# XN Health

> XN Health is a Houston-born, HAX-backed medical device startup building the Phlex Diaphragm Stimulator, a device that runs phrenic nerve stimulation down the breathing tube to wake up a patient's own diaphragm while they are on a ventilator. The goal is to stop the muscle from wasting away during long ICU stays, cut the injury a ventilator can cause, and get roughly 1.6 million Americans a year off the machine faster. Founded in 2021 by CEO Elizabeth Jaworski, PhD, the four-person company is still early - animal studies, seed money, and a pile of pitch wins - but it is chasing a problem most people never think about until a loved one is in the ICU.

- **Founded:** 2021
- **Headquarters:** Houston, Texas, United States
- **Founders:** Elizabeth (Ela) Jaworski (CEO and Co-Founder), Lance Black (Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer), Mehdi Razavi (Co-Founder / Clinical Advisor)
- **Team size:** ~4 employees
- **Products:** Phlex Diaphragm Stimulator
- **Notable:** Completed animal studies validating that transtracheal phrenic nerve stimulation can generate negative pressure ventilation (2022)., Accepted into Creative Destruction Lab (2022)., Won 3rd Place Pitch Prize and multiple sponsor prizes at the Texas A&M New Ventures Competition (2022).

## Products & services

- **Phlex Diaphragm Stimulator** — A minimally invasive device that delivers transtracheal phrenic nerve stimulation - stimulation of the phrenic nerve through the respiratory tract - to induce diaphragm contractions and generate negative pressure ventilation while a patient is on a mechanical ventilator. The aim is to prevent ventilator-induced diaphragm dysfunction (VIDD) and lung injury, strengthen the diaphragm, lower the pressure needed to inflate the lungs, and reduce wean times.

## Achievements

- Completed animal studies validating that transtracheal phrenic nerve stimulation can generate negative pressure ventilation (2022).
- Accepted into Creative Destruction Lab (2022).
- Won 3rd Place Pitch Prize and multiple sponsor prizes at the Texas A&M New Ventures Competition (2022).
- CEO Elizabeth Jaworski won the TiE New Jersey Women's Pitch Competition (2023).
- Named to the SOSV Human Health 100 (2023).
- Raised a seed round including Mayo Clinic (2023).

## Latest updates

- **2024-02** — Raised additional capital via a convertible note as the company continued device development.
- **2023-12** — Closed a seed round with investors including UCeed, Princeton Alumni Angels, Atlanta Technology Angels, and Mayo Clinic.
- **2023-11** — CEO Elizabeth Jaworski won the TiE New Jersey Women's Pitch Competition.
- **2025-01** — Elizabeth Jaworski presented XN Health's ventilator-patient therapeutic device at the LSI USA '25 conference.

## Links

- Website: https://xn-health.com
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/xn-health/

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/xn-health
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-08-19