UB partner Circuit Clinical among 43North winners

Circuit Clinical, a UB partner company, won $500,000 Wednesday night in the 43North business plan competition, becoming the latest startup with close ties to the university to take home a prize.

Founded by Irfan Khan, Circuit Clinical is an integrated research organization that is dedicated to empowering patients to choose clinical research as a care option. The company achieves this objective through its clinical trial services team, which enables health systems to bring clinical trials to patients, and through TrialScout, a ratings and reviews platform for clinical trial centers.

Circuit Clinical has leveraged numerous university resources. For example, the company is partnering with UB’s Buffalo Institute for Genomics and Data Analytics (BIG), part of Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo’s economic development effort to advance Buffalo Niagara as a hub for bioinformatics and life sciences research. BIG is providing Circuit Clinical with $1.1 million, as well as connections to university researchers that have helped the company build its software products that are driving enrollment in clinical trials.

The company is part of New York State’s START-UP NY economic development program, sponsored by UB, and has received funding from the UB Center for Advanced Technology in Big Data and Health Sciences.

Additionally, Circuit Clinical has also partnered with UB researchers, such as Manoj Mammen, assistant professor in the Department of Medicine in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at UB.

Circuit Clinical was among eight winners in the 43North finals at Shea’s Performing Arts Center in Buffalo this week. Seven of the companies landed investments of $500,000, while the grand prize winner, Strayos, a 3D visual intelligence platform for the mining and infrastructure industries, took home $1 million.

“I would like to congratulate all of the finalists in the 43North startup competition, especially Circuit Clinical, a strong partner that has utilized many UB resources to build one of Buffalo’s most promising startups,” said Venu Govindaraju, vice president for research and economic development. “Companies like Circuit Clinical play an important role in Buffalo Niagara’s innovation economy, and we are proud to support them as they transform clinical trials to enhance patient experiences and opportunities.

“UB and our partners across Western New York have made significant investments in the entrepreneurial ecosystem in recent years. As we grow the region’s startup economy, it’s very exciting to see Circuit Clinical and other companies leverage these new resources on their path to success.”

Charmtech Labs, another 43North finalist, is also in the STARTUP-NY program, sponsored by UB, and has offices in the UB Downtown Gateway building.

While Charmtech did not land any prize money this year, advancing to the 43North finals is itself an accomplishment: This year’s contest began with more than 500 applications, narrowed down to 129 semifinalists and then just 15 finalists.

“The 43North competition is strengthening Western New York’s reputation as a hub of innovation and entrepreneurship,” Govindaraju said. “Companies like Circuit Clinical are at the center of this flourishing startup culture.”