THE COMPANY
Founded in 2020 in Santander by the Intensive Care specialist Dr Julio Alonso, Airway Shield S.L. is focused on the development of new medical devices for airway management, with the aim of making the critical endotracheal intubation procedure easier, faster and safer and thus, contributing to save lives.
Our team combines a deep expertise in the medical area, with a solid knowledge and experience in quality, marketing and business development. We currently have offices in Madrid and Santander.
At Airway Shield S.L. we have created a B2B business model that allows us to grow fast while maintaining a controlled structure. Our plan is to scale very quickly and reach the whole world in 36 months, starting with Europe and America.
This rapid expansion is supported by a smart business model. Our team is primarily dedicated to R&D, and to promoting and generating the scientific studies and results that support commercialisation. We outsource manufacturing on three continents and distribution to regional partners; ensuring, also our team, perfect coordination and total quality control.
For regulatory and quality affairs, we work closely with specialised consultancies. In Spain, we collaborate with two companies, Perdigó Medical and DeviCE Sistemas. For the regulatory strategy in the USA, we collaborate with Proxima CRO, based in Houston.
THE OPPORTUNITY: ENDOTRACHEAL INTUBATION
Endotracheal Intubation (ETI) is the 3rd most performed medical procedure in all hospitals worldwide, with more than 100 million intubations per year. The global airway market is estimated to be worth a total of €2.1 billion by the end of 2023.
However, EIT is a high-risk procedure for patients and healthcare workers, with a high complication rate. In fact, 45% of intubations in critically ill patients result in serious complications (hypoxia, hypotension, cardiorespiratory arrest and even death).
Moreover, it is a highly skilled procedure, performed not only in operating theatres by anaesthesiologists, but also in critically ill patients by intensive care and emergency specialists, and in pre-hospital settings by less trained professionals.
Therefore, there is a need to improve the safety and efficacy of this technique.
OUR SOLUTION, AIRWAY SHIELDTM
The Airway ShieldTM device, already on the market, is an innovative and revolutionary medical device that changes the paradigm of ETI by allowing intubation with the mouth covered and protected. There are no direct competitors, there is no other device on the market that proposes a change in the intubation technique with its 3 advantages:
- Guided intubation.
- Protection of the patient’s oral mucosa and teeth.
- Protection of the clinician from aerosols.
In preclinical studies, Airway ShieldTM has demonstrated a reduction of 95% of aerosols emitted during intubation, as well as a reduction in intubation time of up to 50%, with an intubation success rate of 100%.
Two clinical trials are in progress to validate the device in humans, in national reference hospitals. A pilot study to assess its safety and a comparative study to assess its efficacy.
Our vision is for the Airway ShieldTM device to become part of the standard-of-care for ETI. Our users are Hospitals and Healthcare Services: Anaesthesia Departments, Intensive Care Units, Emergency Departments and Pre-Hospital Care Services.
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
The Airway ShieldTM device is protected by a robust International Patent, registered in 2020, covering 90% of the global market. This patent protects both the device and the novel intubation technique, allowing for unrivalled growth.
REGULATORY PROCESS
Airway ShieldTM is now CE Marked and has been designated by the US FDA as Safer Technology (SteP), in recognition of the improved safety it offers. In fact, it is the first anaesthesia device worldwide to achieve this designation. Our goal is to achieve FDA approval by the end of 2024.
RECOGNITIONS AND VALIDATIONS:
The following entities validate and recognise the strength of our project:

Neotec (CDTI) grant €325,000, awarded in 2023. Validated by Bioexpert Network 2023. Winners in Cantabria EmprendeXXI Awards in 2021. Participation in the acceleration programme MassChallenge 2023 (Boston). Participatory loan ENISA €210,000, granted in 2022. Safer Technology designation by the FDA in 2022. Winners of South Summit Brazil 2023.
MILESTONES ACHIEVED TO DATE

NEW FINANCING ROUND
We are opening a new €500,000 seed round, with a pre-money valuation of €4 million, to reach our next milestones: commercialisation in Europe and the jump to North America.
Together, we have the opportunity to change the paradigm of the most critical and frequent medical procedure in the world.
Join us.