Glia
An open-source medical hardware project that develops and manufactures high-quality, clinically validated medical devices using 3D printing to bypass supply chain barriers in resource-scarce environments.
- CEO / Founder
- Tarek Loubani
- Team Size
- 11-50
- Stage
- Active
- Total Funding
- $1.025M
- Latest Round
- Crowdfunding
- Key Investors
- Shuttleworth Foundation, Bassel Khartabil Fellowship, Western University, Grand Challenges Canada, Finn AI
Technology & Products
Key Products
Open-source medical devices including stethoscopes, otoscopes, tourniquets, Kidney-CAP, and surgical external fixators (Gaza local manufacture with recycled plastics/3D printing/solar); ongoing ECG and microscope work.
Technological Advantage
Combines rigorous clinical validation (matching the performance of industry leaders like Littmann) with distributed manufacturing; this allows for the production of life-saving tools on-site using standard 3D printers and recycled materials.
Differentiation
Value Proposition
Delivers medical-grade equipment at a fraction of the cost of traditional proprietary hardware by utilizing local 3D printing and open-source designs, effectively overcoming international blockades and logistics failures.
How They Differentiate
Glia utilizes open-source hardware (OSH) licenses and decentralized 3D printing to produce medical-grade devices that are clinically validated to match the performance of industry leaders at a fraction of the cost (e.g., a $5 stethoscope vs. a $200 Littmann).
Market & Competition
Target Customers
Humanitarian organizations (NGOs), hospitals in conflict zones or low-resource settings, and medical practitioners in underserved regions.
Industry Verticals
Medical Devices, Humanitarian Aid & Disaster Relief, Additive Manufacturing (3D Printing), Global Health & Social Enterprise
Competitors
Traditional proprietary medical device manufacturers (e.g., Littmann).
Growth & Milestones
Growth Metrics
Produced over 10,000 face shields during COVID-19; 500+ stethoscopes in active clinical use; 100% clinical equivalence to premium diagnostic tools.
Major Milestones
Published world's first clinical validation of a 3D-printed stethoscope in 2015, Established the first 3D-printing medical manufacturing hub in Gaza in 2018, Successfully deployed 3D-printed external fixators for blast injuries in Gaza in 2024
Notable Customers
Hospitals in resource-scarce environments, Open Gaza Initiative.
Funding rounds
- Crowdfunding$150K2023-10Lead: N/A · Source: Public Appeal
- Grant$50K2020-04Lead: Bassel Khartabil Fellowship · Source: Bassel Khartabil Fellowship
- Fellowship$275K2019-03Lead: Shuttleworth Foundation · Source: Shuttleworth Foundation
- Fellowship$275K2018-03Lead: Shuttleworth Foundation · Source: Shuttleworth Foundation
- Fellowship$275K2017-03Lead: Shuttleworth Foundation · Source: Shuttleworth Foundation