Part scientist, part entrepreneur, Sydney Robinson is on a journey to change life for amputees worldwide.

That spirit of adventure pushed her to launch Vessl Prosthetics, where she’s learning to navigate constant change on the path to innovation.

“I think when you’re setting out on a journey that’s completely new, you need to embrace the fact that you won’t always have the right answer. You might have written your business plan, but you’re going to write it another 17 times, because things are constantly changing. So you have to be comfortable with making mistakes and learning from your experiences.”

Sydney has been joined on this journey by her Vessl co-founder Oleksiy Zaika. The two met as researchers in Western University’s Medical Innovation Fellowship Program when their team was assigned to observe a diabetes clinic. That’s when they learned diabetes is the leading cause of leg amputation and that amputees who use prostheses share a common concern: poor socket fit.

The socket is a cup-like adapter connecting the limb to the prosthetic device. As the limb shrinks and swells throughout the day, socket fit is compromised, leading to chafing and blisters. The pain forces many amputees to abandon their prosthesis. This loss of mobility brings a decline in quality of life.  

“We discovered poor socket fit is a massive global problem affecting millions of people daily, with no real solution. That inspired us not just to study the problem, but to take it forward after graduation and launch Vessl.”

Sydney, Oleksiy and the team at Vessl have developed what they call a volume management system that enables the socket to adapt as the leg changes in size throughout the day. After a few years of product testing with amputees and care providers, Sydney says Vessl hopes to bring the adapter to market soon.  

A big factor in their success is their mix of education and skills. Sydney has a master’s in biomedical engineering and Oleksiy has a PhD in anatomy and cell biology. But Sydney emphasizes the more important force at play here is teamwork.  

“In starting a company you need to be able to hit your milestones and get to market as fast as possible. And the team you’ve built can either help or hinder that.”

But it’s not just about business for Sydney. Her mission is much bigger than that.  

“What drives me is knowing we’re going to make such a huge difference in the lives of people who have had leg amputation. We’ve made these amazing promises about what we’re going to be able to bring to the market and I want to make those promises a reality.”