Asclepii Founder and CEO Franco Kaiselburd is changing the world of wound care and healing from his lab located in Northeast Ohio. Since he was 13, Franco has studied wound care and has been working toward an advanced, accessible, and safe solution to regenerative wound healing that affects hundreds of millions of people worldwide.
While his work was progressing and he founded Asclepii – named after Asclepius, the Greek god of wound healing and restoration – he was seeking support in the daunting task of building a health-tech startup. This led him to apply for accelerators and resource centers in the region, including Bounce Innovation Hub.
“I needed a little bit of structure and support, and what I liked about Bounce was that they immediately helped me without expecting anything other than supporting a young up-and-coming entrepreneur. That really stood out to me.”
Through working with Bounce’s Programming Team, Franco was quickly introduced to Bounce’s vast network of Entrepreneurial Service Providers (ESPs) to offer expert insight and top-class services in marketing, consulting, IP law, and more.
“You get a lot of hours with the entrepreneurial service providers for the region, and for us that was great because it helped us solidify our initial IP and go-to market strategy.”
With the support of the services offered by Bounce’s ESPs, Asclepii launched its first FDA-cleared product in 2025: a topical hydrogel named Poseidon that boasts high effectiveness in wound treatment while containing far lower amounts of silver than industry standard hydrogels. The product is available directly to consumers, as well as healthcare providers and distributors.
Asclepii is also working on preparing its next product for market: a biopolymer patch, named Artemis, that can prevent infections ahead of treatment and can be applied to wounds like a typical bandage.
“We’re already growing really rapidly as a company, and we’re already investing in that future… So far, we have supported 500 patients in their healing process, which is remarkable.”
The early momentum of Poseidon and the promising potential for Artemis have led to fast success in partnerships with regional medical institutions such as University Hospitals and Northeast Surgical Wound Care, along with advanced discussions with other entities in Northeast Ohio and beyond. Asclepii products are currently being used in 19 states. Franco credits this to a strong footprint for healthcare and health technologies in the region.
“My advice to health-tech entrepreneurs and really entrepreneurs in general, keep going and lean into the ecosystem around you. Bet on the place around you as much as you bet on your startup.”
By combining the region’s strengths in the healthcare industry with proven, comprehensive support from Bounce’s Programming accelerators, founders like Franco were able to take the next step in their business faster than before. Through its network of service providers, mentors, and other experts, Bounce Innovation Hub is committed to providing entrepreneurs with the tools they need to succeed.
“I like Bounce because they commit every single day to the founders & entrepreneurs that are trying to solve incredibly difficult problems daily.”