Mendo

Mendo produces handheld devices capable of automatically running nucleic acid amplification tests at a lower cost and power consumption without the need for a laboratory or a skilled technician. This is made possible by a novel microfluidic valve that is electronically activated. Currently, an estimated 40% of food is wasted at numerous points along the production-to-consumption cycle, and the global food cycle is responsible for consuming almost 30% of all generated electricity.  Mendo's technology reduces the need for unwieldy equipment to handle and test fluids, allowing a pocket-sized, battery-powered device to be used in the detection of food-spoilage microbes. Their device provides better prediction of shelf life for perishable foods through molecular, nucleic-acid-based tests, reducing food waste along with energy-consumption levels in our food systems. By designing their tester for easy integration into the workflows of modern food-processing plants, Mendo's technology promises rapid, scalable improvements in the efficiency and timeliness with which agricultural producers and vendors route food to profitable uses before spoilage occurs.