Doctor develops new invention to treat ear problems

Kasper Linde’s medtech company is shaped by the startup environment at Aarhus University. Inspired by AirPod technology, he hopes to change the lives of ear patients.

Earache, ringing, and hearing loss. Middle ear problems are widespread, but medical clinics struggle to conduct accurate and rapid investigations.

Now Zeta Diagnostics, founded by Kasper Linde, is on the verge of making a breakthrough with a new device for diagnosing middle ear problems known as Eustachian Tube Dysfunction (ETD).

“The disease is extremely difficult to diagnose. Until now, there has been a lack of a tool to conduct a rapid investigation in patients,” says Kasper Linde, an Aarhus University-trained doctor, about the disease, which can be a precursor to serious health problems, and which has thus far lacked an actual diagnostic
method.

Zeta Diagnostics’ investigation method consists of a type of smart monitor that operates on the same principles as those used to diagnose heart patients.

The device examines the health of the middle ear without causing unnecessary disturbance to the inner ear, and according to Kasper Linde, the method can reduce the number of doctor visits required to make a diagnosis by 40 percent.

“The approach is similar to using AirPods. You wear the monitor while going about your daily life, and it continuously analyses you while you do the dishes, watch a movie, or go to work,” says Kasper Linde.

Previously, similar investigation tools were reserved for medical clinics. Kasper Linde’s device, on the other hand, can collect information from patients in their own homes, eliminating the need for a brief consultation with a physician. The method also provides the doctor with a far more comprehensive analysis
on which to base the diagnosis.

“We don’t just get a snapshot of one doctor’s visit. We get a much better picture of the patient’s life,” says Kasper Linde, who expects to begin clinical tests in early 2024.

Upside-down innovation

The robust startup ecosystem that Aarhus University is part of has played a significant role in Kasper Linde’s entrepreneurial journey.

“I am not a researcher, but the BioMedical Design innovation programme has helped shape my entrepreneurial path. The mantra here is that innovation must be needs-driven,” says Kasper Linde.

BioMedical Design, which is run by Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen with funding from the Novo Nordisk Foundation, brings together people from various professional backgrounds and sends them out into the world on an intensive full-time programme to identify and solve a clinical need.

Kasper Linde and his team spent eight months identifying the need and a month and a half solving it.

“It is upside-down innovation, but the clinical need is also the sole driving force behind Zeta Diagnostics. Everything I’ve learned about innovation came from that innovation programme.”

Like going from kindergarten to primary school

According to Kasper Linde, after completing the programme, you have been in a bubble where you have been looked after, supported, and guided for a long time before being abruptly released into the real world.

Fortunately, it is not without a lifeline, as offers such as Aarhus University Hospital’s innovation platform BETA.HEALTH and Aarhus University’s startup hub The Kitchen are waiting on the other side to catch ambitious entrepreneurs with mentoring, networking, and development resources.

“It’s a bit like going from kindergarten to primary school. You get the foundation at BioMedical Design, and then you mature through entrepreneurial opportunities like The Kitchen, which have really helped us climb the ladder,” says the enterprising doctor of the synergy between the various innovation offerings.

“Like me, you might come with an academic background and a lot of curiosity, and you leave with the tools you need to run a business in real life. It’s really unique in this ecosystem,” he adds.