ROCHESTER, Minn.—Nanodropper, Inc., a medical device company offering a first-of-its-kind eyedrop bottle adaptor that reduces eyedrop size, recently completed a $1.4 million seed round. Golden Seeds joined the round, along with Minnesota-based Rochester Area Economic Development, Inc., and members of the Alliance of Angels. Golden Seeds, a recognized leader in the movement to accelerate funding to women entrepreneurs, represents Nanodropper’s first institutional investor after a multiple-year run of non-dilutive funding through inventor competitions, state and local grant support, and an initial funding round of investors that included optometrists, ophthalmologists, and other health care professionals who believe in Nanodropper’s product and business model.

“Golden Seeds is delighted to be an investor in Nanodropper. We believe the company solves a crucial problem well known by clinicians, payors and most importantly patients. This product is expected to provide much needed precision for glaucoma patients while providing a more cost-effective solution for payors,” according to Seema Phull, managing director of Golden Seeds and member of the board of directors of Nanodropper.

Rochester Area Economic Development, Inc. joined Golden Seeds in the round and represents the company’s first civic fund investment. Additional investors include members from the Austin Area Angels and Seattle-based Alliance of Angels. Nanodropper was founded in Seattle and is now based in Rochester, Minn.

The Nanodropper adaptor was inspired by a 2017 ProPublica article investigating eyedrop medication waste. The company was founded by Allisa Song, Mackenzie Andrews, Dr. Jennifer Steger, and Elias Baker.

Their invention is an FDA-listed, Class I medical device that is manufactured in the U.S. The near-universal adaptor easily screws onto eyedrop bottles, and reduces the size of a typical eyedrop by nearly 70 percent, stretching the life of the bottle by several months.

The co-founders of Nanodropper were named to the 2021 Forbes 30 Under 30 in Healthcare for their efforts, and have won more than 20 awards along their journey.