, allowing patients to better resume daily activities. By upgrading and not replacing existing equipment, we cut costs by up to 70%, making hemodiafiltration care accessible to underserved regions.
Our QCS eliminates the need for expensive new machines, enabling clinics to prioritize patient care over infrastructure costs. There are about 1 million conventional hemodialysis machines that could use our QCS worldwide, especially in LMICs.
We’re bridging the gap between cutting-edge care and global accessibility. By transforming outdated dialysis systems into advanced, affordable solutions, we empower clinics to save lives without financial strain—and give patients access to a life changing treatment.
Who does your solution serve, and in what ways will the solution impact their lives?
The Quantum Conversion System serves two primary groups:
1. Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), particularly in underserved regions:
o Our main target is the 700–850 million people globally affected by CKD, especially those in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) where access to advanced hemodiafiltration is limited. Our solution targets specifically CKD patients in stages 3 and 4, that grow 10% per year worldwide. These patients can only control Chronic Kidney Disease with conventional hemodialysis, which offers poorer outcomes compared to hemodiafiltration.
2. Healthcare Providers and Dialysis Clinics:
o Serves independent clinics and hospitals using outdated dialysis machines (80% globally), enabling them to upgrade to hemodiafiltration without costly hardware replacements.
o Focuses on clinics in LMICs, where financial constraints block access to advanced care, as well as North American/European facilities seeking cost-effective solutions.
Secondary beneficiaries:
• Healthcare systems burdened by CKD’s economic impact (e.g., workforce losses, high care costs).
• Medical suppliers (e.g., dialysis filter/hose manufacturers) who can integrate with the retrofit technology.
