Ignite Orthopedics

What Ignite Orthopedics does

Ignite Orthopedics is a privately held musculoskeletal product development company founded in 2017 and headquartered in Winona Lake, Indiana, within the Warsaw orthopedic cluster. The firm focuses exclusively on the upper extremity orthopedic market, developing differentiated implant systems for shoulder and elbow arthroplasty through a surgeon-driven model that partners with ASES-member, Neer Award-winning, and Fellowship-Director clinical advisors. Its core product portfolio includes the FDA 510(k)-cleared Radial Head Arthroplasty System (2019) and the INHANCE Shoulder System, the latter being a first-to-market, fully integrated shoulder arthroplasty platform with a stemless-first surgical approach, the UNITI 3D laser-printed porous structure, and the ONE STEP PREP Glenoid Reamer, all delivered through the proprietary Ready-Set Go sterile single-use instrumentation system. The company has since extended into partial knee arthroplasty via the Ignite OrthoMotion subsidiary with the ACHIEVE product line.

The company's business model is product origination followed by OEM licensing or portfolio sale, rather than direct commercialization. Both the Radial Head Arthroplasty System and the INHANCE Shoulder System were acquired by DePuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson MedTech) for global commercialization through its established distribution network, generating revenue through licensing royalties and milestone payments rather than direct hospital sales. Operating with approximately five team members and no disclosed revenue, Ignite is a lean, IP-centric origination platform whose value capture is gated by the commercial performance of its OEM partners.

Name

Ignite Orthopedics

Legal name

Ignite Orthopedics, LLC

Website

https://igniteorthopedics.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Ignite Orthopedics is a privately held orthopedic product development company founded in 2017 in Warsaw, Indiana, that designs shoulder and elbow arthroplasty systems through a surgeon-driven model and monetizes them via licensing and portfolio sales to OEMs, primarily DePuy Synthes.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Orthopedic Implants

NAICS

Surgical Appliance and Supplies Manufacturing (339113), Surgical and Medical Instrument Manufacturing (339112)

SIC

Orthopedic, Prosthetic & Surgical Appliances & Supplies (3842), Surgical & Medical Instruments & Apparatus (3841)

akta.pro primary industry

Orthopedic Joint Reconstruction Implants (Hip/Knee/Shoulder/Elbow/Ankle) (HLAHAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Hand & Upper Extremity (HLAKALAF), Hip & Knee Reconstruction (Arthroplasty) (HLAKALAH)

Keywords

• Orthopedic implant development
• Shoulder arthroplasty systems
• Upper extremity devices
• Elbow arthroplasty devices
• Medical device licensing

Headquarters

HQ city

Warsaw

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Technology Licensing and Acquisition: Ignite Orthopedics develops proprietary orthopedic products and subsequently licenses or sells the technology to larger medical device companies. The company creates differentiated products through surgeon-driven development, then exits through strategic acquisition agreements with major players like DePuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson MedTech).

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Ignite Orthopedics is a musculoskeletal product development company that designs and develops upper extremity orthopedic implant systems, including shoulder and elbow arthroplasty devices and sterile single-use instrumentation. The company develops these products through close collaboration with leading shoulder and elbow surgeons, secures FDA clearances, and then licenses or sells the resulting technology to large medical device companies such as DePuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson MedTech) for global commercialization.

Product overview

Ignite Orthopedics is a musculoskeletal product development company focused on the upper extremity market (shoulder and elbow arthroplasty). The company has developed and commercialized a portfolio of orthopedic implant systems, including the Radial Head Arthroplasty System (FDA 510(k) cleared in 2019) and the INHANCE™ Shoulder System (acquired by DePuy Synthes in 2021). These products are delivered through the Ready-Set Go™ sterile single-use instrumentation system. The company also developed the ACHIEVE™ Partial Knee through its Ignite OrthoMotion subsidiary. Ignite Orthopedics operates on a product development and commercialization model, partnering with surgeon specialists to develop differentiated products addressing unmet clinical and economic needs in the upper extremity market.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Ready-Set Go™: Sterile single-use instrumentation system featuring efficient, streamlined and cost-effective surgical solutions for hospitals and surgery centers
• ACHIEVE™ Partial Knee

Products and services

• INHANCE Shoulder System Fully integrated shoulder arthroplasty system featuring a stemless-first surgical approach with seamless transition from stemless to stemmed implants, common instrumentation across configurations, the UNITI 3D laser-printed porous structure, and the ONE STEP PREP Glenoid Reamer. Includes reusable instrumentation, comprehensive anatomic stemless and stemmed inlay humeral implants, and a circular anatomic glenoid component. Acquired by DePuy Synthes in 2021 for commercialization.
• Radial Head Arthroplasty System FDA 510(k) cleared radial head replacement implant system for treating proximal radius fractures and degenerative arthritis. Features radiolucent trials and spacers for clear fluoroscopic assessment, a patent-pending in-situ spacer addition capability, and the Ready-Set Go sterile single-use instrumentation kit containing all implant sizes in one compact box.
• ACHIEVE Partial Knee Partial knee implant system developed by the Ignite OrthoMotion team following the success of INHANCE Shoulder System. Alec Cunningham held pivotal responsibilities in development, marketing, and business development for this product.
• Ready-Set Go Instrumentation System Sterile single-use instrumentation system providing hospitals and surgery centers with efficient, streamlined, and cost-effective surgical solutions. Features peel-open packaging design containing all implant sizes and instrumentation in one compact box, reducing tray requirements and storage needs while shortening OR preparation time.

Quantifiable outcome

• First FDA 510(k) clearance achieved June 2019 for Radial Head Arthroplasty System
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• DePuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson MedTech)coreOEM/ Whitelabel/ Licensing Partner · 18 August 2021Multi-year strategic agreement where DePuy Synthes acquired the INHANCE Shoulder System from Ignite Orthopedics for commercialization. DePuy Synthes launched the first-to-market, fully integrated shoulder arthroplasty system in August 2021. The system features a stemless-first surgical approach and was designed in collaboration with leading shoulder surgeons. Additional 510(k) clearance for reverse total shoulder arthroplasty was received in 2022.
• Nextremity Solutions, Inc.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 July 2017Business alliance formed in July 2017 where Nextremity Solutions provided co-location space, shared key resources, and capital to support Ignite Orthopedics' early growth. Ignite was housed at Nextremity Solutions offices for 2.5 years before establishing their own headquarters. The alliance allowed co-founders to focus on surgeon partnerships and product development while Nextremity provided operational support.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• DePuy Synthes (Johnson & Johnson MedTech): Global tier-1 orthopedic OEM and Ignite's primary acquirer/licensing partner. Operates broad shoulder, elbow, and trauma portfolios and represents both a partner and the dominant incumbent competitive threat in upper-extremity arthroplasty.
• Smith+Nephew: Global medical device company with a meaningful upper-extremity and shoulder arthroplasty presence, competing for the same OEM-licensing and acquisition targets that Ignite serves.
• DJO / Enovis: Orthopedic device player with shoulder and extremities product lines that overlap with Ignite's target upper-extremity market, and a history of acquiring and commercializing niche orthopedic technologies from smaller developers.
• Zimmer Biomet: Warsaw-headquartered global orthopedic incumbent with large shoulder/elbow and extremities franchises. Many Ignite leadership alumni (Brian Hodorek, Russ Parrott, Terry Schlotterback) previously held senior roles at Zimmer/Zimmer Biomet, making it a direct competitor for surgeon relationships and product launches.
• Wright Medical (now part of Stryker): Pre-acquisition Wright Medical was a global leader in upper-extremity orthopedics and inherited much of Tornier's shoulder/elbow portfolio — the same franchise Ignite's co-founders built at Tornier. Post-Stryker acquisition, it represents the dominant incumbent in the exact product category Ignite targets.

Direct peers

• OrthoPediatrics: Warsaw-based orthopedic device company focused on pediatric implants, with shared lineage (same Warsaw R&D ecosystem, overlapping surgeon advisory models, and prior Nextremity/Ignite board ties via Terry Schlotterback and Rod Mayer). Uses a similar surgeon-driven product development approach targeting an underserved orthopedic niche.
• Exactech: Orthopedic device company with a focused shoulder arthroplasty portfolio (Equinoxe platform), directly competing with Ignite's INHANCE in the same anatomic and reverse total shoulder markets served through surgeon-driven development.
• Nextremity Solutions: Warsaw, IN-based musculoskeletal product development and commercialization company that incubated Ignite Orthopedics. Operates the same surgeon-driven product development → OEM licensing model, focused initially on foot and ankle, now broader musculoskeletal — making it the closest structural peer to Ignite.
• Wishbone Medical: Warsaw, IN-based orthopedic device company focused on pediatric and small-bone orthopedic implants, sharing the same Warsaw R&D/manufacturing ecosystem and surgeon-driven development approach.

Emerging players

• Catalyst OrthoScience: Emerging orthopedic company developing shoulder arthroplasty technologies with a focus on bone-preserving, less-invasive approaches — directly adjacent to Ignite's INHANCE and partial-knee development philosophy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/igniteortho

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ignite Orthopedics