In the year since it launched at Cal Poly, Everest Medical has been working to move its childbirth device beyond the classroom. The startup is now one of six finalists in AngelCon 2026, with more than $100,000 in investment at stake when finalists compete April 30.
Founded by biomedical engineering graduates Jenna Eissmann and Madeleine Mumford, Everest is developing a device aimed at shoulder dystocia, an obstetric emergency in which a baby’s shoulders become lodged during delivery.
“We want the device to be simple, easy to use and effective,” Eissmann said.
Everest began as a Cal Poly senior project, where Eissmann and Mumford started exploring how a safer, more intuitive tool could help free a baby’s shoulders during a difficult delivery. Early models were built from basic materials, but the effort continued after graduation.
Over the past year, Everest has started operating as a company. The founders joined Cal Poly’s Center for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Incubator, formally incorporated and began raising early capital.
That momentum also took them to Irvine, where Everest joined the REALIZE Accelerator, a medical technology program run through University Lab Partners. Everest was part of the inaugural cohort, one of 11 teams selected from more than 60 applicants. The accelerator provided a year of lab space and introduced the founders to new mentors and investors.
Everest later opened a $500,000 pre-seed round and has already raised more than $200,000. The startup was also one of two selected for an investment opportunity tied to the accelerator.
That progress came during a demanding stretch. In May, Everest received the Human Health and Industry Award at the UC Davis Big Bang! competition just as Mumford was defending her thesis and Eissmann was dealing with the unexpected death of her father. The team dedicated the award to him, describing the week as “a humble reminder of how precious life is, and how important medical research and innovation is to improve the health of our loved ones.”
“Jenna rose to the occasion when she didn’t have to,” Mumford said. “That took an enormous amount of dedication and belief in what we were building during one of the hardest times of our lives.”
Much of the past year has centered on a practical question: How do you test an idea well enough to show it could actually work?
Mumford said the team has been building better models, including a tissue mimic designed to more closely reflect the mechanics of childbirth. Developing it required testing 13 formulas before the team landed on a final version this week.
“This is matching physicians with science,” Mumford said.
Everest has paired that bench work with local clinical feedback and contracts to use Cal Poly equipment. Mumford said providers have weighed in on how the materials feel, while the team has used biomedical engineering equipment to measure strength and response.
Everest has been developing the device while also talking with clinicians and hospital leaders about what it will take to move it forward. Eissmann and Mumford said those conversations have helped them understand what evidence will be needed before a new tool could be used more widely.
Those conversations are grounded in the problem that first pulled them in. Eissmann said she has listened to more than 100 birth stories tied to shoulder dystocia, including accounts of injuries and long-term impacts for mothers and babies. She said the stories keep the team focused on the families behind the problem.
“That’s what drives me every day,” she said.
The founders say the funding landscape can make that effort harder. Maternal health is receiving more attention than it once did, but women’s health can still be a cautious space for investors, especially when a device is designed for both mother and baby. “We’re working in a risk-averse climate and with two of the most vulnerable populations,” Mumford said.
Even so, Everest has found support on the Central Coast. In November, the startup won the Audience Choice Award and $5,000 in the “3 Minutes 2 Win It” pitch competition at the Central Coast Economic Forecast. Eissmann said the event helped the team build stronger ties in San Luis Obispo and connect with people who could offer feedback as development continues.
Now the focus is on turning those inputs into data. Mumford said Everest is preparing to attach the tissue mimic to the company’s testing model, while Eissmann said the team also expects mechanical testing data this quarter and hopes to prepare an FDA presubmission by the end of the year.
“We are making progress,” Mumford said.
Next up is AngelCon, hosted by the Cal Poly CIE Small Business Development Center. As Everest prepares to pitch again, the larger goal remains the same: improving safety when a delivery turns urgent.
By Emily Slater
Attend AngelCon
AngelCon is Cal Poly’s annual startup pitch competition, where six finalists compete for more than $100,000 in investment funding. This year’s event will be held from 5 to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, April 30, at Rod & Hammer Rock and streamed live online. Tickets are available through Eventbrite.
