At Greentown Labs, we are in awe of how our members and partners have mobilized their technologies, resources, and connections to fight the spread of COVID-19. Innovation and a strong sense of community are crucial to navigating this unprecedented time—please help us celebrate these companies that are stepping up to the challenge.
Biobot Analytics
Our member Biobot Analytics gathers invaluable, real-time data about epidemics by looking at sewage. This information helps public health officials stay on top of developments as they happen, rather than having to wait until they’re reflected in statistics such as hospitalizations.
Biobot generally works on the opioid epidemic, but has shifted its focus to studying the spread of COVID-19 to fight the global public health crisis. Biobot is working pro bono with researchers from Harvard, MIT, and Brigham and Women’s Hospital to identify cases of COVID-19, helping to address the shortage of available tests.
Biobot’s technology can help officials predict hospital demand, measure the disease’s scope, follow the impacts of interventions, and more, according to a feature in Popular Mechanics.
BASF
Our partner BASF is helping the cause in Germany by producing disinfectants at its Ludwigshafen site! This move will allow BASF to provide hospitals in the German Rhine-Neckar metropolitan region with free hand sanitizer. BASF is also making hand sanitizer at its Washington, NJ facility, and is doling it out to healthcare facilities in New York and New Jersey.
Unilever
Our partner Unilever has committed €100m to curtail the spread of coronavirus through the donation of soap, sanitizer, bleach and food to help protect the lives and livelihoods of consumers, suppliers, and its workforce. Unilever is also working with the UK government on a global hand-washing campaign that’s anticipated to reach up to one billion people!
Schneider Electric and Air Liquide
Schneider Electric, a longtime Greentown partner, and Air Liquide, a founding partner of our wet lab, are part of a consortium working with the French government to manufacture ventilators for COVID-19 patients.
UMass Lowell
Experts from our partner UMass Lowell are helping ensure manufacturing supply chains can support companies that are producing resources to combat COVID-19, such as personal protective equipment. Additionally, UMass Lowell’s Massachusetts Medical Device Development Center consortium is helping innovators find funding to support the creation of COVID-19 testing, detection, and “ultimately, an effective vaccine,” according to the university.
Enel
Enel’s nonprofit organization, Enel Cuore, is aiding the COVID-19 response in Italy by helping hospitals get equipment, increasing access to the grid, and supporting local governments’ efforts.
What is your company doing to help fight COVID-19? We want to hear from you!
Greentown Labs remains committed to supporting startups as they navigate the impacts of COVID-19. To learn more about these efforts, follow us on Twitter or check out our blog.