b'MIGHTY OAK MEDICAL(ENGLEWOOD)A $250,000 Advanced Industries Early-StageFundingfromtheAdvancedIndustries Capital and Retention Grant from OEDIT,Accelerator Grant Program could not have awarded in 2015, became the funding acorncome at a better time, as it financed the valida-Mighty Oak needed to grow its medical devicetion research and testing required to register development business. Firefly and gain 510(k) clearance from the FDA. Mighty Oak was founded in 2011 by HeidiWe knew we had it to the point where it wasMighty Oak Medical President Heidi Frey and her Frey and her husband, George Frey, M.D. Aready for that, and that would be an expen- husband, physician-inventor George Frey, M.D. spinal surgeon and inventor with more thansive process where we needed consultantslaunched their company in 2011.50 medical patents to his name, Dr. Frey hadand people to assist us, she says. That initial developed Firefly, a custom, 3D-printedgrant was enormously helpful for us to do the guide to help spinal surgeons accurately placecadaver labs that were required and hire the anchor screws. Heidi Frey set aside a career asconsultants to go through that whole process. a lawyer to become the companys president. Mighty Oak won 510(k) clearance in January Mighty Oak faced the daunting task of moving2016, and in 2018 received a second 510(k) Firefly from concept to approved commercialclearance for use in additional spinal proce-medical product. It was Heidi and Georgedures. Meanwhile, Mighty Oak has grown from Freys first experience with the FDA approvaltwo employees to almost 30 and has expanded process, so a huge learning curve, Heidi Freyits business plan to help other spinal surgeons remembers. develop and launch medical devices.MIGHTY OAK HAS GROWN FROMTWO EMPLOYEES TO ALMOST 30AND HAS EXPANDED ITSBUSINESS PLAN TO HELP OTHERSPINAL SURGEONS DEVELOPAND LAUNCH MEDICAL DEVICES.An Advanced Industries Accelerator Grant provided needed capital for Mighty Oak Medical to achieve FDA 510(k) approval of its Firefly device. 12 BIOSCIENCECOLORADO 2021-2022'