A LaunchTN SBIR Matching Fund Recipient: Yaya Scientific, based in Nashville, is a high-growth technology company that develops innovative diagnostic, therapeutic and integrated hardware solutions for biomedical problems. Yaya Scientific’s Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Justin Baba, specializes in generating applications of optical techniques for the sensing and diagnosis of various pathologies.

We caught up with the team to hear about Yaya’s mission, the problems the company is addressing, and other businesses the company admires in Middle Tennessee.

Q&A

Would you give us an overview of your organization?

Yaya Scientific, LLC was formed in March 2018 with the mission of “inventing solutions to enhance the quality of life.” We develop innovative diagnostic, therapeutic, and integrated hardware solutions for biomedical problems. We are able to leverage our collaborations with Vanderbilt University School of Engineering and Vanderbilt University Medical Center to design specific solutions to problems identified by expert physicians emanating from their clinical practice.

Who are the key team members at Yaya Scientific?

Dr. Justin Baba, Ph.D., Founder & Chief Scientific Officer; Peter Baba, MBA, Founder & Chief Financial Officer

What inspired you all to start the company?

The desire to see the Chief Scientific Officer’s numerous patents clinically implemented to impact lives by bettering the health and welfare of individuals by facilitating better clinical outcomes.

What need is Yaya Scientific currently solving or seeking to address?

Identification of nerves during surgical procedures with realtime feedback provided to the surgeon to prevent accidental damage, which yields negative patient outcomes.

Could you describe your company in three words?

We impact lives.

How did you hear about the LaunchTN SBIR Matching Fund program?

We learned about the program through the LaunchTN SBIR/STTR Workshop at Vanderbilt University – April 17th, 2019.

What do you plan to achieve with this funding?

We plan to add technical expertise to our team, acquire some additional technical resources, and better secure our Intellectual Property position.

Any other funding that Yaya Scientific has received and that you are excited about?

We received a $333,355 Phase I STTR grant award from the US Department of Health and Human Services, National Institutes of Health, National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering for our intraoperative nerve identification development.

Do you have any thoughts on what LaunchTN can bring to Tennessee that would make us the ‘most startup-friendly state’ in the nation?

Provision of the following resources, continual and reliable: bridge funds to help companies survive the gulf between the completion of a development phase and the securing of new operational funds, Angel investor networks for start-ups that can support early developments (e.g., a network for Biotech/medical device developments), expert mentorship to shepherd and help starts-up learn and navigate the steps necessary for success, start-up networking events and activities that foster sharing and learning about successful strategies and best practices and that serve as peer-to-peer educational and support exchanges.

Favorite local business in your company’s city?

Social Engagements at the Cummins Station Facilities in Nashville.