Medical device company emerges victorious in $100,000 business competition

A Metairie-based company that specializes in creating disposable devices to regulate the flow of medication emerged victorious in the Baton Rouge Entrepreneurship Week business pitch competition on Thursday evening. SafePush, the winning company, secured a $100,000 investment prize and also earned a spot in the upcoming Startup World Cup Grand Finale in California, where a $1 million prize is up for grabs.

SafePush’s product is a disposable mechanical device that is screwed into the tip of a syringe to control the pace at which medication is delivered to the patient. Co-CEO Tonia Aiken, who is a nurse and attorney, conceived the idea for the company after witnessing the adverse effects of a medication being injected too quickly. Aiken co-founded SafePush with Kevin Edwards, who also serves as co-CEO.

As more medications necessitate precise administration by nurses, Aiken noted that the industry is facing a shortage of nurses, leading to heightened stress levels, increased workloads, and a greater likelihood of errors. SafePush provides nurses with peace of mind and a heightened sense of security in their practice. This isn’t the first time SafePush has emerged successfully from a business pitch competition; the company previously won the PitchBR competition in 2021, claiming a $1,000 prize.

The other two finalists in the BREW competition were Falaya, a Baton Rouge-based company that offers a user-friendly platform designed to simplify and reduce the costs associated with buying or selling a home, and Leroy’s LipSmack’n Lemonade, another Baton Rouge company that specializes in selling all-natural drinks made from water, sugar, and fresh-squeezed lemons.