By Tim Ryan

ivWatch, a groundbreaking medical device company headquartered in Hampton Roads, Virginia, has been named to Inc.’s 2024 Best in Business list in the Health Products category. This prestigious recognition is a testament to ivWatch’s industry leadership, dedication to innovation, and profound impact on healthcare. Inc.’s Best in Business Awards celebrate companies that excel in their industries while making meaningful contributions to society, and ivWatch’s inclusion highlights its role as a pioneer in IV safety. This honor places ivWatch among an elite group of companies that are not just succeeding in business but also driving positive change within their industries and communities.

Gary Warren, CEO of ivWatch, expressed his gratitude for this recognition: “Being named to Inc.’s Best in Business list is a tremendous honor, and I want to thank everyone at ivWatch for their unwavering dedication toward growing our company and inventing an entirely new category with a solution we believe in that everyone around the world will one day need and benefit from. We’re on a mission to solve one of the biggest problems in healthcare by reducing IV injuries, and this recognition belongs to the passionate ivWatch team who have started a movement along with our customers to keep patients safe from IV harm.”

Pioneering Patient Safety from Hampton Roads to the World

Founded in 2010, ivWatch has taken the healthcare industry by storm with its innovative approach to patient safety. The company is committed to solving one of the most persistent issues in healthcare: the complications associated with intravenous (IV) therapy. With its state-of-the-art, non-invasive sensor technology, ivWatch provides continuous monitoring of IV sites, allowing for the early detection of IV infiltrations and extravasations that can lead to severe patient harm.

The ivWatch system uses patented biosensor technology coupled with a patient monitor, conducting over 18,000 checks per hour using visible and near-infrared light. This real-time, predictive approach enables healthcare professionals to detect IV complications early, reducing the risk of adverse events such as tissue damage, scarring, or, in extreme cases, amputation. Under the leadership of CEO Gary Warren, ivWatch has secured multiple FDA 510(k) clearances and expanded its reach to healthcare facilities around the globe. In 2023 alone, ivWatch technology monitored over 230,000 patients and achieved a record 7.7 million hours of patient monitoring.

Exceptional Milestones and Industry Impact

Among ivWatch’s many recent milestones are some exceptional achievements that continue to set it apart in the medical technology landscape:

  • Over 300,000 patients monitored to date.
  • 9 million hours of patient monitoring to date.
  • An 83% increase in single-use sensors sold from January to September 2024 compared to the same period in 2023.
  • Expanded international presence, with technology now available in countries including the U.K., Ireland, the Netherlands, Belgium, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Qatar, Israel, and Kuwait.
  • A remarkable >430% growth in product evaluations comparing 2023 to 2024, with evaluations expanding from two countries to thirteen as of mid-2024.
  • Secured a Top three finish at the 2024 Startup World Cup Grand Finale in San Francisco.

Additionally, ivWatch was honored with the Virginia Manufacturers Association’s “Coolest Things Made in Virginia” award, further showcasing its excellence in American-made innovation and manufacturing. In March 2024, ivWatch was named to Fast Company’s prestigious list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies, ranking sixth in the medical device category.

These accomplishments reflect ivWatch’s dedication to patient care and safety, as well as its contribution to the burgeoning innovation ecosystem in Hampton Roads. The company has partnered with key organizations, such as the National Infusion Center Association, and received international validation through peer-reviewed studies that affirm its technology’s effectiveness. These partnerships and recognitions underscore ivWatch’s role in setting new standards for IV therapy safety and making a global impact from right here in Virginia.

ivWatch continues to embody the spirit of innovation that defines the Hampton Roads region, leveraging cutting-edge technology to redefine patient care and make healthcare safer for everyone, everywhere.

Download a copy of the press release here.