Matt Albuquerque of Next Step Bionics & Prosthetics, Inc. Named 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year
Matt Albuquerque, Certified Prosthetist/Orthotist and founder and president of Next Step Bionics & Prosthetics, Inc., (Next Step) was formally recognized as the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year on Wednesday, June 13 at the NH Tech Alliance’s 30th anniversary Entrepreneur of the Year event.
Next Step Bionics & Prosthetics, Inc., with offices in Manchester, NH, Newton, Mass., and Warwick, R.I., was founded in 1996 and provides bionic and prosthetic devices to amputee patients of all ages from all over the world. Using the best and most appropriate technologies available and caring for more than just the physical challenges that amputees face, Next Step is dedicated to helping individuals receive quality prosthetic care. Understanding the whole person, physically and emotionally, is at the heart of Next Step’s purpose and plans.
“I am truly humbled to be named the 2018 NH Tech Alliance Entrepreneur of the Year and join such a prestigious list of previous winners who have made a tremendous impact on our wonderful state of New Hampshire,” Albuquerque said. “For me, being an entrepreneur means really finding out what motivates you as an individual, then being able to form that notion into a business that provides stable jobs, gives back to the community that supports them and maintains the sensitive balance between growth and doing the right thing. I am honored to be the Alliance’s 30th Entrepreneur of the Year, and I look forward to many more years honoring future entrepreneurs.”
In 2018, the Alliance celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Entrepreneur of the Year (EOY) Awards, an annual celebration that recognizes individuals who make invaluable contributions to New Hampshire’s technology and business community.
“Each year, EOY brings excitement and anticipation for applicants and event attendees alike,” said Matt Benson, chair of the EOY Committee and member of the Alliance Board of Directors. “I am thrilled that we are presenting this award to someone who has committed over two decades of work to enhance the quality of living for amputees. Matt Albuquerque has made incredible strides in the bionics and prosthetics field. His passion for others has led him to become the entrepreneur he is, and the work he and his talented team has done with Dean Kamen on the DEKA Luke Arm project. Matt is one example of New Hampshire’s incredible entrepreneurial spirit, and I could not be more pleased that we are honoring him as the Alliance’s 30th Entrepreneur of the Year.”
Next Step has a large impact on the prosthetic industry, providing amputees with state-of-the-art devices and resources to ensure that individuals receive the individualized attention they need. Next Step provides comprehensive prosthetic support from a team of prosthetists, assistants, technicians and administrative professionals, and will consult with the individual patients’ surgeons, doctors, and physical therapists.
Albuquerque specializes in pediatric orthotic and prosthetic care, and his passion for helping others led him to found Next Step. He is integral to the development of advanced upper-extremity technologies and worked as a prosthetic consultant for Dean Kamen – coincidentally the Alliance’s first Entrepreneur of the Year – on the LUKE Arm project with DEKA Research & Development Corp. Under Albuquerque’s leadership, Next Step has become a clinical beta testing site. He is a member of the American Board for Certification in Prosthetics, American Board for Certification in Orthotics and the American Academy of Orthotics and Prosthetics. He is also a graduate of Leadership Greater Manchester and attended Stonehill College in North Easton, Massachusetts where he received a Bachelor of Science in Biology, and went on to Rancho Las Amigos Medical Center through the University of California and Northwestern University.
The 2018 EOY Award event was held Wednesday, June 13 from 5:30 to 7:30 pm at DoubleTree by Hilton, 2 Somerset Parkway in Nashua, just off Exit 8 on Daniel Webster Highway. The event was a nod to the gaming industry, including an interactive exhibit from local game developers, Game Assembly, a keynote address from Steve Golson, one of the developers of Ms. Pac-Man, and a posthumous Lifetime Achievement Award for Ralph Baer, the “Father of the Home Video Game.”
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