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Out of 331 organizations in 42 countries around the world, Design House, which is one of NilePreneurs’ initiatives by Nile University, has been selected by NASA as one of the few international companies who will have the license to manufacture its new pneumatic ventilator device “VITAL” for treating COVID-19 patients.

Out of 331 organizations in 42 countries around the world, Design House, which is one of NilePreneurs’ initiatives by Nile University, has been selected by NASA as one of the few international companies who will have the license to manufacture its new pneumatic ventilator device “VITAL” for treating COVID-19 patients. NilePreneurs is a national, fast-growing, initiative funded by the Central Bank of Egypt, and implemented by Nile University.

NilePreneurs aims to enhance the ecosystem for entrepreneurs in Egypt through its different programs. The initiative works closely with different banks, governmental entities and international organizations to achieve its targets. It developed a set of services for SMEs and Startups; as of 2019, their services are summarized under the following four groups: Business Development Services, Incubation, Training for Growth, Innovation Support. Representing the only licensed manufacturer from Africa and one of only two manufacturers from the Arab World and MENA, NilePreneurs has proven its distinction as one of the top international startups in Egypt.

To understand more the gravity of NASA’s choice, it’s important to grasp the size and concept of the “VITAL” project; VITAL is an abbreviation for Ventilator Intervention Technology Accessible Locally, which is a device that will combat the currents COVID-19 global crisis. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) is helping the world during the current COVID-19 pandemic with innovation, space technology and engineering. JPL is designing an FDA qualifiable ventilating device that can serve a targeted subset of the patient population suffering from Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) caused by COVID-19.

It has thus decided to grant license to many industry productions partners from around the world to produce the ventilators that will meet the domestic and worldwide demand during the COVID-19 pandemic; a historical project that NilePreneurs has become an official partner in. The target patient population may or may not have access to traditional hospital settings. Therefore, the VITAL device would need to handle the dirt and dust of a field setting. Moreover, the devices do not need to travel with the patients between venues though it is transit operable for movement within a facility when connected to an Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS).

The intended operator will be a trained healthcare professional. Ventilator settings are to be specified and set by a healthcare professional familiar with mechanical ventilators.

The healthcare professional is directly responsible for ensuring ventilator settings are appropriate based on patient clinical needs and is responsible for monitoring patient progress. It is designed and tested to allow continuous operation for up to 20 days without maintenance, with total operational time prior to disposal of 4 months. Having such an opportunity to partner up with NASA for such a higher cause is awe-striking, let alone the pride that everybody at Nile University feels to be a part of a place that supports humanity and the development of our race. Press Here for more info about the VITAL project from NASA.