The 14-week ARK Challenge for Central Arkansas concluded with Demo Day this afternoon at the Clinton Center, and the $150,000 prize went Spencer Jones’ Jones Innovative Medical Solutions. Here’s a link to our story about Jones and the six other companies competing for the startup prize.

Jones’ original name for his device was BVAD, for bifurcated venous access device. He got the idea while at the University of Arkansas:

Advertisement

Spencer Jones, 23, was in nursing school at the University of Arkansas when he was asked at his job to draw blood on a patient. “They had an IV site, and I said, ‘Can I stop the infusion and pull blood?’ They said no.” Jones thought that was silly. “We’ve got DaVinci [surgical] robots and we can’t create an IV site where we can pull out while pushing in?” 

Judges were David Norman, a co-founder of Innovate Arkansas, which sponsors the challenge; Brad Henry of the Arkansas Development Finance Authority and James Hendren of Fund for the Arkansas’s Future.

50 years of fearless reporting and still going strong

Be a part of something bigger and join the fight for truth by subscribing or donating to the Arkansas Times. For 50 years, our progressive, alternative newspaper in Little Rock has been tackling powerful forces through our tough, determined, and feisty journalism. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 email subscribers, it's clear that our readers value our commitment to great journalism. But we need your help to do even more. By subscribing or donating – as little as $1 –, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be supporting our efforts to hire more writers and expand our coverage. Take a stand with the Arkansas Times and make a difference with your subscription or donation today.

Previous article Open line and Wednesday video Next article Beebe and pardons: He puts hold on controversial case; also plans pardon for son