Medical waste is extremely expensive to process. It contains blood, urine, needles and all the things no-one wants to think about. (Including all sorts of nasty diseases, viruses and bacteria). Until now hospitals paid a great deal of money for specialized transport and destruction of this waste. No more! I hope this will soon be a thing of the past.
Two Dutch guys hacked together a 'dishwasher-size' machine (called the LAGX) to transform dangerous and expensive hospital waste into regular standard waste. "So what?", you might say? Well... special medical waste is about a hundred (or more) times more expensive than "regular" waste!
I've been reading HN for quite some time and never really found anything "worthy" of posting. Until now! Last night a family member told me everything about a new (and very disruptive) invention he created and a problem with investors he faced. When he was done explaining I just knew the good readers of Hacker News can come up with some good advice to help him find investors and scale up.
Their LAGX machine uses new (and patented) techniques to separate and disinfect hospital waste so thoroughly that a hospital can literally save millions on their waste-bills. In fact, it's so easy to use, hospital-staff can set it up in their regular workflow immediately. It's hooked up on the internet so both the hospital staff and the LAGX-HQ can keep a close eye or remotely control the machine at all times.
When the LAGX machine is done, medical waste like infusion bags and needles, blood and urine bags and almost all medical accessories are transformed into regular and sterilized waste. It can all be chucked in to a normal waste bin. Even the fluids are so thoroughly disinfected they can be disposed of in the sewer. (Saving a lot of weight on the waste-bill).
With the LAGX machine, hospitals can reduce their garbage-bill and save a ton of money. And there's more: The LAGX machine was specifically developed to let the separation and sterilization process take place at the source, so no contamination-risk during transport. No longer are garbage trucks forced to drive around town from hospital to hospital with extremely dangerous biohazard waste.
The guys made sure they patented the LAGX. It was tested and approved by Biotec GMBH Germany ( www.biotec-gmbh.com ) and the LAGX also holds the 2011 TNO/KEMA certificate for medical appliances. The very first LAGX was placed a month ago at a large medical lab at the city of Utrecht (The Netherlands).
The LAGX is ready to take on the world. Both guys have been so absolutely focussed about finishing their first machine, the patents and getting it approved, they have absolutely missed the boat on the investors-side of the equation. They've spend loads and loads of money and time they could really use some Hard Core Hacker News Readers' advice with regards to finding and presenting to investors.
My dear Hacker News Readers: I'd love to see hospitals all over the world save tons of money on their Biohazard Garbage Bills, and see the LAGX take over the world. But where to start? Both guys are running out of money and I'd hate to see the machine end up in a basement unused.
We can show my hacking family-member the brain-power of Hacker News and give them some advice on how to find investors or otherwise help launch their new company. (A website in on the way).
(edit: typo)
