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Supporting pediatric innovation today.
Developing the pediatric innovators of tomorrow. 

A great need currently exists for medical devices designed specifically for children. This gap is most likely a result of economic, clinical, regulatory, reimbursement and business model challenges, as well as a lack of established mechanisms for connecting pediatric device ideas with qualified individuals/programs and industry partners who can effectively assist in the development and commercialization efforts.  Since pediatric device projects often cannot progress through the standard market-based approach of adult device projects, where premature exits outside of academia and into industry often lead to failure, the approach of the Southwest Pediatric Device Consortium (PDC) emphasizes the need for an extended life cycle of pediatric device projects in the children’s hospital / academic setting before exposure to the external market. 

Southwest PDC represents a consortium anchored by Texas Children’s Hospital (TCH), the largest children’s hospital in the U.S., and Baylor College of Medicine (BCM), one of the largest recipients for pediatric federal research funding in the U.S. The Southwest PDC includes clinical, scientific, business, financial, regulatory, reimbursement, engineering, ISO13485 compliant product design & manufacturing, intellectual property, and academic partners in the Houston / Southwest region, including Texas A&M University System, Rice University, University of Houston, Fannin Innovation Studios, Biotex, Children's Health (Dallas Children's), Phoenix Children's, and more