Tim Moran still remembers hearing his prematurely born daughter scream when an adult-sized cannula was inserted in her mouth and taped to her face to deliver oxygen. Several years later, Moran has started PediaWorks, a not-for-profit organization that will work with medical professionals to develop pediatric medical devices, spinning off for-profit companies to commercialize those devices.

The company creates a cast-removal tool, orthopedic nails and body plates catered for children. But in June it received a grant to work with Cleveland stem cell researchers to develop a way to release a certain amount drugs that orders cells to create cartilage (the company also relies heavily on a collection of pediatric skeletal data in Cleveland to develop new products).

The money will push two stem-cell technologies deeper into clinical trials and create Ohio’s first Pluripotent Stem Cell Facility.