For HEMˣ, Jugend forscht was more than a competition — it was a first public proof point.
– Keano Venner
HEMˣ was presented at the regional Jugend forscht competition in Schongau.
The project introduced an automated approach to venipuncture and vascular access, focused on a real clinical challenge: reducing failed puncture attempts and improving procedural reliability.
For a project still in its early development phase, this was an important moment.
It was the first opportunity to present HEMˣ not only as a technical idea, but as a potential MedTech solution built around a problem that affects patients and healthcare professionals every day.
A clinical problem with technical ambition
Venipuncture is one of the most common procedures in healthcare.
Yet even today, it often depends on visibility, experience, patient condition, and time pressure. Difficult vein situations can lead to repeated attempts, discomfort, delays, and additional workload for medical staff.
HEMˣ was developed to address exactly this gap.
At Jugend forscht, the project demonstrated how engineering precision, automation, and vein detection could be brought together to support a more controlled approach to vascular access.
The presentation focused on three core ideas:
- A real clinical challenge
- A technically ambitious solution
- An early prototype with development potential
Recognition from the jury
Winning 1st place marked an important validation milestone for HEMˣ.
The jury recognized the combination of medical relevance, technical ambition, and early prototype development. This recognition showed that the project was not only technically interesting, but also meaningful from a healthcare perspective.
For HEMˣ, that mattered.
Early-stage ideas need more than technical progress. They need feedback, critical questions, and signals that the problem is worth solving.
Jugend forscht provided exactly that.
Exposure, feedback, and next steps
The competition created valuable exposure and opened new conversations with experts, mentors, and supporters.
Feedback from the jury and visitors helped sharpen the next development priorities. It also reinforced the need to keep building around real-world medical use, not just technical possibility.
The award strengthened the credibility of the project at an early stage and encouraged the next phase of development:
- Deeper technical refinement
- Stronger medical feedback
- Continued prototype development
- Preparation for future partnerships
More than a competition
For HEMˣ, Jugend forscht was more than a competition.
It was a first public proof point that the problem matters — and that the solution deserves to be developed further.
The milestone reinforced the founding motivation behind HEMˣ: bringing engineering precision into a procedure that affects patients every day.
What started as an independent development project gained early recognition, visibility, and momentum.
And for HEMˣ, that was only the beginning.
