Fargo – October 12, 2026 -- Sharp Biomedical, a medical device company building manual procedures for outpatient pain clinics, has closed its pre-seed funding round, led by North Dakota venture fund gener8tor 1889 with participation from several physician angel investors. The announcement did not disclose the round size.
Capital covers the full development and testing pathway for a first implant system
Sharp Biomedical says the proceeds fully fund development and testing of its first purpose-built toolset and implant system. The system is designed to fit the workflow of outpatient pain clinics and targets early-to-mid-stage chronic pain patients.
The company is developing entirely manual procedures that clinics can perform without intensive capital expenditure or major infrastructure overhauls. Founder and CEO Dan Newman contrasts this with industry focus on robotics and complex technology for late-stage spinal care, where he sees an unmet need earlier in the care continuum.
Investor and physician backing centers on clinic-level access to spine care
Ben Stanley, Principal at gener8tor 1889, described the company's mission to widen access to spine care through outpatient clinics as "a breath of fresh air in a highly complex industry." He also cited the team's commitment to growing the North Dakota biotech ecosystem.
Dr. Danny Neuman, an interventional pain specialist, Medical Staff President at Ascentist Healthcare and an advisor to Sharp, said the design process draws on collaborative physician input. He expects the approach to let clinicians intervene earlier and deliver definitive relief in the outpatient setting.
Testing protocols and physician input continue ahead of regulatory milestones
With funding secured, Sharp Biomedical is advancing its testing protocols and gathering physician feedback. The company is working toward its next regulatory milestones and the eventual commercial launch of its flagship device. No timeline for either was provided.