Success Stories
“Since participating in Stars of Science, my network value has improved significantly, propelling my cause forward. Additionally, the program enhanced my ability to articulate communication in front of large audiences”, says Youssef El-Azouzi, the winner of season 11 of Stars of Science, a Moroccan doctor and researcher focused on non-invasive medicine and heart failure prevention. He visited Silicon Valley for funding but ultimately found it back home.
Project & Impact
Heart failure is a serious condition with no long-term or reasonably-priced treatment options. Youssef’s tapered abdominal aortic Flow Modulator Stent (FMS) solves this dilemma by cost-effectively improving blood distribution efficiency and helping to avoid the onset of heart failure. The device controls the flow of aortic blood and serves as a potential low-cost alternative to existing solutions such as heart pumps. It would require less maintenance and may thus enable the patient to live a full and normal life. The Flow Modulator Stent mitigates the risk of heart failure by offering an affordable, low-maintenance solution to end-stage Congestive Heart Failure (CHF) patients worldwide. The risk-taker has every confidence that the device will not only save lives but ensure a better quality of life to the benefitting out-patients.
The Aftermath of SoS
After Stars of Science, Youssef founded Aorto Medical in January 2020 in Tangier, Morocco, where he serves as the founder and CEO. Since then, he has independently raised more than $1.1 million for Aorto Medical's work and mission, convincing four investing partners to participate. The company currently holds three patents that have gone through the PCT at the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) with very good examiner reviews for all three. Youssef is the lead inventing author in one of them and the sole inventing author in the other two, with plans to file a fourth patent soon. One of the patents has reached the national phase and has been approved in several countries, including Japan, China, Korea, Australia, Mexico, and Turkey.
Aorto Medical has continued to design improvements on the Flow Modulation Stent. Youssef, along with Aorto Medical's CTO, has been directly involved in manufacturing processes, including designing the tools needed to manufacture the device. Despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, they achieved their first animal test on sheep models in 2021, showing partial success. After making necessary design corrections, they developed a catheter delivery system and conducted a successful swine test in Minneapolis in early 2023, demonstrating the long-term performance of the Flow Modulation Stent and the delivery performance of their catheter system.
In 2024, Aorto Medical signed an MOU with UM6P and UM6P Ventures, leading deeptech academic and investing entities in Morocco. The MoU with UM6P was signed at the GITEX AFRICA conference held in Marrakesh, where Aorto Medical was selected as one of the leading startups on the continent. The MOU aims to bring the Flow Modulation Stent to human patients in Morocco and beyond. They have also had positive discussions with the Direction de les Medicaments et de la Pharmacie (DMP) in Morocco, equivalent to the FDA in the US, regarding their tests, paving the way for first-in-human testing in Morocco. Aorto Medical's next challenge is to achieve this milestone to begin domestic sales by the end of 2025. Currently, Aorto Medical is officially present in Morocco and the US. Despite the challenges and close encounters with insolvency, Youssef and his team are determined to avoid bankruptcy and continue progressing in their mission.
Youssef is currently working on a new innovation, showcasing his continuous commitment to advancing medical technology.
