What if mastitis could be safely prevented rather than just treated?

This is the question Sprout Accelerator Spring24 cohort participant Hillary Sharp and her team at ESP Medical have been tackling for the past two years. With a recent move away from blanket antibiotic treatment, teat sealant has provided an alternative prevention management tool. However, it causes headaches when administered and also disrupts the supply chain, from creating unsightly black spots in cheese to clogging up milking equipment. The industry is in desperate need of a better, more efficient solution.

ESP Medical’s flagship product, Kerafirm, is a biodegradable, bio-compatible teat sealant designed to prevent and treat mastitis in dairy cows. 

The ESP Medical team is a well-rounded, determined group of engineers, scientists, and product developers with a collective experience spanning more than 30 years. This multidisciplinary team brings decades of expertise in developing animal health products, with each member playing a crucial role in the company's success.

Leading the charge is Hillary Sharp, founder and CEO of ESP Medical, whose professionalism, business experience, and drive set the tone for the entire operation. 

That being said, solving mastitis in dairy cows was not on Hillary’s ‘bingo board’ for life.  

ESP Medical was born out of a family-owned plastics design and manufacturing business, ESP Plastics, founded by Hillary’s father in 1989. Hillary never envisioned herself working in the family venture. Yet, after a stint living in Beijing and an unexpected return home during the COVID-19 pandemic, she found herself diving headfirst into a new chapter.

“I had no interest in plastic products growing up,” Hillary laughs. “But when COVID hit, ESP Plastics was working on an emergency response ventilator project, and I came on board as a project manager. It was an intensive project, and from there, things evolved. It became my passion project, and I found myself in love with the medical side of the business, designing products that solve real-world problems.”

The company’s journey took a major turn when an independent director entrusted them with a patented technology he couldn’t bring to market 20 years ago. After seeing ESP Medical’s capabilities and the impressive team, he sold them the IP, believing they could take the technology to the finish line.

Kerafirm represents a new direction for this legacy project, as ESP Medical re-evaluated the market and adapted the technology to current needs. 

Hillary is joined by Hani Abdeltawab, the principal scientist of ESP Medical. Hani’s research and formulation development expertise drives the scientific rigour behind Kerafirm’s development. His work ensures that Kerafirm is not only safe for use in dairy cows but also highly effective in preventing and treating mastitis. Together, Hillary and Hani form a dynamic leadership team that balances business acumen with scientific excellence.

ESP Medical’s journey took a pivotal turn when they were selected for the Spring24 Sprout Accelerator. Participation in the accelerator has provided them with the resources, mentorship, and connections needed to bring Kerafirm to market.

“The support we’ve received from the Sprout ecosystem has already been game-changing,” Hillary notes. “Not only from the mentors but also from the cohort itself, there's some really clever and connected people within our group.”

Sprout is helping ESP Medical navigate their investment journey, offering strategic advice on securing funding and growing their venture. With their support, the team is positioning itself to get Kerafirm to market quickly. 

For Hillary and the ESP Medical team, Kerafirm is just the beginning. They are on a mission to be globally recognised as leaders in the animal health product space. With their flagship product on the verge of success, they are already looking ahead to what’s next.

“We see Kerafirm as the start of something much bigger,” says Hillary. “We want to be globally competitive and create a range of animal health products that solve critical problems in the industry. This is just the beginning of our journey.”

ESP Medical stands at the forefront of innovation in the dairy industry, offering a solution that has the potential to change the way mastitis is managed worldwide. 

With a passionate and skilled team, market validation, and support from the Sprout Accelerator, Hillary, Hani, and the entire ESP Medical team are poised to make a lasting impact on the future of animal health.