Illinois Tech Incubator Celebrates Successful Graduation of Dimension Inx
Biomaterials company, which recently received FDA clearance for 3D-printed bone regeneration product, credits University Technology Park incubator for its early growth and development
CHICAGO—June 1, 2023—Illinois Institute of Technology’s University Technology Park (UTP) is proud to announce the successful graduation of Dimension Inx, a cutting-edge biomaterials platform company, from its tech incubator. Dimension Inx, which recently received clearance from the United States Food and Drug Administration for its innovative 3D-printed bone regeneration product, credits Illinois Tech for providing an essential launching pad for the company’s growth and development.
Dimension Inx was founded to create biomaterials that restore and rebuild tissue and organ function, and it specifically focuses on 3D-printed biomaterials that promote biological activity.
The company initially moved into Illinois Tech’s incubator in January 2019, starting with one office and lab space. Thanks to Illinois Tech’s and UTP’s support, Dimension Inx was able to expand, eventually outgrowing its space at the incubator and moving to Fulton Labs at 1375 West Fulton Street.
“In the early stages, a company needs talent, capital, and infrastructure, and at Illinois Tech you’re able to get that,” says Dr. Caralynn Nowinski Collens, co-founder and CEO of Dimension Inx. “We were able to tap into Illinois Tech’s existing infrastructure and resources under very flexible terms. It’s a secret to many about what kinds of resources the university can offer through the Tech Park.”
The company’s first FDA-cleared product targets facial bone reconstruction, utilizing a unique 3D-printed biomaterial that is designed to stimulate the body’s natural bone remodeling process. With this milestone achieved, Dimension Inx is excited to launch the product for human use later this year, as surgeons will use it to fill bone defects and improve patient outcomes.
“That’s really exciting for us, to go from what at first was a concept, and then a prototype, and then going through all the testing and the FDA regulation and getting to the point now where we can in fact use it for patients,” says Nowinski Collens.
Dimension Inx has had two engineer interns from Illinois Tech, and both have been “phenomenal,” says Nowinski Collens. “Illinois Tech has such incredible talent, and it’s been really great for us as a company to tap into that,” says Nowinski Collens.
Naia Lum, a senior studying mechanical engineering, was one such intern, and she described her experience working for Dimension Inx as “incredible,” highlighting the varied opportunities to learn and grow as well as the company’s supportive team—many of whom she now considers mentors.
“I feel like the company is growing so quickly, and its graduation from the tech incubator was a natural next step,” says Lum. “I think that moving into a new space will not only allow them to grow the team and their manufacturing capabilities without spatial limitations, but also I think it signifies their readiness for commercialization of their product and exploration of new technical applications.”
Nowinski Collens also noted the limited availability of incubator space in Chicago, suggesting that the city has room for growth in this area. With a track record of success, UTP’s incubator is poised to continue fostering innovation and nurturing the growth of startups in the region. As more companies seek a nurturing environment for their development, Illinois Tech remains an excellent first stop for entrepreneurs.
Joshua H. Siegel, director of UTP, shares the pride and satisfaction from seeing incubated companies succeed, and Dimension Inx is the latest example showing the relevance and vitality of UTP’s mission.
“We are extremely proud of Dimension Inx’s successful journey from a small startup to an FDA-approved biomaterials company,” says Siegel. “They are an embodiment of what we strive to achieve here at the University Technology Park and a testament to our ongoing commitment to fostering innovation in Chicago. It’s through supporting these transformative companies that we enable significant breakthroughs in healthcare and beyond.”
Photo: Dimension Inx employees work in the lab.
Illinois Institute of Technology
Based in the global metropolis of Chicago, Illinois Tech was born to liberate the collective power of difference to advance technology and progress for all. It is the only tech-focused university in the city, and it stands at the crossroads of exploration and invention, advancing the future of Chicago and the world. It offers undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering, computing, architecture, business, design, science and human sciences, and law. Illinois Tech students are guaranteed hands-on experiences, personalized mentorship, and job readiness through the university’s one-of-a-kind Elevate program. Its graduates lead the state and much of the nation in economic prosperity. Its faculty and alumni built the Chicago skyline. And every day in the living lab of the city, Illinois Tech fuels breakthroughs that change lives. Visit iit.edu.
University Technology Park
University Technology Park at Illinois Tech fosters the innovation that fuels Chicago’s economy and promotes positive change in the world. UTP provides wet and dry labs and office space for growing companies focused on materials and life sciences, biomedical engineering, medical devices and diagnostics, green and clean technology, food safety, information technology, and many other fields. UTP’s location at Illinois Tech—Chicago’s only tech-focused university—places our companies at the center of innovation and discovery.
Media contacts
Kevin Dollear
Communications Manager
Illinois Institute of Technology
Cell: 773-860-5712
kdollear@iit.edu
