A Breakthrough in Diabetic Foot Care: The Journey of Siren Socks
Imagine a sock that could save lives. That’s exactly what entrepreneur Ran Ma has created with Siren Socks, a revolutionary product designed to prevent diabetic foot ulcers (DFUs). After studying burn victims and war veterans, Ma handcrafted her first prototype, which now forms the foundation of her company, Siren. Recently, Siren secured $9.5 million in funding, including a significant $8 million investment from Mölnlycke Health Care, boosting its total funding to $43 million.
Diabetes affects approximately 830 million people worldwide, with over a third at risk of developing debilitating ulcers that can lead to severe complications or even amputations. Siren Socks aim to combat this by detecting early signs of potential injuries through real-time foot temperature monitoring. By identifying hotspots indicative of ulcers, the socks can potentially reduce the risk of DFUs by up to 68% and amputations by 83%.
- Continuous data collection for real-time ulcer prevention
- Potential to significantly reduce the risk of severe diabetic complications
- $43 million raised to date for further research and development
“I studied biomedical engineering at Johns Hopkins and Northwestern University,” Ma shared with TechCrunch. “During my time there, I worked at a wound lab to develop a biomask for regenerating the human face for burn victims and war veterans.”
{Ran Ma, Founder of Siren}
Ma’s journey wasn’t straightforward. She dropped out of school twice but was determined to bring her vision to life. Using sensors from RadioShack and an Arduino board, she hand-sewed her first sock prototype. With help from a Chinatown tailor, she developed a second version with multiple sensors, creating the first continuous temperature-monitoring socks.
Siren’s innovation doesn’t go unnoticed. In 2017, the startup won TechCrunch’s Hardware Battlefield contest at Disrupt. Since then, backing from investors like Khosla Ventures and Founders Fund has fueled its growth, with Mölnlycke now joining as a strategic partner.
As the market for temperature-sensing technology expands, competitors like Podimetrics and Orpyx are also making strides with their own innovative solutions. Podimetrics has raised over $98 million for its temperature-sensing mat, while Orpyx recently secured $20 million in growth capital for its pressure-sensing insoles.
The landscape is heating up—pun intended—as companies vie to provide effective solutions for diabetic care. With Siren leading the charge in wearable technology, the future looks hopeful for those at risk of DFUs.
