UMBC spinoff Astek Diagnostics accepted into Y Combinator

TEDCO, the Maryland Technology Development Corporation, announced Monday that Baltimore-based Astek Diagnostics Inc., a Maryland Innovation Initiative (MII) portfolio company, was accepted into the Y Combinator (YC).

Astek Diagnostics is building the Eugris platform that guides physicians in prescribing appropriate antibiotics for patients with bacterial sepsis in one hour.

Astek is a University of Maryland, Baltimore County spinout that is building a platform (Eugris) that guides physicians in prescribing appropriate antibiotics for patients with bacterial sepsis in one hour. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that affects more than 1 million patients a year in the United States and even more patients around the globe and is a leading cause of death.

For patients suspected of sepsis or septic shock, rapid initiation of the correct antibiotic therapy is crucial: Every hour of delay increases mortality by 7% to 8%. A proof-of-concept prototype of the Astek diagnostic platform has been verified using commercial blood and archived clinical samples. The Eugris is projected to launch in the market in 2023.

YC is a San Francisco-based startup accelerator working with companies to refine their pitch to investors. A highly competitive program, the YC has an approximate 3% acceptance rate. After a three-month-long program, the startups present their companies at the final Demo Day. Y Combinator has invested in more than 3,000 companies including Airbnb, Dropbox, Stripe, Reddit, Instacart, Docker and Gusto. The combined valuation of YC companies is more than $300 billion.