Puray
Introducing Puray
Puray believes hospital infections are one of the biggest preventable challenges in healthcare. Their mission is to make medical catheters and tubes radically safer by using visible light to eliminate bacteria — without chemicals, without resistance, and without disrupting existing workflows. Puray's founding team combines expertise in biomedical computing, design, and business — but more importantly, they're united by a shared goal: bringing a scientifically validated innovation into real-world medical use.
The Product Puray is offering:
"Puray has developed a light-based disinfection technology that integrates into medical catheters and tubes to actively reduce the risk of infection. Using 405 nm visible light, our system continuously inactivates bacteria on the inner surfaces of catheters — without relying on antibiotics, coatings, or chemical agents. The technology is safe for human tissue and can be embedded directly into single-use products, powered by a compact external light source.
Unlike conventional antimicrobial coatings, our solution works over time, not just at the point of insertion — offering long-term protection during critical phases of patient care. This makes it especially relevant for long-term catheter applications in intensive care, urology,
We provide the core technology as a modular system for integration into existing or new medical devices — opening up opportunities for OEM partnerships, co-development, and licensing.
For corporate partners, we offer not only a novel, clinically relevant technology but also an open mindset for collaboration — whether through co-development, pilot studies, or strategic partnerships."
Their entry point when joining TUM Venture Lab Healthcare:
"When we joined TUM Venture Lab Healthcare, our technology was still in an early validation phase. The laboratory experiments to test the antimicrobial effect of 405 nm light were ongoing, and we were in the process of building a functional prototype to demonstrate light emission within a catheter. The concept showed promise, but key questions around clinical relevance, technical feasibility, and regulatory classification were still open.
As a small, interdisciplinary team, we brought together strong scientific insight and early design ideas, but were just beginning to understand what it takes to build a MedTech product. We entered the Venture Lab with a clear ambition — to transform a research-based idea into a viable healthcare solution — and with many unanswered questions still ahead of us."
Insights into their founding challenge(s):
"Like most early-stage startups, we faced a range of challenges in the founding phase. One of the first was securing initial funding to move from concept to prototype — especially in a highly regulated field like MedTech, where timelines are long and validation is critical. Convincing partners and supporters of a technology that wasn’t yet fully built or tested required persistence and clear communication.
At the same time, building the right team was just as crucial. We needed people we could trust, with complementary skills — from science and product design to business and regulatory. Aligning everyone around a shared vision while managing the uncertainty of an evolving project took time and commitment. Internally, we also had to establish our own way of working: processes, tools, and routines that helped us stay focused and move forward — even when things didn’t go as planned."
Looking back: How TUM Venture Lab Healthcare was able to support Puray in the past:
"TUM Venture Lab Healthcare gave us a valuable initial platform to sharpen our idea and connect with relevant experts. One highlight was the opportunity to present our concept to a clinical research board at the TUM University Hospital Rechts der Isar. The direct feedback from physicians and professors helped us better understand clinical needs and refine our use case based on real-world perspectives.
While the Venture Lab isn’t a full-service accelerator, it served as a helpful starting point — especially for building early visibility, receiving targeted feedback, and becoming part of a community of healthcare innovators. For us, it was a place to validate assumptions, challenge our thinking, and begin the shift from research to application."
Puray's key advice for Founders:
"Don’t wait until everything is perfect before you start — it never will be. Especially in healthcare, progress often feels slow and uncertain. But if you’re solving a real problem, even small steps matter. Talk to users early, validate your assumptions often, and don’t be afraid to change direction when needed.
Surround yourself with people who bring complementary skills and who you trust — not just professionally, but personally. The early phase of building a startup is intense, and having a resilient, aligned team is one of the most important success factors.
For those just beginning their startup journey, our path shows that ideas rooted in research and clear unmet needs can grow into scalable solutions. From initial lab experiments to industrial design, regulatory planning, and first partnerships — each step builds on the last. We’re happy to share our experience and help others navigate this process.
And finally: protect your time and focus. There will always be new programs, events, or opportunities — but not all of them will move your venture forward. Be clear on your priorities, and build momentum by making decisions, even if they’re not perfect."
