Long-term: Maybe insurance or government equivalent can help?

Short-term: Every new invention needs to start somewhere. There are plenty of rich, middle class, and even lower-middle-class families that easily have $50 a month to help out a struggling child / sibling / cousin / ect.

Remember, new businesses need to start somewhere, and that somewhere is often selling to a very tiny segment of the market that they intend to serve. [Edit:] Many times this means starting at a higher price, and then lowering the price as the company streamlines itself and can handle more customers.