Santa Cruz Company Named Semifinalist in 'Big C' Competition

Survivalift, a Santa Cruz company founded in 2013 by a breast cancer survivor, was selected as one of 168 semifinalists to move on to the second phase of the LIVESTRONG Foundation’s inaugural Big C competition, aiming to change the way the world lives with cancer. 

The Survivalift medical device, the Expandeau, is designed to help women "feel more normal" during the transition from mastectomy to reconstruction, will now compete for one of 20 spots in the contest’s next round, the venture accelerator program. 

Headquarted in Santa Cruz, Survivalift entered the competition in the Women's Issues category and is unique because the Survivalift Expandeau provides women with an adjustable medical device they can wear throughout the transition. 

The "tube top" was designed to accommodate wounds, drains, range of motion limitations, lack of mobility, scar tissue, different sizes of fluff prosthetics and expansion. 

“All 168 entries have the potential to be game changers in improving the lives of people affected by cancer now,” said Heather Wajer, VP of marketing at the LIVESTRONG Foundation. “We’re so thrilled with the quality of the entries and are lucky to have so many entrepreneurs interested in helping cancer patients, survivors and caregivers.” 

The Survivalift Expandeau will benefit women who are going through the process of fills and reconstruction post-mastectomy. The good news is there's a secondary benefit: the device will work for anyone that has a chest operation from plastic surgery to heart surgery and more, which means there's a significant market.

The 168 remaining entries represent possible solutions to the biggest challenges people affected by cancer face following a diagnosis, according to LIVESTRONG Foundation research. 

Of the remaining ventures, 20 will move on to the venture accelerator phase from July 14-Sept. 15, where contestants will be paired with cancer survivors and business mentors to turn their ideas into action. 

On Sept. 29, five finalists will be announced and flown to Austin, Texas, to present their innovations during the Ride for the Roses weekend, where the grand prize winner will be selected. 

Sixty ventures will receive a total of $140,000 in seed funding, based on their innovation’s utility, ingenuity and benefits to cancer patients and survivors. The grand prize winner will receive $25,000. 

About Survivalift

Founded in 2013 by a breast cancer survivor, Survivalift is a medical device manufacturer located in Santa Cruz, California. The Survivalift Expandeau is its first product nearly ready for market. Survivalift is a privately held start-up financed by Angel Investors. For more information visit Survivalift.com.