Led by Experience. Driven by Innovation.
Meet the Axcess Instruments leadership team—a blend of surgical expertise, product development, and investor-backed business strategy. Our mission is to make surgery simpler, faster, and more efficient—whether in a top-tier hospital or an austere field environment. Backed by 13 patents and a working prototype, Axcess Instruments is moving forward with FDA testing and strategic manufacturing partnerships to bring this technology to operating rooms worldwide.
This isn’t just a better scope.
It’s a complete rethink of how we approach laparoscopy from the inside out.
Driven by firsthand experience and an engineer’s eye for efficiency, Dr. Norton co-developed the AxcessPort to eliminate the inefficiencies he encountered daily: fogged lenses, camera removals, delayed procedures, and expensive sterilization cycles. What began as a solution to a professional challenge has evolved into a patented, AI-compatible device that represents a smarter way to perform laparoscopic surgery.
Dr. Norton’s deep surgical insight and practical design thinking make him the ideal founder to lead Axcess Instruments through FDA approval, commercialization, and scale. His goal? To give every surgeon a clean view, every time—and every patient a better outcome.
Dr. Michael Norton is a board-certified general surgeon with over 30 years of experience in laparoscopic and minimally invasive surgery. Based in Tyler, Texas, Dr. Norton has built his career on serving patients with excellence and now, he’s bringing that same passion to solving the most frustrating challenges in the OR.
Our Team
Dr. Michael Norton, MD, FACS
President, Axcess Instruments, Inc.
Dr. Norton is a board-certified general surgeon with over three decades of hands-on experience in minimally invasive procedures. Based in Tyler, Texas, he has seen the evolution of laparoscopic technology from both clinical and strategic perspectives. After encountering persistent workflow disruptions and costly equipment inefficiencies, he channeled his surgical insight into a revolutionary solution.
Dr. Norton’s leadership is grounded in clinical expertise and driven by practical innovation. He’s not just a founder—he’s a front-line user who built the AxcessPort to fix real problems in the OR. From its AI-powered imaging to its facility-agnostic design, the device reflects his commitment to improving patient care while increasing operational velocity.
Informed by his years in surgery and guided by a mission to modernize the tools surgeons rely on, Dr. Norton is building more than a product—he’s building a platform for the future of minimally invasive care.
Noel Ischy
Vice President, Axcess Instruments, Inc.
Noel D. Ischy brings over four decades of entrepreneurial and technical leadership to Axcess Instruments, where he serves as Vice President and co-inventor of the AxcessPort™. As President of Now Development Co., Inc., Mr. Ischy has operated, enhanced, and sold oil and gas assets for over 37 years. He is also the former President of Bio Products, Inc., where he led the commercialization of BioBalls, a patented downhole diversion device that became the industry standard in oil and gas stimulation. From concept to production, he built and scaled a manufacturing operation, developed a national market, and led ongoing sales prior to a successful exit.
Beyond energy, Mr. Ischy has developed and operated a 312-acre drive-thru safari park in East Texas—Cherokee Trace Safari—home to over 600 animals from 37 exotic species. His experience spans acquisition, development, operations, and IP management.
At Axcess Instruments, he co-authored 13 patents related to the AxcessPort and holds 2 additional patents from prior ventures. He also serves as President of the Axcess Instruments IP Holding Company, ensuring the protection and strategic management of the company’s intellectual property portfolio.
